Housing

Housing may refer to:

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A House Social or public housing Enclosure containing some equipment or mechanism

Affordable housing is a term used to describe dwelling units whose total housing costs are deemed "affordable" to those that have a median income. Although the term is often applied to rental housing that is within the financial means of those in the lower income ranges of a geographical area, the concept is applicable to both renters and purchasers in all income ranges. In the United States and Canada, a commonly accepted guideline for housing affordability is a housing cost that does not exceed 30% of a household's gross income. Housing costs considered in this guideline generally include taxes and insurance for owners, and usually include utility costs. When the monthly carrying costs of a home exceed 3035% of household income, then the housing is considered unaffordable for that household. In India,70% of the population lives below the poverty line and there is huge demand for affordable housing. A lot of developers are developing low cost and affordable housing for these population and leading the pack is Company, they are developing affordable and low cost housing under the brand name Shubh Griha and New Haven Vasind. The Government of India has taken up various initiatives for developing properties in low cost and affordable segment. SUSTAINABILITY Sustainability is the capacity to endure. In ecology, the word describes how biological systems remain diverse and productive over time. Long-lived and healthy wetlands and forests are examples of sustainable biological systems. For humans, sustainability is the potential for longterm maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions.Healthy ecosystems and environments provide vital goods and services to humans and other organisms. There are two major ways of reducing negative human impact and enhancing ecosystem services. The first is environmental management; this approach is based largely on information gained from earth science, environmental science, and conservation biology. The second approach is management of human consumption of resources, which is

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largely

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information

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economics.

Moving towards sustainability is also a social challenge that entails international and national law, urban planning and transport, local and individual lifestyles and ethical consumerism. Ways of living more sustainably can take many forms from reorganizing living conditions (e.g., ecovillages, eco-municipalities and sustainable cities), reappraising economic sectors (permaculture, green building, sustainable agriculture), or work practices (sustainable architecture), using science to develop new technologies (green technologies, renewable energy), to adjustments in individual lifestyles that conserve natural resources.

What is green housing? A green house is a home that uses sustainable building materials and energy efficient design. The concept of SUSTAINABILITY involves RENEWABLE ENERGY and CO NSERVATION OF RESOURCES. A green home promotes a natural sense of well-being, better health and greater economic prosperity through affordable and efficient use of energy and natural resources. Each step we take to minimize the human impact on our environment is a step to improve the lives of all living things.

What is green housing / green building? The concept of Green Buildings envision a new approach to save water, energy and material resources in the construction and maintenance of the buildings and can reduce or eliminate the adverse impact of buildings on the environment and occupants. Land :The landscaping and the exterior design in a green building shall be in such a way that there is more shaded area, the light trespass is eliminated and local species of plants are grown.

Water : The green building by its design and shape shall not disrupt the natural water flows, it should orient and stand just like a tree. Rain falling over the whole area of the complex shall be harvested in full either to replenish the ground water table in and around the building or to be utilized in the services of the building. The toilets shall be fitted with low flesh fixtures. The plumbing system should have separate lines for drinking and flushing. Grey wate r from kitchenette, bath and laundry shall be treated and reused for gardening or in cooling towers of air conditioning. Energy: The solar energy at the top of a green building is harvested to supplement the conventional energy,. The natural light is harvested in the intermediate floors to minimize the usage of electricity. Sunlight is restricted by the high grown trees outside the lower floors of the building. High efficiency light fixtures make a pleasant lighting apart from saving the energy. High-efficiency windows and insulation in walls, ceilings, and floors are used for the benefit of better temperature control Light: In a designed green building the occupants shall feel as if they are in outdoor location. The interior and exterior designs shall go hand in hand by blending the natural and artificial lighting and presenting transparent views wherever possible. Air: In the air conditioned environment, a green building shall be specially equipped to ensure the Indoor Air Quality for a healthy atmosphere. Even the nasal feelings shall be pleasant free from the odour of paints and furnishings

Energy conservation
Energy conservation is broader than energy efficiency in including active efforts to decrease energy consumption, for example through behavioral change, in addition to using energy more efficiently. Examples of conservation without efficiency improvements are heating a room less in winter, using the car less, or enabling energy saving modes on a computer. As with other definitions, the boundary between efficient energy use and energy conservation can be fuzzy, but both are important in environmental and economic terms. This is especially the case when actions are directed at the saving of fossil fuels. Energy conservation is a challenge requiring policy programmes, technological development and behavioral change to go hand in hand. Many energy intermediary organizations, for example governmental or nongovernmental organizations on local, regional, or national level, are working on often publicly funded programmes or projects to meet this challenge.

