SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS: IMPROVING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PROCESSES

The demand for sustainable buildings is an emerging trend in the building industry. In 2005, the green-building industry experienced substantial growth in the United States. The buildings are estimated to consume 37% of all energy used in the United States, including 68% of all electricity, 88% of potable water supplies, and 40% of raw materials. In addition, buildings generate more than one-third of municipal solid waste streams in the United States and 36% of total emissions of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions, the primary green house gas associated with global climate change. The environment friendly buildings are designed and built to generate energy savings, reduce or eliminate negative impacts on the environment, create healthier, more productive interiors and minimize the depletion of natural resources. In order to live in a better world, sustainable buildings must be widespread. But do these buildings financially make sense? The paper attempts to explore the perceptions of owners, designers and contractors about sustainable buildings. Is higher cost really a barrier? What can be done in order to reduce construction costs? Can more value be added to make life cycle costs worth? How does the complexity of projects affect the construction management? The paper discusses various findings related with the above mentioned questions. The road to rapid growth is not easy but the future looks bright for sustainable building industry.