The Definition of Green Building
The Green Building concept (also known as the sustainable building) refers to both a structure and the application of environmentally-responsible and resource-efficient processes throughout the life-cycle of a building: from planning to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and demolition.
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Green buildings are built to achieve objectives such as:
- Maintaining occupant health
- Increasing employee productivity
- Allowing more effective use of electricity, water, and other resources;
- Reducing overall environmental effects.
Several countries have different green building concept, such as:
- LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) from United States
- CASBEE (Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency) from Japan
- BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) from England
- Green Star from Australia
- In Indonesia, the green building appraisal system was first initiated by the GBCI (Green Building Council Indonesia) with an appraisal system named Greenship.
How to Implement Green Building Concept
Different countries might have different standards in carrying and implementing the green building concept, but there are several key factors that need to be thought about.
According to EPA, here are the 7 components of green building concept:
- Energy efficiency and renewable energy
- Water efficiency
- Environmentally-friendly and environmentally-preferable building materials and specifications
- Toxics reduction
- Indoor air quality
- Sustainable development & smart growth
- Waste reduction
How to Support Green Building Concept Through Responsible Waste Management
Responsible waste management in a work environment, school, or shopping center and building is not just about ensuring strategic placement points for waste disposal boxes.
The seven components of the Green Building concept influence and support one another. Responsible waste management is one of the keys to creating an energy-efficient environment, for example, the use of organic waste into biogas which can be an alternative to renewable energy.
Here are 3 steps to managing waste that can support the creation of the concept of green building in our environment:
# 1 Together educating people to reduce waste generation from the very beginning
People often ignore the fact that energy resources, human resources, time, technology, and money are often needed to manage waste optimally and responsibly so as not to pollute the environment.
Some garbage is even categorized as difficult to be recycled, thus increasing the chance that the waste will end up at the landfill or be accidentally released into the ocean.
Reducing waste generation can be done by educating the environment to prioritize the use of materials that are easily recycled or that can be used repeatedly.
# 2 Pay attention to the amount of waste generated and the waste journey
Design a waste management system that is well documented and supervised. Check what types of waste are generated every day, check whether certain areas produce more residual waste than other areas, also check how long garbage is collected and removed before being recycled.
Consider how organic waste is managed, does it cause odors and methane (greenhouse gases) because it is stored too long in a closed container?
Good recording and monitoring support accurate analysis to reduce waste and improve waste management following the concept of green building.
# 3 Form a team, build a system, & announce achievements
A sustainable waste reduction system needs to be supported by official regulations that contain sanctions and rewards, as well as a team specifically responsible for waste management.
Invite all parties to participate in supporting waste reduction to support the building environment that applies the concept of green building.
Report the waste reduction achievements regularly, so that all parties can be proud and feel their efforts to create an environmentally friendly environment.
Green Building Waste-Management Services by Waste4Change
Waste4Change provides waste collection, waste recycling, waste management education, also waste research & consulting services to support holistic and sustainable building waste management.
For transportation and recycling of waste to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfill, Waste4Change provides Zero-Waste to Landfill services and Responsible Waste Management.
ZWTL and RWM services include the provision of waste bins and strategic placement of waste bins, education for employees, operators, workers, students, and visitors to support responsible waste management and periodic waste generation reports.
For more detailed research and waste management consultations to support the process of designing a more sustainable waste management system, Waste4Change provides Solid Waste Management Research services.
Comprehensive and appropriate research and studies can be directed towards creating an independent waste management system and supporting the circular economy principle, so that it can help reduce energy consumption and other resources, and even explore opportunities for the use of renewable energy.
Some of the clients who have used Waste4Change services for the transportation and management of their building waste are Wisma Barito Pacific in West Jakarta, the Swedish and Finland Embassies in Jakarta, the PUPR Ministry Building, the Indonesian Ministry of Finance Building, and the Indonesian Maritime and Investment Coordinating Ministry Building.
Waste4Change supports the concept of green building to create a healthy, safe, comfortable, and environmentally-friendly environment. All Waste4Change services comply with local government regulatory standards and support Indonesia Clean-from-Waste 2025.
Source:
- https://www.epa.gov/smm/managing-and-reducing-wastes-guide-commercial-buildings
- https://www.worldgbc.org/what-green-building
- https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/green-building.php