What is green? The term green refers to environmentally friendly practices from building design to the landscaping choices. It also encompasses energy use, water use, and storm water and wastewater reuse. Buildings can be rated for their environmentally sustainable construction. One such rating system is the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). This building rating system was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (GBC) and was created to: Define green building by establishing a common standard of measurement; Promote integrated, whole-building design practices; Recognize environmental leadership in the building industry; Stimulate green competition; Raise consumer awareness of green building benefits; and Transform the standard building market to a green building market. GBC members, representing every sector of the building industry, developed and continue to refine LEED. The rating system addresses six major areas: 1. Sustainable sites; 2.Water efficiency; 3. Energy and atmosphere; 4. Materials and resources; 5. Indoor environmental quality; and 6. Innovation and design process. The terms green and green building apply not just to products, but to construction strategies, building design and orientation, landscaping, building operations, maintenance, and more. The less impact a building has on human health and the environment, the more green it is. Why Going Green Makes Sense (ADVANTAGES) A green building may cost more up front but, in the long run, will save money through lower operating costs over the life of the building. The green building approach applies a project

lifecycle cost analysis to determining the appropriate up-front expenditure. The integrated systems approach ensures that the building is designed as one system rather than a collection of stand-alone systems. Some benefits, such as improving occupant health, comfort, productivity, reducing pollution and landfill waste, are not easily quantified. For this reason, consider setting aside a small portion of the building budget to cover differential costs associated with less tangible green building benefits or to cover the cost of researching and analyzing green building options. Even with a tight budget, many green building measures can be incorporated with minimal up-front costs, and they can yield enormous savings.

Abstract Green building is an outcome of a design which focuses on increasing the efficiency of resource use such as energy, water, and materials while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment during the building's lifecycle, through better sitting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal. Finally, it is recommended that ASEAN organisation should try to focus their attention towards establishing standard rating system to meet up with the current and future global challenges of ecological imbalance, biodegradation, green-house effect and many more. Green building (also known as green construction or sustainable building) refers to a structure and using process that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition. This practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort. Although new technologies are constantly being developed to complement current practices in creating greener structures, the common objective is that green buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment by:
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Efficiently using energy, water, and other resources Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity

Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation

A similar concept is natural building, which is usually on a smaller scale and tends to focus on the use of natural materials that are available locally. Green building does not specifically address the issue of the retrofitting existing homes.

Reducing environmental impact

Green building practices aim to reduce the environmental impact of buildings. Buildings account for a large amount of land. According to the National Resources Inventory, approximately 107 million acres of land in the United States are developed. The International Energy Agency released a publication that estimated that existing buildings are responsible for more that 40% of the worlds total primary energy consumption and for 24% of global carbon dioxide emissions.

Goals of green building

The green building movement in the U.S. originated from the need and desire for more energy efficient and environmentally friendly construction practices. There are a number of motives to building green, including environmental, economic, and social benefits. However, modern sustainability initiatives call for an integrated and synergistic design to both new construction and in the retrofitting of an existing structure. It often emphasizes taking advantage of renewable resources, e.g., using sunlight through passive solar, active solar, and photovoltaic techniques and using plants and trees through green roofs, rain gardens, and for reduction of rainwater run-off. Many other techniques, such as using packed gravel or permeable concrete instead of conventional concrete or asphalt to enhance replenishment of ground water, are used as well. While the practices, or technologies, employed in green building are constantly evolving and may differ from region to region, there are fundamental principles that persist from which the method is derived: Siting and Structure Design Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, Water Efficiency, Materials Efficiency, Indoor Environmental Quality Enhancement, Operations and Maintenance Optimization, and Waste and Toxics Reduction. The essence of green building is an optimization of one or more of these principles. Also, with the proper synergistic design, individual green building technologies may work together to produce a greater cumulative effect. On the aesthetic side of green architecture or sustainable design is the philosophy of designing a building that is in harmony with the natural features and r esources surrounding the site. There are several key steps in designing sustainable buildings: specify 'green' building materials from local sources, reduce loads, optimize systems, and generate on-site renewable energy.

