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Practical and applicable information for built environment professionals, the building industry and property owners who want to design and build ecologically sensitive buildings appear in the Green Building Handbook, Vol 2.
Editor of the handbook, the CSIR's Llewellyn van Wyk, says a crucial challenge facing us in this century is to preserve eco-services while enlarging the built environment, in both a restorative and a transformative manner. "The construction industry is often referred to - particularly from a green building perspective - as the 40% industry - it consumes 40% of all energy generated globally, uses 40% of all water globally and consumes 40% of all resources globally," Van Wyk remarks.
However, buildings are essential enabling environments in which people live and operate. "The common objective is that green buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment," says Van Wyk.
In green building design, one should strive to:
- Efficiently use energy, water and other resources
- Protect occupant health and improve productivity
- Reduce waste, pollution and environmental degradation.
The handbook deals with six sub-systems, namely site planning and landscape design; sub-structure; super-structure; roof assembly; finishes; and services.
The handbook comprises 24 chapters, 11 of which were contributed by CSIR researchers:
- Dr Dirk Conradie - Predictive building performance simulation
- Llewellyn van Wyk - Sub-structures; Green roofs
- Santie Gouws (co-author) - Structural concrete and sustainability
- Dr Andre de Villiers - Advanced walling systems; Roof assembly
- Luke Osburn - Thermal comfort; Lighting; Energy modelling software
- Dr Sidney Parsons - Indoor environmental health
- Naalamkai Ampofo-Anti - The performance of interior finishing products and the role of life-cycle assessment.
The Green Building Handbook is published by Cape Town-based company alive2green.
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