Building Health & Wealth: The Benefits of Sustainable Construction Practices

Building Health & Wealth: The Benefits of Sustainable Construction Practices

 

Construction is one of the leading causes of environmental destruction— Luckily, more sustainable practices are on the rise. In the face of climate change, an increasing number of citizens, businesses, lawmakers, and construction firms are taking initiatives toward a greener future for the industry as a whole.

 

Over the past decade, there has been considerable progress in all sectors of eco-friendly infrastructure. Through conscious use of materials, environmental surveys and monitoring, and sustainable waste management, we are steadily decreasing our construction-based carbon footprint as well as the cost of implementing sustainable practices.

 

As additional companies convert to this approach and begin to prioritize the planet over their bottom line, our communities and economies are being led on a more promising path to widespread health and wealth. All the while, green building practices are becoming more affordable.

 

With every new sustainable infrastructure undertaking, an increasingly healthy and wealthy future is being built for humanity alongside beautiful buildings:

• Benefits of Green Building Methods

 

As energy-efficient procedures and technology take center stage in the construction world, its practices are becoming less destructive to our planet. Instead, they are helping to promote abundance for all its inhabitants: 

• Humanity: Uplift Health & Happiness

 

Now that designers and builders are approaching new construction projects with the planet in mind, people are seeing improvements in their mental and physical well-being. This is likely due to enhanced lighting and air quality, ergonomic living accommodations, and peace of mind when it comes to their carbon footprint.

• Environment: Minimize Waste & Harmful Emissions

 

The EPA claims that construction accounts for 30% of all US greenhouse gas emissions. Engineers and construction companies have responded to this by turning towards more renewable resources and building practices. As long as sustainability remains in focus, our annual construction waste will progressively shrink, and so will our carbon footprint.

• Economy: Promote Jobs & Cost-Efficiency 

 

Eco-friendly designs and construction methods don’t just uplift the health of humanity, but also our wealth. Construction jobs account for a significant proportion of US labor, and sustainable initiatives are only expected to up their demand. As architects strive to create increasingly co-conscious designs, we will continue to minimize our need for resources, promoting cost efficiency on all fronts.

• Current Sustainability Initiatives in Construction

 

As the movement to restore balance with Mother Nature gains traction, experts in their fields are developing innovative solutions to do just that. From small roots-up initiatives to revolutionary breakthroughs in technology, the way we design and build structures, as well as treat the land they stand on, are transforming for the better: 

• Design: Optimize Space & Energy

 

Modern architects are channeling a lot of energy into designing structures that utilize space and energy as efficiently as possible. This includes incorporating natural elements into buildings instead of destroying them, promoting biodiversity, and harnessing and generating renewable energy.

• Land: Survey & Monitor

 

Engineers have created and continue to improve upon customized solutions for sustainable construction. Services such as environmental surveys, soil testing, water analysis, pollution monitoring, and environmental impact statements are leading construction firms towards greener horizons. 

• Materials: Restore & Reuse

 

Masonry restoration and the use of recycled and renewable materials are on the rise, remediating the harmful effects of waste on the environment and our wallets. As the world population continues to grow, the use of old materials to create new living accommodations is allowing us to make space for more citizens without raising prices and posing harm to the planet.

• Waste: Separate & Recycle

 

Construction workers are feeling the pressure to separate their waste, and smarter waste management is becoming common practice. When construction waste is minimized and what is left over goes to the right place, more materials are recycled for use in future projects and less gas is let off into our atmosphere.

• Promising Statistics For Our Planet

 

Construction is changing for the better, and the statistics are there to prove it. The more we acknowledge the benefits of sustainable building practices, the more momentum we gain to continue on a trajectory of increased efficiency, affordability, and widespread implementation:

• From 2016 to 2020, ‘smart’ eco-friendly home sales soared by $3 billion.

• California is projected to achieve zero net energy by 2023, and an order was put in place that requires them to obtain carbon neutrality by 2045.

• Although the non-residential green building market dropped 7.1% during the pandemic, it was on an upward trajectory beforehand and is expected to make a hearty recovery, reaching about $104 million by 2023.

• Over 17% of the green-certified buildings in the US are classified as educational structures, setting an example for growing citizens to live in a more eco-conscious light.

• Buildings that are certified by LEED, one of the most famous green building certification programs in the world, currently consume 25% less energy and 11% less water than their non-certified counterparts.

 

Sustainable building practices are here to stay— While it might be hard not to lose hope in the face of environmental destruction, it is important to remember that many initiatives are being taken to slow and reverse the negative effects of man-made structures upon the environment.

 

The construction industry is working diligently to solve the health and wealth-related issues we are facing… It is time to look toward the future and join the cause!