Green building refers to the constructions that can maximize resource conservation (including energy, land, water and materials), protect environment and reduce pollution, under the condition of providing people with healthy, applicable and efficient living space. What’s more, the aim of green building is to realize the harmony between human-beings, environment and buildings. (Li Y, Yang L, He B J, Doudou Zhao. Green building in China: Needs great promotion[J]. Sustainable Cities and Society, 2014, 11: 1-6.)
I am recently conducting a research about the humanity of green buildings. It is well known that a lot of research about the thermal comfort, energy saving, and cost-efficient had been conducted, so the humanistic needs of green building is neglected all the time, so how to consider the factor about the humanistic needs in the whole life cycle?
Thanks a lot for the answers from all researchers, and I want to get more responses about this interesting topic.
Here the humanistic needs are only focused on the technical level, such as the indoor air, daylighting. From the perspecive of end users, the concept of green building contains a lot of content in the whole life of buildings.
- 1. The cost of green building should be associated with people's income level.
- 2. Green buildings should be integrated into environment, not only the natural environment, but also the social environment. The soical environment means some place with historic culture and even some residential memory.
- 3. The architectural style should meet the requirements of family living conditions, this should contains house layout and functions, house layout and style of green building. Of course this firstly meet the Meet the demands including lighting, ventilation and energy conservation, basic residential functions, public space, esthetics, traffic facilities, privacy, lighting, landscape, enhancement.
- 4. The residential space not only contains indoor space, but also includes outdoor space. Indoor space should include the indoor comfort and energy efficiency, namely, the focus of all the people. Outdoor space should contain the architecture, environment, landspace and open space.
- 5. The ficilities should meet the requirements of community service and open space.
Of course, the understanding about the humanistic needs here is not sufficient. Please add your comments and suggestions here.
But some investigation conducted show the humanistic needs are not well met. At present, these investigation are only in the energy consumption and indoor comfort. The humanistic needs have to be conducted further.
In general, the humanistic needs relates to the social requirements of all people. Here is the needs of end users, Of course, the social needs of investors also should researched.
When it comes to the research methods, at present, it only confines in the questionnaire, and does anyone put forwards some other methods?
You need to consider the health impacts in terms of ventilation, indoor air quality, pollutants and toxic emissions. Also the use of breathable natural materials as people feel more comfortable with these than synthetic materials
We all know that buildings should meet health and comfort requirements. To consider humanistic needs in the whole life cycle, one must design buildings to be flexible and adaptable at minimal effort. This way buildings can maintain comfort levels considering nowadays and future requirements, not only considering health and comfort but also the use and configuration of spaces. The use of new technologies and efficient furniture will play a key role tackling these issues.
I suppose you schould define at first what are humanistic needs iin the "green building". there are not only needs connected with physical processes (clean air, level of noise, etc. / which were mentioned in the answers above) but there are also psychic needs which influence feelings of people inhabiting or working in these buildings. It`s for example the importance of natural light, view of vegetation (it has an impact on ability to concentrate), spaces where can people meet and interact, places for relaxation, public space which is clean and habitable...all these aspects have an influence on human behaviour and feelings and so on health and physical condition. There shouldn`t be forgotten that human beings percieve with all five senses. As our society prefers sight architecture should not forget all the other sense as smell, touch, sense of hearing and sense of taste - the proper choice of materials in interior can affect all the sences - the smell of wood, soft materials, etc.
Of course, the health and physical comfort are of vital importance for a green building from the perspective indoor comfort. But whether it is important to consider the influence of architectral style, green residential space, public service facilities and cultural demand. Meanwhile, the needs of residents to buy or live in a green building with high price should be considered. In the process of living in the green buildins or the demolition of green building, how to consider the humanistic needs?
Dear Bao ,
Can you please explain, what did you mean by saying humanistic needs?
because conserving energy, land ...etc. ,and protect environment, offering healthy, applicable and efficient living space... are also humanistic needs
The conserving energy, land ...etc. ,and protect environment, offering healthy, applicable and efficient living space..are always things of the designers & architects, and it is the humanisitc need from the perspective of nature and environment. In the process of promoting or developing the green buildings, we can come up with some questions from the consumers: Have you conducted a survey of consumers' demand? Can they afford for this? Are they willing to pay for the extra fee caused by the high technology? From the residents, the original culture in one region should be protected, because many people here have a deep feeling to them. Many architects or urban planning have actively designed a green building and the residents have to be passively accepted. Designers can qualitatively and definitely say the building meets the requirements of humanistic needs, but how to know the residents' humanistic demands?
