Going green used to be on the fringes of society, but now modern skyscrapers are being built using the philosophy. Here are some interesting things about the movement.

Green structures are not weird or ugly things. They are not necessarily geodesic domes or something that looks like a Mongolian Kurt. They do not have rows and rows of solar panels on the roof or a giant windmill in the backyard. At least, they don’t have to look that way. The truth is that most green structures are indistinguishable from any other building based on appearance. Although style can be modern, it is not how they look they makes them a green structure.

Green structures are not always new buildings. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for existing buildings (LEED-EB) program awards certificates to older building that incorporate green ideas, or make changes that support them. They also have standards for existing building that evaluate the environmental impact of work that has already been done. The green construction movement does not focus completely on state of the art type of technology alone.

The whole idea of going green is not an all or nothing proposition. Many people have the mistaken idea that this is so. They think that in order to be considered a green structure; it has to be built as one from the bottom up and from day one. The truth is that a building can be “a little” green. The idea is environmental protection and even the smallest change or improvement in a building that brings that goal closer makes it part of the green construction movement.

Green structures are not necessarily more expensive. Studies show that buildings consume more energy than any other sector. This includes even transportation and industry. So, energy savings can result in considerable money savings. Operating costs are often much less in green structures when compared to traditional ones. They are just more efficient. Commercial buildings retain and attract tenants better, and they lease and sell faster. There is actually a great deal of money to be saved through going green.

People spend 90 percent of their time indoors according to some studies. The United States Environmental Protection Agency reports that the air quality inside a building can often be two to five times worse than the outside air. Green structures are not something that is of concern to “the other guy”; it can benefit all of us. We all live, work, and often play inside buildings. We all breathe the same air and drink the same water. It is our issue.

The mere idea of green construction, much less the practical application of the philosophy is fairly new. The field is evolving quickly which means periodicals are a good way to keep up with it.

The green construction movement has become well established in the United States and Europe. One sign of this growth is the number of magazines that are devoted to the subject. One such magazine is “Green Source - The Magazine of Sustainable Design.” The new magazine is a product of McGraw-Hill Construction and is targeted to the over 40,000 architects, interior designers, building owners, and members of the U.S. Green Building Council.

Environmental Design + Construction is another magazine that is directed toward architects and designers and that addresses green construction issues. There are articles concerning research issues and current design trends. There are reviews of various products. You can find out about the latest environmental issues that impact green construction.

Green construction is certainly a modern concept. This is reflected in the large number of online magazines and newsletters that are devoted to it. EcoIq is one of these. It is an online journal that claims to be dedicated to “a future that works.” Environmental Building News is a monthly news letter that gives “unbiased” information on green construction. You can check them all out to stay abreast of the latest developments in the field.

There are two very popular green construction magazines published in Canada. Green Living is dedicated to the lifestyle. It is aimed more at consumers than at the builders and designers. It gives information on all of the environmental choices that we are going to be facing in the future. Healthy Living is the other magazine and it is from the same publisher and stresses the healthy aspects of green construction. In keeping with the totality concept of the green lifestyle even the pages of these magazines are made from glossy tree friendly paper that is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

These are just some of the periodicals and online publications that are being produced to capitalize on the popularity of green construction. The issues that are raised in these periodicals are of great concern to a wide variety of readers. Builders and designers are kept informed of the newest trends and research, as well as the newest environmentally sound products. The consumer is able to follow this information also, but can take it further. They are able to learn of how these environmental concerns influence the health and well being of their families. Although none of the periodicals have made it into the very top tier of magazines, the day is coming when one of them will move into the best seller list. Green construction is still a rising star on the horizon of the American landscape, and before long a magazine will come along to catch the imagination of the public.

Two of the bigger energy uses are cooling and heating. Green heating systems are designed to minimize such energy use during cooler periods.

There are several heating systems used in green homes. One type uses geothermal energy for heat. Geothermal refers to using the natural heat of the earth. Most systems work by running water from under the earth through a series of pipes called a loop. The loop takes the water to a heat exchanger where the heat is removed from the water and used for heating purposes. The most simple is the open loop. Since ground water generally maintains a constant temperature, water is pumped from one well through a heat exchange device, and deposited into a second well, usually at a distance from the first.

A closed loop geothermal system circulates the water through a series of pipes. The pipes are buried in the ground and the water picks up heat and the heat exchanger removes it. There are several arrangements of piping, but the general idea is the same. Although geothermal heat is very inexpensive, a system has to be fairly extensive to provide all of a homes heating requirements, and most systems are intended to supplement other heating sources.

A much better source of heat is sunlight. Solar power systems convert sunlight to heat for use in space heating and domestic water heating. Most solar power systems have a very high initial cost, but a very low operating cost. This low operating cost is often overlooked in the planning stages when more attention is being paid to the initial costs. In order to maximize the advantages of the low operating cost, it is important to make sure that the home is well insulated. In the case of water heating systems, all pipes must be heavily insulated.

Solar water heating systems can be either passive or active. Passive systems use natural convection to move water from the heat source to the heat exchange point. An active system uses pumps and controllers. The water is collected in a tank fitted with solar panels or heat absorbing materials where it is warmed by sunlight. The pumps move it to a heat exchanger where the heat is removed and circulated through the home. In the case of a water heater, the water can be used directly, and it is replaced by cold water from the existing water supply.

Geothermal and Solar heating systems are two examples of green construction types of alternative sources for heat and energy. The advantage is the reducing of the reliance on fossil fuel generated heat or energy. The technology for utilizing these sources of heat is still in its infancy. It is expected that the rise in green construction philosophy will encourage further experimentation in this area.

There is a new trend in construction – building with environmental concerns in mind. In this article, we cover going green with insulation in a structure.

Insulation is one of the more urgent green issues in construction. Proper insulation can have such an important role in the reduction of energy waste in a home. The well insulated home holds in the heat and keeps out the cold. Today, with the wide spread use of air conditioning, the opposite is just as true and just as critical. Asbestos and vermiculite, compound containing asbestos, have been widely used as insulating materials. It was efficient and easy to install. It was flame retardant. There were many reasons that made it the popular choice. It was, however, highly toxic.

The story of asbestos insulation is a good example of the totality of the green construction movement. The concept is not about trade offs. We do not pollute our water in order to have more material goods from our factories. We do not foul our air to have less expensive automobiles. We also do not risk our health to have an inexpensive insulation, regardless of how efficient it might be or how well it prevents fires.

There are alternatives, and when we approach these alternatives from the perspective of totality, we often find they are better and less expensive anyway. In the case of insulation, one good example is insulation made from recycled cotton. The cotton insulation is 100 percent recyclable and it is non-toxic. The manufacturing process uses less energy than the manufacturing of asbestos products or even fiber glass insulation.

Another alternative insulation is vegetable oil based polyurethane. It is sprayed into the areas needing insulation and when it contacts air it expands filling in the space completely. This allows an extra tight fit that results in even better insulation than the more toxic insulations that it is designed to replace. These alternative insulations are free of VOC and CFC. These are volatile organic compounds (VOC) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) which are common toxic substances in older types of insulation.

Insulation is a major component of going green in construction. The conservation of heat and the reduction of wasted energy are important standards. Yet, green construction is not about trading off one hazard for another, nor reaching one goal by failing to consider its impact on other environmental areas. So, even though insulation is an important part of building green, selecting environmentally safe insulation is just as important. The good news is that, as is often the case, the right choice is not only the safer choice, but many times the least expensive option as well.