THE PRINCIPLES OF GREEN BUILDING DESIGN

The green building design process begins with an intimate understanding of the site in all its beauties
and complexities. An ecological approach to design aims to integrate the systems being introduced with
the existing on-site ecological functions performed by Mother Nature. These ecological functions provide
habitat, respond to the movements of the sun, purify the air as well as catch, filter and store water.
Designers can create features in their buildings that mimic the functions of particular eco-systems.
Species that thrive in natural ecosystems may also utilize habitats created in man-made structures.
Creating new habitat on structures in urbanized areas is especially important to support bio-diversity and
a healthy ecosystem (Thomas, 2009).

The following points summarize key principles, strategies and technologies which are associated with
the five major elements of green building design which are: Sustainable Site Design; Water Conservation
and Quality; Energy and Environment; Indoor Environmental Quality; and Conservation of Materials and
Resources. This information supports of the use of the USGBC LEED Green Building Rating System, but
focuses on principles and strategies rather than specific solutions or technologies, which are often site
specific and will vary from project to project (USGBC)

FIVE MAJOR ELEMENTS OF GREEN BUILDING DESIGN

1) SUSTAINABLE SITE DESIGN

2) WATER CONSERVATION AND QUALITY
3) ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
4) INDOOR ENVIRONMENT QUALITY
5) CONSERVATION OF MATERIALS AND RESOURCES

WATER SYSTEM

Water - often called the source of life - can be captured, stored, filtered, and reused. It provides a
valuable resource to be celebrated in the process of green building design. According to Art Ludwig in
Create an Oasis out of Greywater, only about 6% of the water we use is for drinking. There is no need to
use potable water for irrigation or sewage. The Green Building Design course introduces methods of
rainwater harvesting, grey water systems, and living pools (BCKL, 2009).

The protection and conservation of water throughout the life of a building may be accomplished by
designing for dual plumbing that recycles water in toilet flushing or by using water for washing of the
cars. Waste-water may be minimized by utilizing water conserving fixtures such as ultra-low flush toilets
and low-flow shower heads. Bidets help eliminate the use of toilet paper, reducing sewer traffic and
increasing possibilities of re-using water on-site. Point of use water treatment (fig5) and heating
improves both water quality and energy efficiency while reducing the amount of water in circulation. The
use of non-sewage and greywater for on-site use such as site-irrigation will minimize demands on the
local aquifer (Stephen & Harrell, 2008).

GREEN ROOFS

serve several purposes for a building, such as absorbing rainwater, providing insulation, creating a
habitat for wildlife, increasing benevolence and decreasing stress of the people around the roof by
providing a more aesthetically pleasing landscape, and helping to lower urban air temperatures and
mitigate the heat island effect (Vandermeulen, 2011) There are two types of green roof:

1. Intensive roofs, which are thicker, with a minimum depth of 12.8 cm, and can support a wider variety
of plants but are heavier and require more maintenance.

2. Extensive roofs, which are shallow, ranging in depth from 2 cm to 12.7 cm, lighter than intensive green
roofs, and require minimal maintenance (Volder, 2014).

The term green roof may also be used to indicate roofs that use some form of green technology, such as
a cool roof, a roof with solar thermal collectors or photovoltaic panels. Green roofs are also referred to
as eco-roofs, vegetated roofs, living roofs, green roofs and VCPH (Wilmers, 1990). (Horizontal Vegetated
Complex Partitions).

GREEN WALLS

Also known as vertical greenery is actually introducing plants onto the building façade. Comparing to
green roof, green walls can cover more exposed hard surfaces in the built environment where
skyscrapers are the predominant building style (Jonathan, 2003).

According to Ken (Ken,2008), if a skyscraper has a plant ratio of one to seven, and then the façade area is
equivalent to almost three times the area. So, if the building is covered two thirds of the façade, this
have contributed to doubling the extend of vegetation on site. So a skyscraper can become green, thus
increasing the organic mass on the site (Wilmers, 1990).

