Green Goes Brown
"Green Goes Brown" refers to the idea that many buildings are constructed using principles of sustainable design and construction but then "go brown" as the building's actual environmental performance diminishes over time due to operations or other factors.
RATIONALE
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, buildings consume about 39% of the total energy and 74% of the total electricity produced in the United States annually. Compared to the industrial sector and transportation, buildings are the worst offenders in terms of energy use. Energy production — the production of electricity — negatively impacts the environment in several ways. The burning of fossil fuels emits carbon dioxide and other gases that contribute to global warming. Thermal cycle energy plants also require heavy water consumption to produce electricity.
Both new and existing buildings contribute to energy consumption. Studies at the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab suggest that commissioning greener operations can save 20% of the energy used by existing buildings. Greening operations in existing buildings include areas such as: energy and water use, landscaping and irrigation, indoor air quality, cleaning procedures, pest management, transportation, procurement, and solid waste strategy and disposal.
SUSTAINABILITY PRINCIPLES
Include behavioral change, new technology use, green operations and procurement, energy efficiency, water-efficient landscaping, green cleaning, solid waste management, economic efficiency.
EFFORT REQUIRED
Effort required varies depending on the size and function of each building. Some added costs and planning are involved, but operating costs are reduced. Implementation of green strategies will require additional training for operators, occupants, and maintenance staff.
BENEFIT
Green operations reduce energy and water consumption. Practices such as commissioning and recommissioning, submetering, automated heating and lighting controls, and renewable energy generation reduce consumption and the need for energy production. In turn, limited natural resources are preserved, fewer contaminants are released into the air and water, and cleaner energy is utilized.
Lower operating costs
Reduced energy and water consumption mean lower utility bills.
Improved air and water quality
Green products and systems have little or no impact on the environment, and green practices such as recycling and carpooling directly benefit air and water quality.
Green market development
Green operating policies increase the demand for environmentally-friendly products and services in the marketplace, allowing green business models and green jobs to develop.
Building occupant health
Fewer by-products off-gassed from chemically-toxic products and processes lead to better indoor air quality, which translates into improved human health and increased productivity.
Decreased dependency on landfills
A green solid waste strategy leads to less waste, less landfill space needed and more green space.
RISKS
There are concerns that green cleaning and pesticide products are not as effective as traditional products. Green products and equipment can often cost more initially than their “brown” equivalents. These issues must be addressed as part of the strategic, training and implementation phases of a sustainable building strategy.
ACTION AGENT(S)
Facility managers, building owners, building tenants, mechanical engineers, purchasing agents, and maintenance personnel. Local policy leaders can play a role in a number of ways to encourage green buildings and development.
COST
Variable. There are possible additional capital expenses for new technologies such as performance measurement devices (e.g. submeters) and automation systems. There may be a price premium associated with greener procedures and products (for example recycling haulers and cleaning products). This is balanced by the longterm decrease in operating costs as a result of greater energy efficiency.
Waste disposal sites for solid waste from human activities.Energy that comes from sources that are not depleted by use. Examples include energy from the sun, wind, and small (low-impact) hydropower, plus geothermal energy and wave and tidal systems.Energy efficiency is the process of using less energy to produce the same or increased functions. Often used mistakenly as a synonym for ENERGY CONSERVATION. Unwanted elements that may reduce the quality of natural systems (air, water, land). Mechanisms that allow occupants to direct power to devices or adjust devices or systems so that they function within in a pre-determined range (e.g., brightness, temperature).The collection, reprocessing, marketing, and use of materials that were diverted or recovered from the solid waste stream.The quality of air inside a building space that affects the health and wellbeing of building occupants. Fuel formed from geological processes acting on the remains of living organisms. Typically refers to oil, coal, natural gas or their by-products.The process of verifying and documenting that a building and all of its systems and assemblies are planned, designed, installed, tested, operated, and maintained to meet predetermined energy requirements.The ability or potential of a physical body to do work. The most common forms of energy are heat, light, mechanical (moving parts), and electrical.