Building design
A buildings location and surroundings play a key role in regulating its temperature and illumination. For example, trees, landscaping, and hills can provide shade and block wind. In cooler climates, designing buildings with south-facing windows increases the amount of sun (ultimately heat energy) entering the building, minimizing energy use, by maximizing passive

solar heating. Tight building design, including energy-efficient windows, well-sealed doors, and additional thermal insulation of walls, basement slabs, and foundations can reduce heat loss by 25 to 50 percent. Dark roofs may become up to 39 C (70 F) hotter than the most reflective white surfaces, and they transmit some of this additional heat inside the building. US Studies have shown that lightly colored roofs use 40 percent less energy for cooling than buildings with darker roofs. White roof systems save more energy in sunnier climates. Advanced electronic heating and cooling systems can moderate energy consumption and improve the comfort of people in the building. Proper placement of windows and skylights as well as the use of architectural features that reflect light into a building can reduce the need for artificial lighting. Increased use of natural and task lighting has been shown by one study to increase productivity in schools and offices. Compact fluorescent lights use two-thirds less energy and may last 6 to 10 times longer than incandescent light bulbs. Newer fluorescent lights produce a natural light, and in most applications they are cost effective, despite their higher initial cost, with payback periods as low as a few months. Effective energy-efficient building design can include the use of low cost Passive Infra Reds (PIRs) to switch-off lighting when areas are unoccupied such as toilets, corridors or even office areas out-of-hours. In addition, lux levels can be monitored using daylight sensors linked to the building's lighting scheme to switch on/off or dim the lighting to pre-defined levels to take into account the natural light and thus reduce consumption. Building Management Systems (BMS) link all of this together in one centralized computer to control the whole building's lighting and power requirements. The choice of which space heating or cooling technology to use in buildings can have a significant impact on energy use and efficiency. For example, replacing an older 50% efficient natural gas furnace with a new 95% efficient one will dramatically reduce energy use, carbon emissions, and winter natural gas bills. Ground source heat pumps can be even more energy efficient and cost effective. These systems use pumps and compressors to move refrigerant fluid around a thermodynamic cycle in order to "pump" heat against its natural flow from hot to cold, for the purpose of transferring heat into a building from the large thermal reservoir contained within the nearby ground. The end result is that heat pumps typically use four times less electrical energy to deliver an equivalent amount of heat than a direct electrical heater does. Another advantage of a ground source heat pump is that it can be reversed in summertime and operate to cool the air by transferring heat from the building to the ground. The disadvantage of ground source heat pumps is their high initial capital cost, but this is typically recouped within five to ten years as a result of lower energy use. Smart meters are slowly being adopted by the commercial sector to highlight to staff and for internal monitoring purposes the building's energy usage in a dynamic presentable format. The use of Power Quality Analyzers can be introduced into an existing building to assess usage, harmonic distortion, peaks, swells and interruptions amongst others to ultimately make the building more energy-efficient. Often such meters communicate by using wireless sensor networks.

Siting and structure design efficiency

The foundation of any construction project is rooted in the concept and design stages. In designing environmentally optimal buildings, the objective is to minimize the total environmental impact associated with all life-cycle stages of the building project. However, building as a process is not as streamlined as an industrial process, and varies from one building to the other, never repeating itself identically. In addition, buildings are much more complex products, composed of a multitude of materials and components each constituting various design variables to be decided at the design stage. A variation of every design variable may affect the environment during all the build ing's relevant life cycle stages. Energy efficiency
In this era of global warming and imminent climate change, where the energy conservation is directly related to low carbon emissions, Spectral is a strong proponent of an environmentally responsible corporate growth. Following the benchmarks of LEED standards, we have all along championed energy frugal designs to improve and elevate environmental value, discourage energy abuse and alleviate energy crisis. The USGBC LEED awards for consecutive years are the living credentials for our organization's vision, mission and values. Spectral has had the unique distinction of being the only consultancy organization to have four of its major projects being awarded USGBC LEED highest platinum rating within its five year stint in India.

Green buildings often include measures to reduce energy consumption both the embodied energy required to extract, process, transport and install building materials and operating energy to provide services such as heating and power for equipment. As high-performance buildings use less operating energy, embodied energy has assumed much greater importance and may make up as much as 30% of the overall life cycle energy consumption. Studies such as the U.S. LCI Database Project show buildings built primarily with wood will have a lower embodied energy than those built primarily with brick, concrete or steel.

