What are the pros and cons to green buildings?
Pro: Green buildings use more efficient and renewable materials for construction, such as straw, recycled metal, concrete, sheep's wool, compressed earth blocks, lumber, and bamboo. 5 All these are recyclable, reusable, and nontoxic. Con: Building materials that are efficient and renewable can be more expensive.
| Going Green Pros | Going Green Cons |
|---|---|
| Mitigation of resource depletion | Green infrastructure may be missing |
| Less air pollution | Social isolation |
| Less particle pollution | Eco-friendly living can be time-consuming |
| Less water pollution | Costly for businesses in the short run |
Green spaces improve air quality, reduce noise and enhance biodiversity (Maes et al., 2019). Green spaces also moderate temperatures during hot periods and provide cool and shaded areas (Romanello et al., 2021).
From energy usage to emissions, the construction industry has a huge impact on the environment. Aside from the loss of wild habitats from the development of green field sites, energy is used on site during the construction phase. Heavy plants used in construction still lean heavily on fossil fuels.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Strengthens community bonds | Change of mentality |
| Ensures a better life for present and future generations | Leads to unemployment |
| Helps in achieving long-term economic growth | Criticized for being too idealistic or impractical |
The pros and cons of something are its advantages and disadvantages, which you consider carefully so that you can make a sensible decision.
Negative Impacts
The impacts that these have on the environment have become clear and include: Climate change including Global warming. Acid rain, photochemical smog and other forms of pollution. Ocean acidification.
The tangible benefits may not be easily recognizable to tenants or visitors, but through sustainable design, construction and operations green buildings are reducing carbon emissions, energy and waste; conserving water; prioritizing safer materials; and lowering our exposure to toxins.
A disadvantage is that it can become very hard to identify the right technology for each building. As every house is different and at a different location, there are some technologies that might be more beneficial.
Green Building promotes the efficiency of buildings with regards to the use of water, energy and materials while reducing the building's impact on individual's health and the environment through better design, construction, operation, maintenance and removal.