There are three types of Green Walls: The green walls can be divided into three fundamental types
according to the species of the plants; types of growing media and construction method.

1. Wall-climbing Green wall is the very common and traditional green walls method. Although it is a
time consuming process, climbing plants can cover the walls of building naturally. Sometimes they are
grown upwards with the help of a trellis or other supporting systems (Wilmers, 1990).

2. Hanging-down Green Wall is also another popular approach for green walls. It can easily form a
complete vertical green belt on a multi-story building through planting at every story compare to the
wall-climbing type (Wilmers, 1990).

3. Module Green Wall is the latest concept compared to the previous two types. It requires more
complicated design and planning considerations before a vertical system can come to place. It is also
probably the most expensive green walls method (Jonathan, 2003)

GREEN BUILDING BENEFITS

Green building is not a simple development trend; it is an approach to building suited to the demands of
its time, whose relevance and importance will only continue to increase (USGBC) • Comfort. Because a
well-designed passive solar home or building is highly energy efficient, it is free of drafts. Extra sunlight
from the south windows makes it more cheerful and pleasant in the winter than a conventional house
(Kats, 2006) • Economy. If addressed at the design stage, passive solar construction doesn’t have to cost
more than conventional construction, and it can save money on fuel bills (Kats, 2003) • Aesthetics.
Passive solar buildings can have a conventional appearance on the outside, and the passive solar
features make them bright and pleasant inside. • Environmentally responsible. Passive solar homes can
significantly cut use of heating fuel and electricity used for lighting. If passive cooling strategies are used
in the design, summer air conditioning costs can be reduced as well (Woolley , 2006).

NEXT GENERATION MALLS AND BIOPHILIA

In order to attract people, shopping centers have been transformed into self-sufficient small cities that
offer different kinds of activities and entertainment, such as fitness clubs, sports halls, cinemas, theaters,
etc. Architects have done their best to provide commercial projects with interiors in which people can
feel “at home”. However, one important factor was still greatly lacking – nature.

That fact was discovered by researches from several disciplines, including environmental psychology,
sociology, behavioral medicine, and biology. The trend of biophilic design has begun to play a key role: It
is a “concept used within the building industry to increase occupant connectivity to the natural
environment through the use of direct nature, indirect nature, and space and place conditions. Used at
both the building and city-scale, it is argued that this idea has health, environmental, and economic
benefits for building occupants and urban environments, with few drawbacks.” (Wikipedia)

As a result of this research, the design of ecological spaces and environments has become a field of
interest for the commercial management of shopping malls, given its potential effect on visiting and
shopping intentions. The notion that plants, in particular, can play an essential role in the context of
architecture has become clear. They can complement and reinforce the existing interior architectural
features of buildings or structures, and they can also contribute to the creation of outdoor spaces,
simultaneously connecting people to nature.

ADVANTAGE OF GREENERY

There are many benefits of having greenery designed and installed inside shopping centers. Aesthetic
values are definitely increased, and environmental and cultural factors are combined. Managers can also
appreciate the marketing and publicity functions. Nowadays, “green places” often attract potential
visitors, which, consequently, can lead to an increase in property value.

There is no denying that large amounts of greenery installation improve visual values and create
different perceptions of public spaces. Rooms with plants are also perceived as more cheerful, pleasant,
and inviting. Greenery complements and strengthens architectural design and reduces one’s feeling of
being overwhelmed by concrete.

However, the most important benefits are probably those that directly affect humans. People obviously
react to indoor environments in markedly different ways, but it has recently become more and more
clear to researchers that they derive benefits from plants in a wide range of situations, either through
active involvement, like planting or gardening, or passive involvement, such as looking at plants or
spending time surrounded by them. Plants and natural settings with vegetation can also help reduce the
long-term effects of stress. Plants have a proven power to purify the air by absorbing chemicals from the
environment and biodegrading them, as has been shown by many studies, the most famous of which
being the list of “NASA plants”. Proximity to plants can generate positive sensations and emotional
reactions, such as feeling satisfied and relaxed. That proximity makes people comfortable in public places
and promotes the strengthening of interpersonal relationships.