To reduce operating energy use, high-efficiency windows and insulation in walls, ceilings, and floors increase the efficiency of the building envelope, (the barrier between conditioned and unconditioned space). Another strategy, passive solar building design, is often implemented in

low-energy homes. Designers orient windows and walls and place awnings, porches, and trees to shade windows and roofs during the summer while maximizing solar gain in the winter. In addition, effective window placement (day lighting) can provide more natural light and lessen the need for electric lighting during the day. Solar water heating further reduces energy costs.Onsite generation of renewable energy through solar power, wind power, hydro power, or biomass can significantly reduce the environmental impact of the building. Power generation is generally the most expensive feature to add to a building.
Water efficiency
With droughts, famines and floods denying human access to safe potable water for dwellings all over the world, water costs are expected to shoot up phenomenally in the coming decade. W ater conservation, another dimension to green engineering blue prints, will not only have a positive effect on the environment but will also lead to high returns in the long run. To deal with the severity of this mega crisis, we at Spectral put in our experience and green engineering expertise to save water in the all the aspects of building engineering like plumbing, HVAC equipment, rain water harvesting, solar water heating and zero discharge from our design premises.

Reducing water consumption and protecting water quality are key objectives in sustainable building. One critical issue of water consumption is that in many areas, the demands on the supplying aquifer exceed its ability to replenish itself. To the maximum extent feasible, facilities should increase their dependence on water that is collected, used, purified, and reused on-site. The protection and conservation of water throughout the life of a building may be accomplished by designing for dual plumbing that recycles water in toilet flushing. Waste-water may be minimized by utilizing water conserving fixtures such as ultra-low flush toilets and low-flow shower heads. Bidets help eliminate the use of toilet paper, reducing sewer traffic and increasing possibilities of re-using water on-site. Point of use water treatment and heating improves both water quality and energy efficiency while reducing the amount of water in circulation. The use of non-sewage and greywater for on-site use such as siteirrigation will minimize demands on the local aquifer. Materials efficiency

Building materials typically considered to be 'green' include lumber from forests that have been certified to a third-party forest standard, rapidly renewable plant materials like bamboo and straw, insulating concrete forms, dimension stone, recycled stone, recycled metal, and other products that are non-toxic, reusable, renewable, and/or recyclable (e.g., Trass, Linoleum, sheep wool, panels made from paper flakes, compressed earth block, adobe, baked earth, rammed earth, clay, vermiculite, flax linen, sisal, sea grass, cork, expanded clay grains, coconut, wood fiber plates, calcium sand stone, concrete (high and ultra high performance, roman self-healing concrete , etc) The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) also suggests using recycled industrial goods, such as coal combustion products, foundry sand, and demolition debris in construction projects Building materials should be extracted and manufactured locally to the building site to minimize the energy embedded in their transportation. Where possible, building elements should be manufactured off-site and delivered to site, to maximize benefits of off-site manufacture including minimizing waste, maximizing recycling (because manufacture is in one location), high quality elements, better OHS management, less noise and dust.
Indoor environmental quality enhancement

Indoor Air Quality seeks to reduce volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, and other air impurities such as microbial contaminants. Buildings rely on a properly designed ventilation system (passively/naturally- or mechanically-powered) to provide adequate ventilation of

cleaner air from outdoors or recirculated, filtered air as well as isolated operations (kitchens, dry cleaners, etc.) from other occupancies. During the design and construction process choosing construction materials and interior finish products with zero or low VOC emissions will improve IAQ. Most building materials and cleaning/maintenance products emit gases, some of them toxic, such as many VOCs including formaldehyde. These gases can have a detrimental impact on occupants' health and productivity as well. Avoiding these products will increase a building's IEQ. Also important to indoor air quality is the control of moisture accumulation (dampness) leading to mold growth and the presence of bacteria and viruses as well as dust mites and other organisms and microbiological concerns. Water intrusion through a building's envelope or water condensing on cold surfaces on the building's interior can enhance and sustain microbial growth. A well-insulated and tightly-sealed envelope will reduce moisture problems but adequate ventilation is also necessary to eliminate moisture from sources indoors including human metabolic processes, cooking, bathing, cleaning, and other activities. Personal temperature and airflow control over the HVAC system coupled with a properly designed building envelope will also aid in increasing a building's thermal quality. Creating a high performance luminous environment through the careful integration of daylight and electrical light sources will improve on the lighting quality and energy performance of a structure. Solid wood products, particularly flooring, are often specified in environments where occupants are known to have allergies to dust or other particulates. Wood itself is considered to be hypoallergenic and its smooth surfaces prevent the buildup of particles common in soft finishes like carpet. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of American recommends hardwood, vinyl, linoleum tile or slate flooring instead of carpet. The use of wood products can also improve air qua lity by absorbing or releasing moisture in the air to moderate humidity. Spectral buildings maintain the purity of indoor environment by proportionate outdoor air intake in dynamic proportion to occupancy, and minimizing odour & contaminants in the indoor air, thus boosting productivity in terms of employee attendance, and improving their health and well-being.