Ele:
I agree with you!
According to several studies, the construction industry is that most human activity impacts the environment. Alone, it consumes about 75% of the planet's natural inputs. And over 30% of greenhouse gases are the result of construction activities. Consequently, the idea of always seeking the technological development in order to produce green buildings, ie, buildings that meet the essential needs of human beings, and promote the quality of life of future generations, as well as the conservation of exhaustible natural resources and low-cost constructive and post-occupancy maintenance is indispensable.
Very interesting discussion. Green building is a process to promote "checklist delighted buildings". Thus the goal is to brand a building and prime focus is to obtain the highest grading. This numerical approach in the design process does not prioritize the user perceptions.
If we think about humane architecture in the perspective of psychological comfort of its user, the green buildings in Sri Lanka are clear evidences for their inhumane status. A recent building user survey of two LEED certified (Platinum and Gold) garment factories proves, that the majority of the worker's do not accept that they are satisfied with the indoor environment of these factories.
As I understand today real state/ and residential sector functions in three distinct level.
Some one constructs with someones money and some one else comes and utilize the services. So there is a clear disconnect between builder and financer, Builder and occupant & Financer and Occupant. This happens beacause
1) Occupant is the end user and pays for all utility bills till he uses the facility. His need of housing drags him in though he was never in loop from planning to construction.
2) Builder looks for his profit by making the building more fancy and attractive but never gets involved in running energy bills of the facility
3) The financer always looks for making profit, and quickly exit the facility after making money. His profit is never linked to running energy building of the facility.
Till this system persists in entire construction industry business I doubt there will be any path breaking headway towards "GREENNESS" we are talking about.
There is only one solution and it is to increase the interaction between all three levels. How to do this? It is the job of we people, who are doing research/working in building sector.
Dear Bao-Jie,
The most important point is: Providing daylight and fresh air and other requirements must not turn home into a machine offering convenient service.
Thanks a lot for the answers from all researchers, and I want to get more responses about this interesting topic.
Here the humanistic needs are only focused on the technical level, such as the indoor air, daylighting. From the perspecive of end users, the concept of green building contains a lot of content in the whole life of buildings.
- 1. The cost of green building should be associated with people's income level.
- 2. Green buildings should be integrated into environment, not only the natural environment, but also the social environment. The soical environment means some place with historic culture and even some residential memory.
- 3. The architectural style should meet the requirements of family living conditions, this should contains house layout and functions, house layout and style of green building. Of course this firstly meet the Meet the demands including lighting, ventilation and energy conservation, basic residential functions, public space, esthetics, traffic facilities, privacy, lighting, landscape, enhancement.
- 4. The residential space not only contains indoor space, but also includes outdoor space. Indoor space should include the indoor comfort and energy efficiency, namely, the focus of all the people. Outdoor space should contain the architecture, environment, landspace and open space.
- 5. The ficilities should meet the requirements of community service and open space.
Of course, the understanding about the humanistic needs here is not sufficient. Please add your comments and suggestions here.
But some investigation conducted show the humanistic needs are not well met. At present, these investigation are only in the energy consumption and indoor comfort. The humanistic needs have to be conducted further.
In general, the humanistic needs relates to the social requirements of all people. Here is the needs of end users, Of course, the social needs of investors also should researched.
When it comes to the research methods, at present, it only confines in the questionnaire, and does anyone put forwards some other methods?
Dear Bao-Jie He, Your observations are true. The only way to address this issue is to record the preferences and priorities of the occupants and future house owners. Since life of a building can extend up to 100 years i.e. it will be used by at least 3 generations and by this time there will be lot of changes in life style and daily requirements to support life style. So there will always be a limitations because it will be very difficult to make the assessment of real needs over 100 years that can be incorporated in design or made provisions that will be added latter. So what can be is
a) Divide life of a building in 3-4 segments (as better represented)
b) Make design provisions that can be modified/added over different periods on priority basis. this will not disturb the main frame as provisions are defined and planned. It will also save finances and time.
A new article has been publihsed.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032115007194
Environmental psychology plays an important role in green buildings.The changing colousr of interiors landscape elevates the mood of the occupants reducing monotony which would otherwise cause sick building syndrome.The indoor IAQ also affects the health of the occupants.
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