GREEN BUILDING TRENDS LIMIT IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE
ACCORDING to a World Bank report released last year, climate change will increase the frequency and severity of disasters, natural and otherwise.
It is no wonder, then, that green consciousness is a matter of the utmost importance for governments, businesses and institutions the world over.
Homeowners are also playing their part, choosing products that are environment-friendly and doing their bit to curb the effect of climate change.
Whether by simply swapping their bulbs for LED lights or building a culture of recycling, more and more people are committing to green practices.
In some instances, home- owners will go as far as ensuring that even the physical structures of their houses are built using energy-efficient materials and building processes.
Expanded polystyrene is one such material. It is an insulation material that can be used for insulated walling, and roof and ceiling components.
Buildings designed, developed, built and/or managed using sustainable practices express a reduced demand for water and power, a decrease in peak power demand and a decrease in overall demand on the grid, says a representative from Green Building SA.
Paints and plasters are being developed that are geared towards green heat- ing and cooling systems.
These are easy to apply, and do not contain the toxins that some of their regular counterparts may have. Another green building trend that has grown in South Africa is light steelframe building, which makes use of galvanised steel sheets, fibre cement cladding, glass-wool insulation and gypsum board for internal lining.
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research has found that a light steel-frame house built to green specification will require less than 50% of energy to heat and cool. This benefit applies to the full life of building and promises huge savings in electricity. Courtesy of SA Home Owner