Plants and the Indoor Environment EPA ranks indoor air pollution among the top five environmental risks. Unhealthy air is found in up to 30 percent of new and renovated buildings. Of hundreds of EPA-regulated chemicals, only ozone and sulphur dioxide are more prevalent outdoor than indoor. Introducing plants to the indoor environment can help maintain humidity, increase productivity, and scrub the air of dangerous chemicals. The most widely touted claims for indoor plants focus on their ability to clean the air of harmful chemicals, particularly volatile organic compounds. Although these claims don't yet have solid scientific backing, some studies have shown promising results. If proven, the ability of plants to clean the air could result in less demand for ventilation, leading to lower energy use by mechanical systems, this benefit could be offset by the need for those systems to handle the added moisture load from large planters or hydroponic systems.
Operations and maintenance optimization

No matter how sustainable a building may have been in its design and construction, it can only remain so if it is operated responsibly and maintained properly. Ensuring operations and maintenance(O&M) personnel are part of the project's planning and development process will help retain the green criteria designed at the onset of the project. Every aspect of green building is integrated into the O&M phase of a building's life. The addition of new green technologies also falls on the O&M staff. Although the goal of waste reduction may be applied during the

design, construction and demolition phases of a building's life -cycle, it is in the O&M phase that green practices such as recycling and air quality enhancement take place.
Waste reduction

Green architecture also seeks to reduce waste of energy, water and materials used during construction. For example, in California nearly 60% of the state's waste comes from commercial buildings During the construction phase, one goal should be to reduce the amount of material going to landfills. Well-designed buildings also help reduce the amount of waste generated by the occupants as well, by providing on-site solutions such as compost bins to reduce matter going to landfills. When buildings reach the end of their useful life, they are typically demolished and hauled to landfills. Deconstruction is a method of harvesting what is commonly considered waste and reclaiming it into useful building material. Extending the useful life of a structure also reduces waste building materials such as wood that are light and easy to work with make renovations easier.

To reduce the impact on wells or water treatment plants, several options exist. "Greywater", wastewater from sources such as dishwashing or washing machines, can be used for subsurface irrigation, or if treated, for non-potable purposes, e.g., to flush toilets and wash cars. Rainwater collectors are used for similar purposes.Centralized wastewater treatment systems can be costly and use a lot of energy. An alternative to this process is converting waste and wastewater into fertilizer, which avoids these costs and shows other benefits. By collecting human waste at the source and running it to a semi-centralized biogas plant with other biological waste, liquid fertilizer can be produced. Practices like these provide soil with organic nutrients and create carbon sinks that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, offsetting greenhouse gas emission. Producing artificial fertilizer is also more costly in energy than this process.

Green Roofs

Green or vegetated roofs are becoming increasingly common. These roofs reduce the impact that sprawling development has on stormwater problems, especially in urban areas. With a green roof, a portion of the rain is absorbed by the plants and soil, and over time is returned to the atmosphere through evaporation and transpiration similar to an open lawn or field. Using plants or vegetation that are low maintenance and drought resistant decreases the upkeep of the roof. Green roofs also reduce heating and cooling costs, filter pollutants, and block sound.

Cost and payoff The most criticized issue about constructing environmentally friendly buildings is the price. Photo-voltaic, new appliances, and modern technologies tend to cost more money. Most green buildings cost a premium of <2%, but yield 10 times as much over the entire life of the building. The stigma is between the knowledge of up-front cost vs. life-cycle cost. The savings in money come from more efficient use of utilities which result in decreased energy bills. It is projected that different sectors could save $130 Billion on energy bills. Also, higher worker or student productivity can be factored into savings and cost deductions. Studies have shown over a 20 year life period, some green buildings have yielded $53 to $71 per square foot back on investment. Confirming the rent ability of green building investments, further studies of the commercial real estate market have found that LEED and Energy Star certified buildings achieve significantly higher rents, sale prices and occupancy rates as well as lower capitalization rates potentially reflecting lower investment risk.

