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Source section: Section 1 - Introduction to Green Buildings and Communities PDF page: 19 Guide page: 12 OCR quality: high (383 words)
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Achief goal of green building practitioners is to find new uses for existing structures. Adaptive reuse is the practice of redesigning and using a structure for a use that is significantly different from the building’s original use. Buildings can also be designed to prevent future obsolescence; for example, a flexible floor plan can accommodate offices today and apartments tomorrow. This avoids the environmental consequences of extracting materials for a new building and disposing of demolition waste. The adapted building reuses a site that is already served by infrastructure and avoids the conversion of farmland or forest to development. Designing a project to meet both current and evolving needs is one key to sustainability. Adaptability is also critical for land use and municipal infrastructure, such as roads. Once road networks are established, they can remain fixed for centuries. In Rome, for example, the roadways that existed in ancient times have become today’s automobile roads. This issue is particularly important as we move toward a lower-carbon future. Alternative transportation, including availability of public transportation, is essential for reducing carbon emissions. However, options for alternative and public transit, including bicycling and walking, depend on the proximity of destinations, connectivity of the community, and design of surroundings. Roads that are designed for only motor vehicles do not provide the flexibility or adaptability of a transportation network designed for diverse travel modes. Buildings that protect the history and character of a place also promote sustainability. A project team can take advantage of the community’s past by reusing materials with historic value. Linking the present with the past reinforces a sense of place and helps create attractive communities with viable commercial centers. Sustainable design ensures that buildings and communities will survive and thrive for generations, no matter what the future holds. f A place for everything, ; | everything in its place. —
. Benjamin Franklin y
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= Location is a critical element of green building: it can define appropriate strategies, yet it can also limit how
: green a project can actually be. Depending on the environmental issues that are most critical in a particular
| area, location can influence a project team’s priorities. Location includes these factors:
3 * NATURAL CONTEXT. Climate, sun, wind, orientation, soils, precipitation, local flora and fauna.
a * INFRASTRUCTURAL CONTEXT. Available resources, materials, skills, and connections to utilities,
& roads and transit.
Q * SOCIAL CONTEXT. Connections to the community and other destinations, local priorities, cultural
a history and traditions, local regulations and incentives.
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