The benefits of green construction
Green construction is a revolutionary method, with a purpose of creating a healthy, convenient and economical living environment. This method has been gaining popularity among customers around the world and particularly in Israel, thanks to its many benefits that provide considerable added value to the community and environment. So what makes it so special and what are its main benefits?
1. A house built using green construction has a reduced environmental footprint for several reasons:
- Significant reduction in the amount of construction waste generated during construction.
- Use of recycled building materials and the capability to recycle the building materials at the end of the house’s life cycle.
2. Energy savings – less energy is required for heating, cooling and lighting
- A house constructed with green construction is thermally insulated on all 5 sides (the 5th side being the roof). At Austec Shamir, external walls are constructed with multiple layers.
- The stratified wall contains layers of volume insulation and reflective insulation, as well as layer separation by air pockets.
- The wall’s thickness is what provides the residents with climatic comfort in both summer and winter with low energy consumption.
- The 5th side (the roof) is taken care of by combining a triple layered reflective system with air bubble separation under the tiles as well as volume insulation on the horizontal ceiling.
- The energy savings are reflected in reduced electricity bills on the order of 30%!
3. Easy, simple home maintenance
Green construction means using building materials and techniques that require low home maintenance during the house’s life cycle. Houses built in this way need less maintenance work, and as a result reduce costs.
4. Integration of smart green construction systems:
- Recycling gray water
- Producing electricity with photovoltaic cells
- Using smart electrical systems to achieve energy savings at the house
- Building integrated lighting and ventilation systems
5. Green planning
This type of construction involves working with architects who have knowledge and awareness with regards to green construction. The architects determine the house’s ideal location within the plot as far as altitude, topography, exposures and lighting, in order to achieve maximum micro climate benefits.
6. Use of green building materials:
- Clay bricks – these are used in some of the houses in order to clad them externally. They are derived from natural clay which has been baked at 1200 degrees Celsius. This natural material is 100% recyclable.
- Steel profiles – these profiles are used for the skeleton. About 70% of them are derived from recycling of cars. In this way an old car receives a new life and turns into building profiles.
- The materials are highly durable and combine strength and flexibility.
- The profiles are shipped to the location in pre-cut sizes, which leads to very low waste generation on site.
In summary:
Green construction is an ideology measured against economic benefits. According to our philosophy, more weight should be given to the implementation of green construction elements that provide the residents with measurable economic benefits, such as climatic comfort, reduced power, water and gas bills, and lower maintenance costs throughout the years. It is important to measure and determine whether the green system’s implementation is worthwhile, based on its costs compared to the investment’s rate of return.