Regulation and operation

As a result of the increased interest in green building concepts and practices, a number of organizations have developed standards, codes and rating systems that let government regulators, building professionals and consumers embrace green building with confidence. In some cases, codes are written so local governments can adopt them as bylaws to reduce the local environmental impact of buildings. Green building rating systems such as BREEAM (United Kingdom), LEED (United States and Canada), and CASBEE (Japan) help consumers determine a structures level of environmental performance. They award credits for optional building features that support green design in categories such as location and maintenance of building site, conservation of water, energy,

and building materials, and occupant comfort and health. The number of credits generally determines the level of achievement. Green building codes and standards, such as the International Code Councils draft International Green Construction Code, are sets of rules created by standards development organizations that establish minimum requirements for elements of green building such as materials or heating and cooling.

Appliances
Modern energy-efficient appliances, such as refrigerators, freezers, ovens, stoves, dishwashers, and clothes washers and dryers, use significantly less energy than older appliances. Current energy efficient refrigerators, for example, use 40 percent less energy than conventional models did in 2001. Following this, if all households in Europe changed their more than ten year old appliances into new ones, 20 billion kWh of electricity would be saved annually, hence reducing CO2 emissions by almost 18 billion kg. In the US, the corresponding figures would be 17 billion kWh of electricity and 27,000,000,000 lb (1.21010 kg) CO2. According to a 2009 study from McKinsey & Company the replacement of old appliances is one of the most efficient global measures to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. Modern power management systems also reduce energy usage by idle appliances by turning them off or putting them into a low-energy mode after a certain time. Many countries identify energy-efficient appliances using energy input labeling. The impact of energy efficiency on peak demand depends on when the appliance is used. For example, an air conditioner uses more energy during the afternoon when it is hot. Therefore, an energy efficient air conditioner will have a larger impact on peak demand than off-peak demand. An energy efficient dishwasher, on the other hand, uses more energy during the late evening when people do their dishes. This appliance may have little to no impact on peak demand Retrofitting Existing Buildings Its not impossible to transform an existing building to a green one, but it can be difficult. There are some easy items that can be retrofitted into an existing building at relatively low cost and, in time, often pay for the retrofit. Existing buildings require an upfront investment to replace something that already exists and is, presumably, in working order. However, not all of the necessary alterations need to be done at once. Start with what needs to be fixed or repaired such as leaking faucets or toilets. If the building is being remodelled, keep the green concept in mind and use recycled material and paints that are environment friendly. Whether the building is old or new, installing lowflow fixtures is one of the easiest ways to save money and conserve water. If leaking faucets or fixtures cannot be repaired, replace them with ultra-low-flow fixtures. Some of the easiest green retrofits to an existing building are methods for decreasing power usage and water consumption. For example, anytime a light bulb burns out, replace it with an ultra-low-energy use bulb. When landscaping, use native plants and garden designs that require less (or no) irrigation.

Water Saving Fixtures A standard aerator is usually rated at 2.2 gallons per minute (gpm). An ultra-low flow aerator is rated at 0.5 gpm. Some studies show that people may run a 0.5 gpm faucet longer then a 2.2 gpm faucet, but the overall savings of the ultra-low-flow faucet will still add up because most people will not increase the time to make up for 2.2 gpm. Keep in mind, however, that either of these aerators needs to be cleaned periodically to prevent them from clogging. Another way to save water can be auto sensing or timer faucets. These faucets have been around for many years, but their design has improved. Auto sensing is when your hands pass under the faucets to turn them on. They stay on as long as your hands are under the faucet. Timer faucets are the faucets that have a push down plunger handle or button that slowly comes up to shut the water off. These faucets are a step up from just replacing the aerator, but if the faucet needs to be replaced, this may be a consideration for water savings. After the faucets on sinks and washbasins, the toilets can be the next area of savings. Low-flush toilets, including urinals, have been around for some time, but there are still a lot of older toilets in use. They can be replaced, or if the toilets are functioning properly, they can be retrofitted with a low flush main valve or adjusted, if possible. If those options arent feasible, add a weight, such as a brick, to displace the water in the tank. Another option is to install a pressure flush toilet. Reducing the water delivery pressure can save water by reducing the flow rate of older faucets and showers and it can reduce wasted water through leaks. Reducing delivery pressure from 100 psi to 50 psi will reduce water use by about a third. Pressure-reducing valves can be installed in individual buildings, or, in some cases, pressure can be reduced throughout a municipality or community water system.

