Uploaded January 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
“Green building refers to both a structure and the application of processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life-cycle: from planning to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition.” US EPA
Link to Patreon page: patreon.com/Belinda_Carr
Chapters
0:00 Introduction
0:50 LEED
1:43 Renewable Energy
4:26 Reuse & Recycling
6:15 Energy efficient
7:36 Green roofs
8:16 Eco-friendly tech
9:58 Conclusion
In this video, we’re going to go over 5 expectations of “green buildings” and look at the problems with them.
GREEN BUILDINGS USE RENEWABLE ENERGY
At first glance, converting wind and solar energy into electricity seems so easy and clean, but when we dive into the nitty gritty of their life cycle, we realize how unsustainable they are. For example, the demand for rare earth minerals like neodymium and dysprosium has grown exponentially, in part because of their use in wind turbines. 95% of these minerals are mined in China which has led to large tracts of land filled with toxic waste and polluted air, water and soil. Another example is disposal of solar panels. They are made of a toxic cocktail like gallium arsenide, crystalline silicon, lead, cadmium, etc. They should not be disposed of in landfills because the modules can break down and leach these toxic materials into the soil. Despite this, there is a growing, disturbing belief that every roof surface must be covered with solar panels to save this planet.
GREEN BUILDINGS PROMOTE REUSE AND RECYCLING
In an ideal world, where money doesn’t matter, recycling wouldn’t be an issue. But that isn’t reality, the cost of recycling exceeds the revenue generated in most cases. Remember the 3Rs we were taught as kids? Reduce, reuse, recycle. Of the 3, I think reduce is the most important but is unfortunately emphasized the least. Once we have purchased an item, it has entered the vicious cycle and it’s too late. Reusing and recycling seem to be superficial, feel-good action steps.
GREEN BUILDINGS USE ENERGY, WATER AND OTHER RESOURCES
It is important to improve insulation, reduce air leakage, design more efficient HVAC systems, water-efficient fixtures and appliances, reuse grey water for irrigation, capture rainwater, etc. But, we cannot ignore building construction science. When we add on layers of insulation to a building and increase the thickness of panels, we are changing the dew point location in walls and changing the perm ratings of the system, which can lead to condensation and reduced drying potential for water and vapor.
GREEN BUILDINGS ARE... GREEN
A green roof is a layer of vegetation planted over a waterproofing system on your roof. It can help you earn LEED credits and is usually a sign of a “green” building. These vegetative roofs are riskier than conventional roofs due to constantly wet conditions. They add significant load to your building which equates to more material reinforcement.
GREEN BUILDINGS USE THE LATEST ECO-FRIENDLY TECH
The LEED green building credit system opened the floodgates to brand new technology and products that claim to be far superior and eco-friendly to traditional methods of construction. Some of these new materials have not been field-tested over a long period of time compared to other tried and true materials. Blind acceptance of new products can be disastrous as we have learnt from single-use plastic. In the 50s, 60s and 70s, there was a huge push in advertising for disposable plastic wear that would change people’s lives, reduce the cost of products and usher in the age of convenience. Fast forward 50 years, and this reckless use of single-use, non-biodegrable plastic is choking the planet.
In conclusion, making environmentally conscious decisions at both a personal and professional level is vital but we cannot do it blindly. Green building design should prioritize climate-specific, and nation-specific standards. What works in one region will not work in another. We also need to educate architects and builders on construction science so we don’t just pick and slap on materials, we understand how they work. Finally, we have to constantly evolve. The rating system cannot remain stagnant.
--------------------
Fluffy by Smith The Mister smiththemister.bandcamp.com
Smith The Mister bit.ly/Smith-The-Mister-YT
Free Download / Stream: bit.ly/stm-fluffy
Music promoted by Audio Library youtu.be/OM9G3nyLT_w
---------------------
Disclaimer: This video was created for educational/informational purposes and qualifies as Fair Use. If you are the creator or own the footage featured in this video and have reservations please notify me via Youtube comments or email and I will accommodate you
#ecofriendly #greenbuilding #leed #green #hypocrisy #energy #conservation
“Green building refers to both a structure and the application of processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life-cycle: from planning to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition.” US EPA
Link to Patreon page: patreon.com/Belinda_Carr
Chapters
0:00 Introduction
0:50 LEED
1:43 Renewable Energy
4:26 Reuse & Recycling
6:15 Energy efficient
7:36 Green roofs
8:16 Eco-friendly tech
9:58 Conclusion
In this video, we’re going to go over 5 expectations of “green buildings” and look at the problems with them.
