How Sustainable Buildings Can Contribute to a Better Environment?

We are living in an age where the earth is going through an environmental crisis. From global warming to ocean pollution, natural catastrophic events are increasing greatly. We must shift towards sustainable solutions that helps us to address the issue at hand. Eco-friendly and bio-degradable is the way to go. LEED is a voluntary certification that helps architects, designers and engineers to develop sustainable residential and commercial buildings. The focus is to increase the use of recycled, biodegradable and eco-friendly materials for construction. The chief source of energy comes from renewable sources like solar power, wind, and water. Rainwater harvesting is done to conserve water. Terrace gardens and green roof systems are excellent ways to reduce pollution, keep the building cooler and protect the roof from harmful UV rays. Architects design buildings that have access to natural sunlight, thereby reducing the use of artificial lighting and reducing consumption of energy. Choose best cement for concrete and eco-friendly materials for construction. Plant more trees in the campus to fight pollution. Consider these eco buildings that are making a mark in sustainability:

One Byrant Park, New York City is one of the greenest skyscrapers in the world, with a LEED platinum certification. It has CO2 monitors, waterless urinals and LED lighting. The building has its own power plant that produces 4.6 megawatts of clean, sustainable energy. Shanghai Tower is the tallest building in China, Shanghai Tower, has a LEED platinum certification. The wind turbines installed on the top floor of the building produce energy that is used for exterior lighting and parking areas. Today, most of the global construction projects are using eco-friendly materials and energy efficient techniques to restore and preserve our environment. The cement used for the construction of eco-friendly buildings are OPC and PSC. Portland Slag Cement is a blended cement rich in reactive silica. Portland cement is the best cement for house construction of foundations, the structure of roofs.

The building also facilitates rainwater harvesting. Cor Building in Miami is a uniquely designed building uses innovative measures to promote sustainability. The exoskeletal structure of the building is used for thermal mass insulation, wind turbines, solar hot water generation, natural shading, and cooling. It also has an efficient waste recycling and management system. Council House 2 in Melbourne, Australia has six green star ratings. It has a wind turbine system, sewage recycling, photovoltaic powered sheets among with many other sustainable features. The power consumption of this building is 85 percent lesser than any other building. It has 65 percent less CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions. World Trade Center, Bahrain is a high-rise skyscraper has wind-turbine installed in its design for generation of electricity. Along with being energy efficient, it enables waste management and recycling. This building has been awarded multiple ratings for its sustainable ways. 

Earthquake Safety Measures for High-Rise Buildings

Our planet is experience natural catastrophic events more than ever. From earthquakes, to wildfires, to global warming, the consequences are disastrous. Other natural disasters like tsunami, hurricanes, floods, are occurring frequently. These events can wreak havoc on human life, wildlife and the environment. While there is no perfect solution for this, we can all take steps towards progress together.

No structure is completely earthquake proof, engineers and architects are using innovative techniques and designs to safeguard new structures. These construction techniques help to reduce destruction and save precious lives. An earthquake with a magnitude of 6 Richter scale and above can damage any building. A devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake which occurred in 2010 in Haiti reported more than 200,000 causalities and rendered millions homeless. Chile, Japan, Nepal, Indonesia, Mexico, and the Philippines are some of the most earthquake-prone areas in the world. Lack of habitable land and increasing human population are leading to the construction of high-rise buildings that stand at a higher risk of being destroyed by earthquakes. It is also easier to evacuate people through stairs in a low-rise building compared to a high-rise building. However, modern evacuation techniques are often inbuilt in tall buildings. A popular example would be the World trade center tragedy in 2011, many people could not make it to the ground floor because of the height of the building. Engineers are striving to create partially earthquake-resistant structures. Unreinforced bricks plastered with mortar are dangerous structures and can be reduced to rubble in case of any seismic shock waves. MP Birla is one of the best cement manufacturers in India. The major types of cement manufactured by MP Birla are OPC, PSC, and PPC. Portland Slag cement is used to create strong and durable structures. 

The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the tallest mega-structure in the world standing at a height of 2722 feet. This massive skyscraper can withstand earthquakes up to 7 Richter scale. It is built on a 52-foot-deep steel and concrete foundation. The vertical and horizontal loadings are supported by a unique truss system, making it resistant to torsional movements. Shanghai tower with a height of 2000 feet, is the second tallest building in the world. The site is primarily filled with soft, clay-based soil. To make this structure earthquake resistant, engineers incorporated 980 piles and secured 2.15 million cubic feet of reinforced best cement for concrete. It also consists of a tuned mass damper to control swaying during earthquake or high winds. A series of shock absorbers helps in optimal counterbalancing. Taipei 101 located in Taiwan is one of the tallest structures in the world. It has a massive internal damper to control swaying and minimize the possibility of structural damage, in case of an earthquake. Recently a few Earthquakes occurred in Northern Indian region.

The best way to safeguard any building from earthquake is to build it on a strong foundation, using the best construction materials available.