Jun 29 2009
Seattle Green Buildings – What Does that Really Mean? (Part I)
Green is the new buzzword in new Seattle condo building construction –– just in case you haven’t noticed. But what makes a building “green” and who gets to make that claim?
Basically, a building that is designed, built, or fixed up for a new purpose in a resource-efficient way can call itself green. Some builders stretch the limits of the word… they may use a few materials such as bamboo flooring and water-saving plumbing and call it good (i.e. green). Others may take the concept seriously and meet certain global objectives, including using materials that protect both the environment and the long-term health of the occupant.
To truly be a green building it all needs to start at the ground level, with the owners, the designers and the architects. The building needs to be sustainable, which means it has to reduce its overall impact on the environment. Energy use, water use, integrated systems throughout the structure are the fundamentals of green building, and what ultimately affect its surroundings.
If you’re interested in living in a green condo building, here are a few questions you can ask when shopping for your next living space:
• The building site––is it near public transportation so you don’t have to use your car every day? Does the building use and protect existing plants and trees and other landscaping features?
• Is the building shell itself thermally efficient? You can tell by the use of light colors for roofs and wall finishes. (New York City’s Mayor Bloomberg has vowed to make Manhattan the greenest city in the world… and is starting the process by mandating that all rooftops be painted white for thermal efficiency)
• Do the construction materials incorporate sustainable elements, like recycled or reused content? Does the material emit harmful gasses (a big problem in the past decade with some of the plastics and sealants used throughout the building industry)?
• Did the builder use standard-size building materials? For instance, if an architect and the builder size the rooms in four-foot multiples, this means they can use standard-size wallboard and plywood sheets––which eliminates the need for cut-off and waste.
• Of course, you should ask about the water supply and carefully look at the plumbing, especially making sure the toilets use minimal flush water.
• Ask if the walls and ceiling are insulated, and see if glass is used minimally on eastern and western exposures. And check out the lighting fixtures, both in personal and public spaces.
These are a few of the important elements of green buildings. To learn about some of the greenest designations and how buildings get that stamp of approval (i.e. LEEDS and ILBI) stay tuned for the next blog…
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