The green movement has become a prevalent one with many individuals and corporations going green. Apart from the usual green initiatives, the construction of green buildings is one that has received much attention. Large businesses and corporations can have a significant impact on the earth with many of them having a large carbon footprint. From their large offices to certain practises, many corporations have come under the spotlight and some have realised that they have a duty to reduce their carbon footprint and add to a greener planet. Australia is known as one of the greenest countries in the world and their green buildings are setting a benchmark for others across the globe. There are many green innovations and practises that buildings need to follow and adhere to. Here is a list of 2 successful green buildings in Australia.
2 Green Buildings in Australia
1. CH2, Melbourne
The CH2 building is amongst the greenest buildings in the world. This immensely green building adheres to all of the environmental construction laws set in place and goes even further than many other buildings. The sustainability of this building has even received attention from the United Nations. The innovations this green building consists of:
- Wind turbines that generate power from moving air
- A sewage recycling system that purifies used water so it can be used again
- Thermal mass cooling which cuts down on electricity significantly
- A new system of photovoltaic cells that generates electrical power through solar radiation.
CH2, among the green buildings in the world, is not an office but rather a type of hotel. In 2004 the city of Melbourne had an accommodation crisis and the council built the CH2 to house people in an old office. Not only is the building totally green, its environment was designed to improve the lifestyle of its inhabitants.
40 Albert Road
This building is also amongst the list of green buildings around the world that has totally encompassed the environmental movement. It has a 6 star green rating which is comprised of:
- A state of the art ventilation system that is linked to a weather station
- A computer controlled temperature system which regulates temperatures using the amount of people in the building
- A waterless urinal system
- Solar panels and solar hot water
- Rainwater collection
- Has zero carbon emissions
These green buildings featured just signify the positive benefits an environmental building can have on the environment. Hopefully many more buildings will follow in their green footsteps.
Jemma Scott is an avid writer of green initiatives. Her inspiration for this article came from her time in shared office space looking at green innovations to incorporate.