GREEN BUILDINGS USE RENEWABLE ENERGY
At first glance, converting wind and solar energy into electricity seems so easy and clean, but when we dive into the nitty gritty of their life cycle, we realize how unsustainable they are. For example, the demand for rare earth minerals like neodymium and dysprosium has grown exponentially, in part because of their use in wind turbines. 95% of these minerals are mined in China which has led to large tracts of land filled with toxic waste and polluted air, water and soil. Another example is disposal of solar panels. They are made of a toxic cocktail like gallium arsenide, crystalline silicon, lead, cadmium, etc. They should not be disposed of in landfills because the modules can break down and leach these toxic materials into the soil. Despite this, there is a growing, disturbing belief that every roof surface must be covered with solar panels to save this planet.
GREEN BUILDINGS PROMOTE REUSE AND RECYCLING
In an ideal world, where money doesn’t matter, recycling wouldn’t be an issue. But that isn’t reality, the cost of recycling exceeds the revenue generated in most cases. Remember the 3Rs we were taught as kids? Reduce, reuse, recycle. Of the 3, I think reduce is the most important but is unfortunately emphasized the least. Once we have purchased an item, it has entered the vicious cycle and it’s too late. Reusing and recycling seem to be superficial, feel-good action steps.
GREEN BUILDINGS USE ENERGY, WATER AND OTHER RESOURCES
It is important to improve insulation, reduce air leakage, design more efficient HVAC systems, water-efficient fixtures and appliances, reuse grey water for irrigation, capture rainwater, etc. But, we cannot ignore building construction science. When we add on layers of insulation to a building and increase the thickness of panels, we are changing the dew point location in walls and changing the perm ratings of the system, which can lead to condensation and reduced drying potential for water and vapor.
GREEN BUILDINGS ARE... GREEN
A green roof is a layer of vegetation planted over a waterproofing system on your roof. It can help you earn LEED credits and is usually a sign of a “green” building. These vegetative roofs are riskier than conventional roofs due to constantly wet conditions. They add significant load to your building which equates to more material reinforcement.
GREEN BUILDINGS USE THE LATEST ECO-FRIENDLY TECH
The LEED green building credit system opened the floodgates to brand new technology and products that claim to be far superior and eco-friendly to traditional methods of construction. Some of these new materials have not been field-tested over a long period of time compared to other tried and true materials. Blind acceptance of new products can be disastrous as we have learnt from single-use plastic. In the 50s, 60s and 70s, there was a huge push in advertising for disposable plastic wear that would change people’s lives, reduce the cost of products and usher in the age of convenience. Fast forward 50 years, and this reckless use of single-use, non-biodegrable plastic is choking the planet.
In conclusion, making environmentally conscious decisions at both a personal and professional level is vital but we cannot do it blindly. Green building design should prioritize climate-specific, and nation-specific standards. What works in one region will not work in another. We also need to educate architects and builders on construction science so we don’t just pick and slap on materials, we understand how they work. Finally, we have to constantly evolve. The rating system cannot remain stagnant.
--------------------
Fluffy by Smith The Mister smiththemister.bandcamp.com
Smith The Mister bit.ly/Smith-The-Mister-YT
Free Download / Stream: bit.ly/stm-fluffy
Music promoted by Audio Library youtu.be/OM9G3nyLT_w
---------------------
Disclaimer: This video was created for educational/informational purposes and qualifies as Fair Use. If you are the creator or own the footage featured in this video and have reservations please notify me via Youtube comments or email and I will accommodate you
#ecofriendly #greenbuilding #leed #green #hypocrisy #energy #conservation
