What is sustainable architecture?
The most commonly cited definition of sustainable development has been in the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development’s 1987 report on a common future:
“Sustainable development meets current needs without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”
It aims to improve people’s quality of life without increasing the consumption of natural resources beyond the limit at which the environment can restore them.
Sustainable development must link environmental protection, economic growth and the “social health” of society, taking into account its cultural characteristics.
Sustainable architecture applies the principles of sustainable development to offer buildings that reduce the use of non-renewable resources, reduce environmental change, preserve natural ecosystems and connect people to nature.
Sustainable architecture is based on several basic principles:
- Reducing energy and water consumption
- Reducing material consumption and waste generation
- Inexpensive maintenance and minimal operating costs
- Guaranteed healthy living environment – light, clean air, no toxic chemicals, temperature and humidity comfort
- Greater attractiveness and market value of the property
- Minimal impact on the natural environment throughout the life cycle of the building
There are various standards and certification systems for buildings around the world that are substantially similar and apply the principles of sustainable development.
They offer a holistic approach and the inclusion of different criteria that focus the environment and consumers, treating them equally. This enables the interests of all stakeholders (investors, tenants, owners) and environmental objectives to be brought together in the process of creating the right environment. The criteria are for each phase (evaluation of each phase) of the life cycle of an object.
A distinctive feature is the integrated approach as well as the focus on the economy. Whether it is a new building, an existing site or a project for reconstruction and modernization, for individual buildings or entire neighborhoods, certification systems cover all the basic aspects of sustainable buildings – environment, economy, sociocultural and functional aspects, technology, production process and location of the construction site of the site.
The sustainability principles of each site have the same value as their economic returns, i.e. cost estimation over the life cycle of the site.
The most popular certification standards for green buildings:
- LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – USA
- BREEAM – Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method – UK
- DGNB – Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen – Germany
- HQE – High Quality Environmental – France
In recent years, EU countries have changed their housing, construction and urban development policies to give priority to sustainable development. Projects have been set up in many countries to demonstrate and demonstrate the feasibility of adopting a series of measures to reduce the negative impact of residential buildings on the environment.
All global trends in the construction business, and especially in Europe, are moving towards the passive standard. What is more – the European Union plans to gradually introduce the passive standard as mandatory for all newly designed public buildings of 2018 and residential buildings of 2020.
Sustainable construction involves the implementation of a number of solutions to technological, environmental, socioeconomic and cultural issues affecting construction at national and global levels.
One of the most important components of sustainability is the high level of energy efficiency and the highest level of energy efficient construction is the Passive house standard.
What is a Passive house?
The passive house is an energy-saving house with a high degree of residential comfort with extremely low energy consumption. The name “passive” is due to the fact that the building does not need active heating and cooling systems. These buildings are no different from any other, any house already built can be turned into a passive one.
The concept of passive buildings
was first developed in 1991 in Darmstadt, Germany. The first passive house was built there, which was both experimental and proved through observations, measurements and scientific analyzes that the passive house could be built with completely affordable means. The Passivehause Institute is also located in Darmstadt, Germany
Passive House is the leading standard around the world for saving energy in buildings.
Heating savings compared to ordinary buildings are over 75% and costs are low, making occupants of passive houses independent of the constantly rising energy prices.
To achieve the Passive House standard, it is necessary to:
- Very good thermal insulation. Depending on the area where the building is located, the insulation varies from 20 cm. – 30 cm. The required energy for heating and cooling must not exceed 15 kWh per square meter per year.
- The total consumption of primary energy for heating, ventilation, hot water, domestic appliances and lighting must not exceed 120 kWh per square meter per year.
- The building must be airtight – that is, the passage of air through the shell of the building from the outside in and out. To achieve the standard, blower door tests are performed at a pressure difference of in and out of 50 Pa. The result should not exceed 60% per hour, ie. no more than 60% of the total internal air volume in the building must pass through the building envelope.
Profits from investing in passive buildings:
- High standard of living thanks to comfortable indoor temperature and good air quality.
- Low energy consumption, which significantly reduces the dependence on rising energy prices.
- If you decide to rent, you will have satisfied tenants – long-term rentals and rare tenant changes due to low running costs and high living comfort.
Investing in energy efficiency does not generate quick and short-term returns, but in return these investments bring long-term returns throughout the life cycle, while having a beneficial impact on climate and resources.
In the future, the price of fossil fuels, and hence the electricity produced by them, will increase more and more, even in the most pessimistic scenarios, this trend will not change.