What Makes a Structure The Best “Living Building”
The word “living building” makes us feel the breathing and natural vibes. Normally we use this word for those objects which can breathe, those which have a system of input and output process on its own and keep the process naturally run on its own. An object which can compose and decompose its elements and is able to maintain its productivity. An object that makes its own environment flow the natural vibes.
Let’s discuss one of those living objects, which is “Living Building”.
Everybody is familiar with the terminal building, but, how do you feel about the term ‘Living Building’?
I agree, you have genuine doubts about this topic, I know what is your mind can’t accept is “how can you describe a building as a living building?”, “Don’t you know, a building can’t breathe itself?”. “Sir, a building is an artificial structure, it can’t breathe, and cannot be called a living building”, Etc.
Yes, you are absolutely right. But what if we still can describe a building as a living building. We can describe how a building can be converted into a living building. I know you feel excited after knowing this, but yes, it is possible and as true as the sky and the ocean.
We all have grown in this modern era. The era of industries, buildings, and massive machinery. The world is totally changed now and even keeps changing day by day. A human won’t stop improving his living standards and facilities. It’s an infinite goal, humans will never ever sit back and say what we have done now.
And because of Global Warming and pollution, people try to live a healthy life and want to create a healthy environment surrounding them. They want to turn their normal house into a living building. Even it will be better for the rest of the world too. People really need to make a setup in the building that consumes energy but only as much as it generates.
What is Living Building
We can define a building as a living building that is able to generate its own energy by itself and can create a healthy and natural environment to keep moving the circulation to compose and decompose the elements. That makes a healthy environment inside the building and even surrounding the building.
A building that collects its own water, and uses it efficiently to maintain the proper utilization of water, so that much water is not wasted.
A building that grows its own food and supplies. A building that has its own green land, plants, and trees to cool down the building’s temperature, is also known as a green building.
In short, “a ‘Living Building’ is a building that can generate its own energy, that collects its water and utilizes it efficiently and having an eco-friendly environment to live.”
“A building there is no power connection, no water connection, no sewer connection from outside. All are managed by the building itself with its well and preplanned eco-friendly design.”
What makes a structure a “Living Building”
Builders, architects, and engineers now have been shifted to Green Engineering concepts. The environment is at the center point in their projects while building or designing any structure. During Project planning, where necessary steps are being taken to build environment-friendly structures. The environment and the health of our globe should be on priority along with development.
And those engineering concepts will lead in the future which includes environment-friendly engineering concepts.
A structure, where during the making of that structure, all essential concepts and methods have been included and applied. A design where rainwater is captured and utilization of water is taken care of. The building has a system for the treatment of excess water to feed the plants and has a system to filter the wastewater and reuse the water to be consumed.
A design where proper tools are used to generate energy and its proper and efficient utilization system being used.
A design where green engineering methods have been used to balance its temperature.
A structure is being called environment-friendly only if, it does not consume more energy than it generates. While making the structure, green engineering concepts should have been applied wisely so that structure does not harm the atmosphere.
The structure will be called a living building when it completes the USGBC guidelines and got certified by the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Efficient Design).
What steps should be taken to make a Living Building
However, it is very costly to make or build a live building. Because the materials it requires are costly and installation too. To make a live building also requires an adequate land area of around 6200 sq feet for green area and living area both.
But still, it can be possible to make a live building by following some steps written below:
Temperature Control system
To make a structure that consumes less energy, the temperature of the building should be balanced. To control the temperature of that building trees and plants should be planted in the direction of the eastern and western sides. Because when the sun rises, its direct light can not raise the temperature of the building as well as when it sunsets, the trees will protect the building from direct light to keep the temperature controlled.
Natural Light system
The southern and northern sides of the building should be kept open for exposure to natural lights that can reach the indoor building and so that less electricity will be needed to illuminate the building.
Generation of Energy and Electricity
Solar and wind power should be used to electrify the building.
At the top of the building, some energy-generating tools should be installed. The roof should be covered by solar panels, so that sunlight can not hit the roof and the building’s temperature won’t be affected, instead the sunlight will produce energy for the building.
Also, wind turbines should be installed on the roof to generate more electricity to fulfill the building’s energy requirements.
Battery banks are to be used to store power generated from all sources.
The efficient water treatment system
During the building of the structure, there should be a big water tank constructed to capture rainwater.
A design where rainwater is captured and utilization of water is taken care of. The building with the facilities of a system for the treatment of excess water being used to feed the plants and for the cooling system.
To treat the wastewater there should be a water recycling system to recycle the water. There should be a natural water filter to clean and purify the wastewater into consumable water for plants and trees.
Other essential systems should also be taken care of
- Large windows are used to use maximum natural lights
- Geothermal heating and cooling system.
- Gobar gas system
- Greenhouse
- Vegetable farming
- Sewer system
Conclusion
We hope, your doubts regarding the Living Building, have been cleared. Now You know, why we used the term live building instead of a building. Why do we consider some buildings as live buildings? Even you know how you can make a building into a live building.
Readers if you would like to share your opinion regarding this topic, please feel free to use our comment box, and let us know your feedback. Even if you have any queries regarding the topic, you can do so.
