The construction of safe and well-made homes is not just a social concern, but an environmental one as well. Building structures (such as improperly sealed air gaps, inefficient material choices, etc.) account for much of the inefficiency of buildings. This inefficiency is through the building’s use (primarily heat production) which accounts for much of its environmental impact (American Chemical Society, 2015). With this in mind, we discover that what was deconstructed in order to construct these buildings is less of a concern compared to how efficiently they run when in use.Using this knowledge we can shift our concerns to constructing more efficient buildings, and improve our techniques for doing so.
According to Ryan McNeill, the president of a solar energy company, the use of more efficient methods when constructing buildings begins with five steps: “sustainable site design..water quality and conservation..energy and environment..indoor environmental quality..materials and resources” (McNeill, n.d.). Using these tenets of construction we are able to address where current buildings potentially fail to provide an adequately efficient environment. Although the usage of already constructed buildings can be more efficient than constructing a new one, buildings that are already scheduled to be built can benefit from this kind of information. When faced with resource dilemmas related to household utilities, there can be difficulties on both sides of the issue, since citizens as well as legislators can be difficult to influence. For the purposes of influencing building construction, citizens may occasionally build new buildings, however the method of influencing legislation and regulations seems to be a more effective method of intervention as contractors often build many more houses than the average citizen.
The creation of legislation or regulations to be followed regarding the construction of new buildings and regular inspection of current buildings can have a large influence on the environmental efficiency of a community, as shown in small office and residential buildings in Switzerland. With these regulations in place, environmentalists’ largest concerns are often energy consumption. The use of water and other environmental resources also have an impact, however the use of various energy sources and efficiency levels are often the largest determinants of environmental impact (American Chemical Society, 2015). With a model society in mind, Switzerland in this instance, the creation of larger scale implementations are able to advance.By performing greater research on these issues in various countries we will be able to more accurately determine which pieces of legislature are most effective at solving different resource dilemmas regarding energy use.
Picture Sourced from Efficiency Vermont: https://www.efficiencyvermont.com/
Some notable influences on energy efficiency within homes can include rooftop structures, improved insulation, enhanced ventilation, building materials, motion sensing lights, building orientation, smart heating and cooling systems, and efficient lighting (National Geographic, 2017). The promotion of these factors within both current and in construction buildings can help decrease environmental impact. Aside from changing legislation, social promotion efforts can help influence current buildings to practice more energy efficient practices. Through our class readings, we discovered that influencing individuals to practice certain behaviors can result in negative practices. This was shown through a study in which individuals who were negatively judged for not recycling were then likely to recycle even less (Gruman et al, 2017). With this in mind, any interventions we seek to perform should be carefully evaluated for their effects.
Using the knowledge we have gained about the environmental impact of our homes, there are many paths to follow in regards to decreasing our environmental impact. Individually we can become more aware of our energy usage within our homes, possibly adopting some of the energy efficiency recommendations by National Geographic. On a larger scale, the promotion of energy efficient legislation as well as political leaders who will promote such causes can be one of our greatest tools for enacting change. By holding these individuals responsible, we can create communities that are built with quality in mind over frugality. Noticing it as a hotspot for energy usage, the adoption of more energy efficient building construction techniques could be one of the largest impacts we could have on climate change, and is an issue that should be attended to more often.
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Tags: environment, psych424
I connect so much with this article because I currently live in a Japanese home. Until today, I read two articles that stated that the reason why Japanese homes are poorly insulated is that Japanese houses are not meant to last for many years, compared to the rest of the world. It is so cold here that I can see my breath, my dog’s breath, and everyone else breathing. I usually turn the heater on in the living room while I do homework or if I have time, watch t.v. During the summer, mold, scary, and gigantic bugs are very common to be found in Japanese homes. I grew up in Mexico, and I don’t believe in A/C, we believe in open windows and fans, just like the people here in Japan do. Last year I had to turn on the A/C because it got so bad to the point I could not fall asleep. For most households, an air conditioner is the weapon of choice in their fight against both summer heat and winter chill. Meaning that the use of a/c or heater consumes an awful lot of electricity, therefore hurting the environment.
As a mother who is going through a change in marital status with four kids, and leaving a house in PA that was the opposite of energy efficient. A timber frame that was unfinished, not well insulated at all, thus impossible to heat, had way too much lighting, and a an outdoor pool pump that had to run nonstop all summer. I love your ideas. I would love to find a simple home here in Utah that was modest and net zero. I have also loved the idea off tiny houses but at 5’11 that just would not be comfortable for me or my tall children. I also have children on the spectrum, what sort of energy efficient suggestions might you have for technology loving, sensory seeking children. As one out of six children are now being diagnosed, this is a growing household concern as well. The biggest concern for me is the cost of good materials versus the cost of kids therapy.