Sustainable Construction Diss_4

 

If you use the words of others you must properly cite the reference. If you paraphrase the ideas of others you must properly cite the reference. Please use APA format.  

S M

1. Discuss why studying building orientation is so important to save energy in buildings.

The orientation of the building is to increase the indoor comfort and reducing the energy spending. By taking the advantage of the daylight, and prevailing wind patterns, sun for heating, and that will increase in the energy efficiency and it will be much cheaper to run the building. Therefore, the Correct orientation is a low-cost option to improve occupant’s thermal comfort and decrease cooling and heating energy. In addition, when placing the buildings, you also need to consider the topography, climate, landform, and so on. By getting to more about the site and design the buildings respond to the site would save energy and be more economically effective, and the buildings need to maximize natural energy resource as well as minimize energy load.

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2. Do you agree that LEED is difficult and expensive for individual homeowners and smaller noncommercial projects? Present your arguments.

LEED certification adds from around four to eleven percent to a project’s construction costs. Additional costs for LEED certifications have been estimated between $2,500 up to $25,000. The additional costs for LEED are added on because of specific design, documenting, compliance certification, and verifying compliance through the commissioning process. As the procedure of getting LEED certificate is tedious task with high cost, yes LEED is difficult and expensive for individual homeowners and smaller noncommercial projects, but over all property cost value will go up too.

https://www.greenbuildingsolutions.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/LEED-Cost-Analysis-Report

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D R

1. Discuss why studying building orientation is so important to save energy in buildings.

   The intent for studying building orientation is to optimize its energy capturing capabilities. Roofs and windows can be optimally orientated for capturing as much solar energy as possible. This optimization of overall building orientation could then in turn be used as passive solar heating.  This orientation does not only try of optimize heat capture, but also capturing winds for cooling, and creating shaded areas to prevent over exposure to the sun in warmer seasons.  It is also a relatively inexpensive option for energy reduction.

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2. Do you agree that LEED is difficult and expensive for individual homeowners and smaller noncommercial projects? Present your arguments.

     Because LEED increases the overall construction costs, it can be argued that, although it will save on the return as time passes, the upfront costs may be an unfeasible burden on homeowners and small businesses.  Not many in that population have the upfront capital to cover those upfront costs.

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T H

1. Discuss why studying building orientation is so important to save energy in buildings.

One of the first things that should be considered when building sustainably is the passive measures that can be instituted. Thoughtful building orientation provides a number of advantages that cost very little, but provide a great return. Proper building orientation will take advantage of the sun’s passive solar heating in the winter – south facing windows allow the sun to heat the interior of the house in the winter, while properly sized awnings can block the sun’s heat in the summer. Large roof areas should be both oriented the proper direction and built at the proper angle to provide maximum space for both photovoltaic panels as well as solar water heating. It’s interesting to look at way older southern homes were designed – long before the “sustainable” and “green building” movement came on the scene. Houses were built with tall ceilings to allow the summer heat to rise. Attic fans were installed to circulate air. Roofs were light colored and reflective, and many houses were painted white to reflect heat. Porches were installed in appropriate places to block the summer sun from heating the inside of the house. Dog run houses were built to provide cool breezes, and to keep the kitchen heat separate from the rest of the house. Maybe our forefathers were more advanced than we give them credit for.

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2. Do you agree that LEED is difficult and expensive for individual homeowners and smaller non-commercial projects? Present your arguments.

The question that many builders and homeowners face when deciding whether or not to seek LEED certification is – is it worth it? LEED certification can add throusands of dollars to the price of a home. Notwithstanding, a home can be built to LEED (or other) standards without actually going through the process of certification. If the owner’s end goal is simply to build a sustainable, green, efficient home, certification isn’t necessary. However, if the owner would like 3rd party validation that the home meets a specific set of standards, certification might be the way to go. For builders that use “green” in their marketing strategy, having the home certified might be well worth the cost and effort. From a residential standpoint, I prefer the National Green Building Standard (NGBS). I have been involved in several homes, including one Net Zero home, where we certified to the NGBS.

References

Leffers, R. (2010). Sustainable Construction and Design. Prentice Hall.

National Association of Home Builders (2020). National Green Building Standard (NGBS) Certification. Retreived November 9, 2020 from https://www.nahb.org/advocacy/industry-issues/sustainability-and-green-building/National-Green-Building-Certification

US Green Building Council (2020). LEED Certification Fees. Retrieved November 9, 2020 from https://www.usgbc.org/tools/leed-certification/fees

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D C

1. Discuss why studying building orientation is so important to save energy in buildings.

A site analysis can help you determine an effectual building orientation. Just simply taking the position of the sun into consideration during the summer and winter months can save energy. Location of a photovoltaic system, fenestration, and shade structures (porch, courtyards, trees), will help diminish energy consumption. During the summer months, the less sun heat that is transmitted into the building, the less energy it takes to keep the building at comfortable temperatures. During the winter months, you can also increase the sun heat infiltration into the building to assist in keeping the inside of the building warm and with natural daylight.

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2. Do you agree that LEED is difficult and expensive for individual homeowners and smaller noncommercial projects? Present your arguments.

The initial cost to get a residence LEED certified can be around $3000, this is only the certification cost. As we are learning in this course, getting LEED certified is not an easy process, you might need to hire someone with experience to complete the certification process. Construction costs can be 3 to 5 percent higher than a conventional residence, this can be an additional $10,000 on a $200,000 residence. The answer to the question is yes, it is difficult and expensive to build a LEED certified home. But we must not forget, there is no doubt that the benefits far outweigh the costs in the life of the building.

https://www.energyhomes.org/

https://greenhomeinstitute.org/leed-for-homes-myth-3-the-costs-are-expensive/#:~:text=When%20using%20as%20the%20LEED,%24225%20(depending%20on%20USGBC%20membership)

https://medium.com/@elementalgreen/the-many-benefits-of-leed-certified-homes-38c83f4f04f

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Discussion 4

1. Discuss why studying building orientation is so important to save energy in buildings.

2. Do you agree that LEED is difficult and expensive for individual homeowners and smaller noncommercial projects? Present your arguments.