Sustainable buildings, most commonly known as green buildings, are those buildings and the construction methods used which throughout their life course are environment friendly and highly resource efficient.These kind of Eco-friendly and money saving buildings are preferred protecting occupant health to be constructed now everywhere. Some of the main objectives of the sustainable structures or green structures are protecting occupant health, reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation, efficiently using energy, water, and other resources. In America, most of the new buildings are constructed using the technology to construct them in sustainable way because this method of constructing buildings is cost friendly as well as environment friendly: Some of the most sustainable buildings of America are below.
1. Banner Bank Building, Boise, Idaho
This was designed by HDR. Inc. It is among the most sustainable buildings in United States of America. This bank building is located near the public transportation systems. This encourages employees more for the green cause as it has inside shower stalls and bike storage. Forty percent of recycled material has been used to construct the building and that too was procured from local suppliers. It has a geothermal heating system which leads to use consumption of 65% less energy as compared to other typical buildings. It also has a water reclamation system. Bio-diesel, which is made the used oil of vegetables is used to run its back up generators. The total cost of the project was an estimated $25 million.
2. Daybreak Corporate Center, Utah
This building was designed by CRSA and conceptual design Rich Carr. This building costs around hefty $40 million and is among the first LEED platinum-certified structure in the State’s. Approximately 95% of the waste which was got while constructing the building was recycled and almost 22% of the material used in the construction of the building was got from recycled wastes. Storm water is used to irrigate the landscape. This buildings consumes 22% less energy than the other buildings built on traditional patterns.
3. Heifer International, Little Rock, Arkansas
This building was constructed by Heifer International and Architect, interior designer was Polk Stanley Rowland. This building is situated on an rail road yard which was left abandoned and was in a bad condition, hence needed to be cleaned desperately. Large chunks of scrap may be in tons were removed from here by Heifer and later a office building as constructed keeping in mind while constructing it to be environment friendly. It consumes 45% less energy than an typical office building would consume. The water which is collected from rain is used bathroom plumbing and also to cool the office building. The source for natural lighting in the building are the copious windows. When the days are overcast the light sensors are used to light up the building.
4. Helios House Gas Station
It is situated in Los Angeles, California. This was constructed by BP and designed by DA Architects, Boston. Environment friendly designs are incorporated in Helios station. This is constructed from recycled steel, glass and scrap metal. Energy is provided by the 90 solar panels which it has. Its roof is green and grow cacti. It has motion-sensitive lighting, rainwater collection system and bathroom stalls with bamboo panels. This gas station is the first LEED-certified gas station in the whole nation.
5. The US Green Building Council Corporate Headquarters, Washington DC
This building was designed by Perkins+Will. This building was constructed keeping in mind it to environment friendly. It is constructed in such a way that almost 93% of the buildings interiors has direct access to the sunlight. Dual-flush toilets, low-flow plumbing fixtures and water less urinals are used in the building which make it use 40% less water than open similar buildings. The most of the material used in building is recycled which includes reused furniture, renewable bamboo flooring, reused granite counter-tops, recyclable ceiling tiles and non-toxic paint.
6. Willingboro Master Plan & Public Library, Willingboro, New Jersey
This was designed by Croxton Collaborative Architects, PC and is owned by Willingboro Township. It was surrounded by a parking lot and was abandoned in1990. It was constructed by using 100% of structural steel. It is naturally ventilated library. This building is the best example of architectural using and has also won award for that. This has natural ventilation in each and every place.
7. The Terry Thomas Building, Seattle, Washington
This building is another good example of sustainable buildings in America and was designed by Weber Thompson and the interior designer was Heidi Fahy. The site where this building was constructed was actually a warehouse used as a practice space by band Pearl Jam. The new building’s 93% was constructed from the material from old demolished warehouse. The building has natural lighting and natural ventilation. This building was built at low cost and can sustainability up to time period of 100 years.
