Decrease environmental impact with green construction technology in your new building

A move toward utilizing more sustainable green construction is becoming the prominent theme among many commercial and residential building owners who are either renovating their existing facility or building entirely new structures. Using green building materials helps to lower the adverse impact on our environment, while adding to the necessary preservation of diminishing nonrenewable resources. Green construction technology enhances your return on investment by generating an increase in the efficiency of energy, gas, electric and water usage. Other maximized benefits of using green building technology include: a minimized need for maintenance, less resource usage and waste, the enhanced health of occupants and a decrease in over-all operational and replacement costs throughout the lifetime of the structure. It is not difficult to assess the validity of potentially green building materials when you use the following criteria as a guide:

Responsible Sourcing and Resource Efficiency

All building materials should be researched before purchase to determine how they were manufactured or where they were sourced from. Green technology construction uses materials that contain recycled matter created from agricultural by-products or waste, that is a renewable resource and is considered environmentally sustainable. Green building materials used in South Florida should consist of at least one of the following sourced guidelines:

• Salvaged or Remanufactured – Materials salvaged from disposable waste that have been re-vitalized or restored to be used again.
• Durable or Low-Maintenance – Materials that require the least amount of care for preservation and have an innately extensive life.
• Recycled content – Post-consumer material (the preferred standard) that is collected from waste products or Pre-consumer recycled content that is comprised of industrial by-products that are being reused.
• Recyclable or Reusable – Any material that can be used again after their initial usage has ended.
• Sustainable sourcing – Any material that is gleaned from a renewable or sustainable source.

Water Efficiency

Green construction that contains a system of rainwater collection and the proper reuse of grey water will help to sustain the environment and also improve water efficiency and lower usage costs. Grey water that would normally pollute lakes, rivers or estuaries is redirected toward ground irrigation where it becomes valuable fertilizer for grasses, plants and trees. Rainwater harvesting systems distribute rainwater for multi-purpose usage and may also be stored for future use.

Safe Indoor Environments

The health and safety of indoor occupants is met when green building materials are used. Products that meet the green safety standards include:

• Hazardous-Free Ingredients – Building materials that are naturally sourced (wood, bamboo, cork etc.) or do not contain any toxic ingredients such as phthalates, vinyl, lead, phenol-formaldehyde etc. are considered green.
• Low Volatile Emissions – Use building materials that emit low levels of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).
• Moisture Resistance – Materials that resist moisture, inhibit mold build-up and that dry quickly should be used for green construction.
• Non-Toxic – Use building materials that are non-toxic or contain or a very small amount of toxins, irritants or carcinogens.

Green construction should incorporate a high-efficiency heating and cooling system and high performance windows, insulation and glazing that creates an air-tight healthy environment. Other green construction that is safe and cost effective includes energy storage systems, solar energy and building management systems. Building owners that opt for green construction technology will not only be advancing environmental sustainability but will also be creating a safe and efficient environment for all occupants while reducing operating costs.

Advanced Control Corporation is an industry leader in developing and implementing complete green building systems. Our experienced and innovative design team can create a customized building plan for your facility that incorporates a building management system. By integrating intelligent technology to manage your building you receive the benefits of maximum efficiency, lowered costs and less waste under real time data surveillance and retrieval.

 As a green construction industry leader in the South Florida area, we have created green building systems for thousands of Florida structures that are environmentally friendly and sustainable. If you are planning to build a new structure or are contemplating renovating an existing one, our experienced and knowledgeable team of technicians can create an energy-efficient, cost-effective green building solution for you.