Section outline

  • 6.8: Green Architecture

    Green architecture incorporates ecologically and environmentally sustainable practices into site preparation, materials, energy use, and waste systems.

    A building is a system. We may think of them as structures, offices, or homes, but they support human activity by assembling several functions that address a variety of human needs. Typical building systems include heating, cooling, lighting, ventilating, and powering, and may include recycling rainwater or supporting a living roof. Each of these systems involves methods and technologies we can trace to the origins of architecture. However, today's more ecologically-informed era would deem most of these systems unsustainable. Green or sustainable design looks for new ways and approaches that minimize the harmful environmental impact of traditional building systems.