Green Real Estate

Driven by rising energy costs, building regulations and Carbon Emission Reduction Targets (CERT), thermography of building envelopes is the fastest growing application of thermography. The intention of this article is to inform potential customers of the various approaches to building thermography and provide an understanding of the benefits and limitations of each of these approaches. This will enable the reader to specify the type of survey they require to meet their desired outcomes.Qualitative or Quantitative?Approaches to building thermography can classified under two categories; qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative approaches rely on the thermographer's knowledge and experience of thermography and building science to identify potential defects with a building envelope. This appr...

The BREEAM assessment methodology is a popular way of expressing the sustainability performance of new buildings in Europe and the Middle East and particularly in the United Kingdom. The Riba Plan of Work is a system of building project planning that is widely used by architects in the United Kingdom. This article discusses how managing BREEAM projects can successfully be aligned to the Riba Plan of Work.BREEAM rates building projects in five categories: pass, good, very good, excellent and outstanding. The rating is based on an assessment of many different issues that relate to sustainable construction. Although there are some mandatory measures that need to be implemented, it is not necessary to score in each of the issues considered to achieve one of the ratings. It is therefore a clien...

According to The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) up to 50 percent of new homes will contain significant green elements by 2010 and the choice of the current consumers is evident since green building is environmentally friendly and efficient in many ways.Let's take a look at its "hidden elements" to begin with, site specific design is oriented to get as much natural light as possible. It works by using solar energy. Doors and windows located in the right place provide light being good entryways of natural lightning. Saving existing trees on site helps to shade.Rocks being a part of green design can be reused from the site to pave walkways or used for drip lines around house. Rocks are also perfect as bases for exterior post lighting and can be considered as an alternative to pl...

How to live green, find green materials, and go green.Smart BuildingsIn recent years we have heard more and more about how we need to live green, go green with the products we use, and of course build with green materials. In our series of Green Articles, you will read much about Smart Systems, or Integrated Systems in the "Intelligent" Buildings or "Smart" Buildings. What are they, and who is building them?Intelligent or Smart Buildings (referred to as SB's hereafter) are basically any building that has incorporated streamline operations which deliver better service to their end users. Many would call this a "Smart System". This system will help you live green in many ways.A decade or two ago, you may have immediately thought of the Jetson's when confronted with the idea, that an elevator...

There are two major ways of looking at a green home as a great investment for you and your family. One of the ways is that is will save you money every month on utility bills and usage, making it a perfect everyday investment. Another way to look at it as an investment is that because everyone is going green in today's modern age, your home will be more desirable. Of course there is the obvious environmental investment to consider as well.The way a green home saves you money every month is because everything in the house runs efficiently. You use air conditioning and heating less because the windows of the home are special, and keep heat and cool air inside the home. Your plumbing system is more efficient because the pipes are run to keep the environment in mind. If you are using less wate...

With respect to architecture, the term vernacular is used to describe building designs and styles that reflect the local customs, needs, and building resources available. Since antiquity, people have learned through trial and error, the various structural concepts we often take for granted today. Vernacular architecture is the product of generations of experimentation, trial and error.Although associated with outdated and primitive methods, the positive benefits of vernacular housing designs - even in today's ultra-modern world - are many. In fact, it is because we as a global race have advanced so much, so fast, in these very areas, that we have caused widespread depletion of resources, to the point that we have started to go back to our roots to find answers.In our quest for new and bett...

Green homes are all the rage now. Some places in the country are hopping on the "green" band wagon much faster than other but it is still on the rise. The drawback is though, that green homes tend to cost much more upfront because of the amount of labor and resources that go into the production of the home. But the outcome for years to come are much lower heating and cooling bills, electricity bill and and overall sense of good conscience when it comes to the environment.If you are not in the financial position to custom design a green home, you might consider at least making a check list of items to look for when shopping for a home. Here are some items to look for:1. Double Pane Windows - This may be common in most homes these days but it still something to be aware of. Even triple pane ...