LANDSCAPING

PRINCIPLES OF LANDSCAPING DESIGN

Color, line, form, texture and scale are tools which are used in combinations to adjust design principles.
Design principles include unity, balance, transition, focalization, proportion, rhythm, repetition and
simplicity. All these principles interact to yield the intended design.

Unity is obtained by the effective use of components in a design to express a main idea through
consistent style. Unity is emphasized by consistency of character between units in the landscape. Use of
elements to express a specific theme within units creates harmony. Unity can be achieved by using mass
planting and repetition.

Unity means that all parts of the composition or landscape go together; they fit. A natural feeling evolves
when each activity area belongs to and blends with the entire landscape. Everything selected for a
landscape must complement the central scheme and must, above all, serve some functional purpose.

Balance in design refers to the equilibrium or equality of visual attraction (Figure 6). Symmetrical balance
is achieved when one side of the design is a mirror image of the other side. There is a distinct dividing
line between the two sides. Equal lines, forms, textures or colors are on each side of a symmetrical
design.
mass may be opposed by color or linear dimension by height. The landscape designer must skillfully
manipulate the design elements to create asymmetrical balance. The central axis must be
predetermined and then developed by the elements of art and other principles of design discussed in
this publication.

Transition is gradual change. Transition in color can be illustrated by the radial sequence on the color
wheel (monochromatic color scheme). Transition can be obtained by the arrangement of objects with
varying textures, forms, or sizes in a logical sequential order. An unlimited number of schemes exist by
combining elements of various size, form, texture and color to create transition . Remember, transition
refers to the 3-dimensional perspective of composition, not just the flat or facial view.\

Proportion refers to the size of parts of the design in relation to each other and to the design as a whole.
Proportion in landscape design usually relates to people and their activities. The desired size
relationships of components in a design should pose little problem for the designer who considers this
principle routinely in systematic thought processes.

Rhythm is achieved when the elements of a design create a feeling of motion which leads the viewer’s
eye through or even beyond the designed area. Tools like color schemes, line and form can be repeated
to attain rhythm in landscape design. Rhythm reduces confusion in the design.

Focalization involves the leading of visual observation toward a feature by placement of this feature at
the vanishing point between radial or approaching lines. Straight radial lines as in Figure 10 create a
strong focalization when compared to curved lines. The viewer’s eye is quickly forced along straight lines
to a focal point. Generally, weaker or flowing lines of focalization are desirable in the residential
landscape. Transition of plants or other objects along these lines can strengthen or weaken the
focalization. Curved lines are stronger when curved toward each other than when curved outward.
Indirect focalization is created by lines curved in the same direction. Focalization can be adjusted by
plant materials along the lines to create symmetrical or asymmetrical focalization. Asymmetrical
focalization is indirect while symmetrical focalization is more direct, creating stronger focalization.

Since focalization can be used to direct attention to a point, traffic in an area is usually directed to that
point. Therefore, focalization could be used to direct traffic in a garden area. Guidance of view toward
features of commercial, aesthetic or cultural value may attract the eye of the unaware without conscious
effort.

Repetition refers to the repeated use of features like plants with identical shape, line, form, texture
and/or color. Too much repetition creates monotony but when used effectively can lead to rhythm,
focalization or emphasis. Unity can be achieved better by no other means than repetition. Think of
repetition as not having too much variety in the design which creates a cluttered or busy appearance.

Simplicity goes hand-in-hand with repetition and can be achieved by elimination of unnecessary detail.
Too much variety or detail creates confusion of perception. Simplicity is the reduction of a design to its
simplest, functional form, which avoids unnecessary cost and maintenance.