"Going Green - Sustainable Construction"-2

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Ezri Acuna
Professor Porter
ENGL-1301-31123
30 September 2021
“Going Green: Sustainable Construction”
In the United States alone, the annual construction of over one million new homes
causes a very substantial drain on natural resources. Today, approximately 60 percent
of the timber cut down in the country is used for building homes. Using alternative home
building materials and creating a greener home are about creating better homes that
are environmentally friendly, are less expensive in the long run, and create healthier
occupants. Unfortunately, many people are unfamiliar with alternative building materials
and do not have any idea about going green.
The book “Low Impact Building: Housing Using Renewable Materials,” by Tom Wooley
has a title that shows what the topic will be about because it gives us a clear idea to
know what comes next in the text. It introduces subject in a simple way, and it is easy to
understand because it helps the reader to get involved with the topic and become more
interested in knowing the construction processes and using sustainable and
environmentally friendly materials. The title is strong and clear to the reader.
The author introduces the idea of how traditional construction affects the environment
given that for many years have been used construction methods and techniques that
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affect the environment in enormous ways. He claims that due to new technologies, we
can develop new techniques to build in a way that does not cause an irreversible impact
on the environment. His position is strong
It is important to know that certain materials that we have used for many years for
traditional construction can be replaced by materials that affect the environment in a
smaller way. This book focuses on letting us know how we can achieve this using new
solutions through the construction with sustainable materials.
The book makes us think on the importance of changing these construction methods
although there will always be divided opinions about this topic, as a result of this there
are the people who defend the traditional way of building arguing that the cost is bigger
when building with new materials, the reliability of those materials, and the true impact
that those new material construction methods can bring to the environment.
The construction industry in the United States has been carrying out a method for
decades, which is why the defenders of traditional construction defend this position,
arguing that during American history it has been shown that this type of construction is
efficient, effective, and that the experience that all these years have brought should be
the perfect example of why to continue with these construction methods.
Certain experts support sustainable construction, they argue that in architecture and
construction around the world this change has begun
An example of this is the book “PR fabulous World: Energy-Efficient and Sustainable
Homes Around the Globe”

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Written by Sheri Koones and Robert Redford, Tom Wooley uses this book as a
reference to show some examples about this topic.
. The authors have many different examples around the world in which renewable
construction techniques have been applied and where energy is used in an efficient
way, an example of this is the “Elsternwicken” house which by constructing a modular
house, The architects were able to preserve the trees that were on-site since the lot was
only minimally disturbed with the demolition and construction, also the siding is an
EcoPly, a structural plywood that is manufactured from sustainably grown New Zealand
plantation pine.
Another example of this type of construction is Chile, the construction called “SIP Panel
House” in which the siding is made of an elastomeric membrane. Generally used for
roofing, this material was used here as “wet” proofing and for its ease and speed of
construction and low price, also the flooring of the first floor is concrete, which reduced
the cost of construction and serves as thermal mass to reduce the need for electrical
heating. The concrete was polished to give it a more finished look.
This type of construction has also been started in the United States. An example of this
is the “Island Passive House” in Washington.
This Passive House is solar oriented for maximum energy performance. The triple-
glazed, over-insulated-frame, tilt-and-turn windows are mostly floor-to-ceiling, so even in
the harshest weather the residents can have a connection with the outdoors.
Is there any common ground between the supporters and opposition to
sustainable building materials?

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We can see that traditional construction and sustainable new construction can coexist
together, the combination of these two can result in a whole new world of possibilities
for architecture and construction industry.
Since sustainable construction is relatively new, there is a need to use traditional
construction as a basis using certain techniques to optimize the use of solar electric
energy and take advantage of the resources in the best way, thus avoiding the use of
unnecessary materials, and the generation of waste that affects the environment, also
optimizing the use of economic resources.
We can conclude that, like many other industries is necessary to advance
technologically in construction terms, this will allow us to make our buildings more
efficient, cheaper, more resistant, and more environmentally friendly. We cannot ignore
the importance of traditional construction since it is the basis of everything new that is
being developed, these two ways of building must be related to each other so the use
resources from the environment can be optimized.
Analyze instead of summarizing the book and give a reader recommendation for
your conclusion. Would you recommend the book to readers? Who would be the
target audience?

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Acuna 1

“Going Green: Sustainable Construction”

causes a very substantial drain on natural resources. Today, approximately 60 percent

and do not have any idea about going green.

interested in knowing the construction processes and using sustainable and

on the environment. His position is strong

traditional construction can be replaced by materials that affect the environment in a

solutions through the construction with sustainable materials.

the perfect example of why to continue with these construction methods.

construction around the world this change has begun

Homes Around the Globe”

reference to show some examples about this topic.

way, an example of this is the “Elsternwicken” house which by constructing a modular

heating. The concrete was polished to give it a more finished look.

is the “Island Passive House” in Washington.

glazed, over-insulated-frame, tilt-and-turn windows are mostly floor-to-ceiling, so even in

Is there any common ground between the supporters and opposition to

sustainable building materials?

for architecture and construction industry.

Since sustainable construction is relatively new, there is a need to use traditional

optimizing the use of economic resources.

We can conclude that, like many other industries is necessary to advance

resources from the environment can be optimized.

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