Global warming has caused catastrophic damage each year to infrastructure, agriculture, and mother nature itself. With constant extreme weather patterns, our planet is slowly transforming into a wasteland. These ferocious acts of nature are technically man’s fault for overexploiting our natural resources, and even the construction is guilty of this. Each year, the construction industry is responsible for consuming millions of tons of natural resources and minerals taken from already endangered natural areas. Steps need to be taken to ensure that further projects in the future do not add to the already dire situation that we are in today.
Luckily, great minds in the industry are already in the work to face these challenges. Sustainable architecture and building have seen a recent spike in trend. Our desire to lessen our carbon footprint has led to various innovations to make the infrastructure and construction industry more environmentally friendly. Melbourne builders are already implementing some of these innovative steps in addressing the problem with global warming by advocating for such innovations through greener forms of methods.
Decreasing Water Scarcity: many parts of the globe are left with no clean drinking water. So, saving water is a necessity and a responsibility we all must fulfil. Luckily today, construction projects use recycled water to use in their worksites, thanks to rainwater harvesting systems. Other methods to ensure the decrease in the use of water include using landscape designs that minimise irrigation practices and the installation of water-efficient fixtures and appliances.
Cooling Down the Cities: urban areas are very prone to heat, especially in the hot summers of Australia, where temperatures skyrocket, thanks to the severe effects of today’s global warming. An efficient way many builders are adapting today is the installation of green spaces into buildings by introducing skyscrapers and homes with sky gardens or patios showered with native plants that need little maintenance. This improves the air quality of the often-polluted landscape of the cities and greatly reduces the scorching temperatures below.
Lowering Energy Demands: Since many homes have such high electrical needs, fossil fuels and other harmful sources of energy continue to wreak havoc. But thanks to changes in building design, this could be reduced. To prevent the usage of lights, windows are now designed facing south to welcome as much light inside to discourage the frequent use of interior lighting. The integration of smart technology that uses less energy compared to traditional devices also decreases the need for power, and finally, the installation of renewable sources of energy like solar panels and wind turbines makes homeowners less reliant on the power grid.
Conclusion
We all have a part to play in saving our planet; even our homes should share responsibility for fighting against unsafe practices that lead to the increase of global warming that’s destroying our world as we speak. So, consider hiring a builder that takes these important environmental situations into account when you are thinking of already building your home.