What is a Green Material?

A green material is one that simultaneously does the most with the least, fits most harmoniously within ecosystem processes, helps eliminate the use of oth materials and er energy, and contributes to the attainment of a service-based economy. Understanding what a green material is depends on understanding relationshipsin nature, in the economy, between nature and the economy. It is a very complex matter and always changing. It is certainly important to look closely at every individual product and material, but it is often more efficient to look first at the building system. This is particularly clear when we see systems now being designed to allow buildings to be easily dismantled rather than demolished. A conventional petrochemical-based building material might be used in buildings and developments that are quite ecological in overall impact. Similarly, a green material might be deployed or installed in destructive ways that completely negate their positive characteristics. By being salvaged and reused, a very conventional material might become a green material. Its a question of relationships that are multi-dimensional and constantly shifting. Criteria for evaluating building materials include the general categories of resources, performance and pollution. The resources required for a material can be consumed in extraction, production, use or disposal. The same is true for pollution. Performance refers to the energy and resources it can save or squander doing its use. For each category of material, performance means something quite different. For example, the performance of insulation must be judged mainly in terms of its thermal resistance, while a floor tile would be evaluated more for its durability. Here are a number of criteria that have commonly been used in evaluating building materials:
y y y y y y y

how much (embodied) energy was used to produce and transport the product and its components? what kinds of energy sources (renewable or otherwise) were used in producing it? what kind of pollution and waste did its production and transport generate, and how much will its disposal create? can it be obtained locally? does it make a good use of a local resource, especially an overlooked or underused resource? is it reused, or recycled? If recycled, is it post-consumer (preferable) or postindustrial? can it be recycled or reused at the entire of its product life?

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how durable is it? and how much and what kind of maintenance does it require over its life time? how well does it perform its system function, be it a structural, climatic, surface, or other material? if applicable, how does the material affect indoor air quality? Alternative Materials The evaluation and promotion of green building materials should probably begin with conventional materials since these are the most used. But in a transition to sustainability, we must begin to think more and more of materials that fit within ecosystem processes. These are the alternative materials. They vary from place to place, bioregion to bioregion, but some of the better known, and increasingly popular, in North America are straw bale, rammed earth, adobe, cob, cordwood, stone and earth ship buildings made of old tires and other garbage (Chiras, 2000; Chappell, 1998).

They all make excellent use of local resources and are produced with little energy. Their building processes tend to be labour-intensive and resource-saving. Most are natural drying and eminently recyclable or even reusable. They are also non-toxic and engender little pollution. Some, like earth ships (built from old tires) and straw bale construction, make good use of a waste product (Steen, Steen & Bainbridge, 1994).

Most of the alternative building techniques are updated versions of traditional building methods that were swept aside by the industrial revolution. Many of the materials are in fact virtually ideal materials for the climates in which they are found. Materials like straw are natural insulatorsone of the only completely non-toxic forms of insulation. Other materials like earth have great thermal mass, keeping warmer in winter and cooler in summer. While many people associate these materials with rural settings, this is primarily because the countryside has been more conducive to experimentation. There is no reason why rammed earth, earth ships and even straw bale couldnt be used as easily in cities. The future of sustainable cities lay in lowrise, high- and medium-density settlements, featuring lots of plant growth that can provide food, climate-control, energy and water eco-infrastructure, along with neighbourhood employment. If green cities are to value and harness the natural productivity of the landscapeincluding backyards, alleys and rooftopsthey must also harness the social productivity of vernacular building and design, and of the informal economy (Hough, 1995; D. Hayden, 1984). Economies must find ways of supporting the gardening, preventive health care, self-help building and other vital forms of production that the existing capitalist economy tends to consider forms of passive consumption. The alternative materials are eminently suited to presumptive activities. Rammed earth, for example, takes soil right from the building excavation, eliminating most of the vast processing industry devoted to wood frame or concrete construction (Easton, 1996).