Eco-Friendly Construction Methods.

 Eco-Friendly Construction Methods.

“HELLO, THE GREEN”
Let me ask you a question, what do you prefer most, a life limited to a concrete building or a life surrounded by green? Exactly, we love to live with green. The enchantment that mother nature gives us is something precious like a diamond. When we live with the environment, we relax our minds as well as our bodies. Why is that so? It is because we are a part of it and the pathetic situation is that we have forgotten it. As humans we are running after a massive development accompanied by the technology but we forget to take our mother with us. The fact that we are the children of her is forgotten by us. As a result, we get many issues including health and others related with the polluted environment, that lead to focus us to go with green. Fortunately, a trend is arising focusing on “green”, that leads us to a world that humans are accompanied by both nature and technology. Advantageously, now we are stepping to a green world.

History behind the word “Eco” is interesting. The Greek word “Oikos” means an expanded family, simply “THE PLACE TO LIVE” became “Eco”, a simple word with a fabulous meaning. Eco friendly concepts, with no harm to the environment carry that message attractively because they create “THE PLACE TO LIVE” for everyone.

With the increasing population, natural resources are decaying, putting our children into a huge risk of no access for them. Hence, sustainable use of them is highlighted today, to have the maximum use while investing in the future. Dealing mainly with constructions, eco-friendly constructions are arising to make this a reality.

“Green buildings” came to help us. These buddies take the maximum use of natural resources to grow up and to live. They take recyclable, easy access natural gifts (sheep wool, cellulose and straw as insulators/cotton stalk fibers, palm wood fibers as fibers/dried brick blocks/reclaimed wood etc.) with zero harm to nature. A PVC pipe that we use today will rule the earth for about a hundred years. Green buildings mainly rely on reproducible energy sources including wind and day light while having a minimum use of energy during construction.

You may feel some expenses during construction but you will save more during maintenance. Green buildings have low maintenance and operation cost since they rely on natural energy sources. The architecture is designed allowing more penetration of daylight and a good flow of wind. Day light on your skin fulfil your vitamin D requirement. Ladies, if you are suffering with dry skin gifted by A/C, natural A/C inside your green building may help you. “Bye A/C!”. Reduced electricity bill will surprise you. By cutting off carbon emitting things, you save nature. In the UK 50% from carbon emission is by constructions.

Use of water recycling methods and rain water expands your savings. Purified water can be reused while stocked rain water blooms your garden. This reminds us of the great saying of King Parakramabahu, “Do not send any rain drop without having a use!”

Natural resources enhance interior quality. Dried bricks lock moisture, switching off your A/C. Your children will be happy with your sustainable use. The best thing is that all the materials are nontoxic. Finally, as a bonus you get a healthy mind and a body creating a healthy population. The created happy staff by the owner will take him to success. If we stand with green buddies in their fight with concrete forests, we get a clean environment as a plus point.

With this still young concept, 100% green buildings are still not a reality but we have achieved many leading trends on the path towards it. Using solar panels to make current from sunlight or to boil water is one. Projects are arising in Sri Lanka together with CEB, providing solar panels to houses while reducing their current bills while allowing them to contribute to the nation's electricity needs. Water filtration and recycling is another trend. In Singapore, “Toilet to Tap” concept elaborates the width of this concept. Low energy lightning is another trend to heal your pocket. Decorating the buildings with green veils made of trees is another attractive aspect of the trend.

Top most world famous green buildings are the carriers of this concept to the world. PricewaterhouseCoopers Building is the eco-friendliest guy in London. Bank of America in New York drinks rainwater and waste water to make its water need. India Tower in Mumbai which is operational since 2010, symbolizes that India is moving towards a green future. The carbon filter in Mumbai, The Antilia Building is another one. The amazing thing about it is that it has a single owner named Mukesh Ambani. Rather than them, Dubai, Siberia, Moscow, Melbourne, Miami etc. own green buddies.

Sri Lanka is also stepping towards green. Our proud history shows to the world how effective it is to use the concept going with nature. Sigiriya is a great example, the water circulating system is still hidden from the world but it is certain that it was totally from nature’s science. Still alive giant constructions challenge the myth that dried bricks cannot supply enough strength. Huge water reservoirs made with rocks tell us that we do not need to depend on cement. Their message is that we can depend totally on nature.

The tree of eco-friendly constructions is spreading his branches in new ways. Experimental solar roadways are some projects that are still developing. We have the knowledge and technology, the thing what we should develop is to apply them with nature. Thinking out of the box creates many inventions. History teaches us to build our future. If past people could, why not us? New thoughts will show us the path to step into a green paradise from this concrete forest. Still we are not too late to say “Yes” to green. Let us roar, “HELLO THE GREEN!!!”