ENERGY CONSERVATION ON NEW BUILDING CONSTRUCTION 1

[0707]

Cities from Copenhagen to San Francisco are already exploring the possibilities for a “cleaner, healthier world with everything from water harvesting roofs to wind turbines. Here's TIME's sneak peek at what a green world might look like by the year 2025.”

“When you are looking at developing a green building, you should look at what is free. The sun is free, the wind is free, your geography is free,” said Ennis. These renewable resources can be used to power or cool a building so that building construction and maintenance is cheaper and more energy efficient.”

Much can be done on new cities planning and architetural which will for sure reduce energy consume.

luismarques

 

[KENAT]

Back in Britain didn't they just make some big deal about creating 5 new 'eco friendly towns' by 2016 or something.

Can't remember where I saw it, maybe MSN environment.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[0707]

Hi kenat

About your reply i found this

London Mayor Ken Livingstone has unveiled plans for London's first mini "eco city." It will have approximately 1,000 homes, and will aim to demonstrate that homes can be built in Britain without contributing to global warming. The London project stems from a proposal by Greenpeace and will be taken forward by the London Development Agency (LDA) with help from British engineering firm Arup.

luis

 

[WGJ]

Hmmm.....I think, without control of the profit levels that builders can achieve in parts of the UK, 'green' is going to cost a lot, lot more to have.

UK houses could be a whole lot cheaper to run, right now, by taking full technical advantage of the materials available, rather than taking advantage of their cost effectiveness compared to more traditional construction methods.

Bill

 

[dcasto]

look at all those eco friendly bricks baked by burning natural gas. And all that glas from melting sand with some form of energy. Most likely from China too.

 

[moltenmetal]

When energy costs enough that there's money to be made by conserving it, you'll see energy-efficient structures constructed, energy efficient appliances used etc. Until then, these projects are a distraction. The market needs to be repaired by charging the total cost of energy, including costs to mitigate the harm we do in exploring for it, recovering, refining, distributing and generating it. Once our wallets realize how precious energy really is, we'll conserve it. The fact that we, as societies, do not choose to fix the market problem, is an indication that we rather like the status quo regardless waht it may cost future generations. We're happy being energy addicts, and we know that the withdrawl symptoms will be painful...

 

[0707]

moltenmetal

“The market needs to be repaired by charging the total cost of energy, including costs to mitigate the harm we do in exploring for it, recovering, refining, distributing and generating it.”

In my opinion in the above statement you are not totally right. In build construction it is possible without construction cost increase to introduce new concepts that if thought in the initial construction design will help to reduce energy wastes.

Construction rules should be determined by good engineering practices. Building construction is like a martial arts fight where architects and engineers have to take profit from ambient strength, we cannot affront hurricanes, winds, oceans, rivers, earthquakes or the sun but we can built friendly in harmony with them. Future cities policies should take this into account.

luismarques