This World Green Building Week, Streif UK considers what makes a building eco-friendly and how you can live more sustainably. We also offer sustainable building solutions for now and the future.
What is World Green Building Week?
Running 9-13 September 2024, World Green Building Week (WGBW) is the largest campaign to accelerate sustainable built environments.
Organised by World Green Building Council (WorldGBC), a global network of more than 75 Green Building Councils and their 46,000 members are at the helm to share their sustainable building solutions.
Their aim is #BuildingTheTransition to a better future – one with zero carbon – and the focus is on three actionable areas:
Reduce – With the built environment eating up 34% of global energy and almost half of all raw materials, energy and resources need to be minimised and more efficient.
Electrify – With buildings making up 37% of global energy-related emissions, the use of fossil fuels in construction needs switching to electricity and renewables.
Adapt – With temperatures and extreme weather events rising, global insurance losses from natural catastrophes now exceed $100 billion annually. We need to make sure buildings are climate resilient.
This ties in with Timber in Construction Roadmap, which outlines the government’s intentions to reduce embodied carbon in the built environment.
What makes a building green?
Green construction doesn’t just make sense for the security of our valuable resources, environment and health. It also makes sense from a financial standpoint. There are several ways to make your building project more sustainable and energy-efficient, which include:
Renewable energy – Solar power is one of the most accessible renewable energy sources. It’s a great way to heat or cool a building without spending money or relying on fossil fuels, such as gas central heating.
Energy-efficiency – Whether it’s the doors and windows you choose or the flooring and wall panels, there are several green building materials and styles available that minimise heat loss. Timber building materials are excellent natural insulators as the wood has a low thermal conductivity.
Water conservation – As well as collecting rain in butts for reuse, you can take water-saving measures with the types of shower heads and toilet systems you install. Going forward, you can reduce water use and manage your appliances by not overfilling kettles, not underfilling dishwashers and keeping on top of drips.
Green spaces – Did you know, tree cover of 40% or more can lower the daytime temperature in towns and cities by as much as 5.5 °C? Adding plants around your building makes it green in more ways than one. Landscaping and planting help absorb heat, create shade and cool the building. While planting living roofs create habitats for wildlife and contribute to water conservation.
Recycling and reuse – There are so many daily recycling options available for domestic and commercial properties. But there are also ways you can reuse green materials in building projects to cut down on construction waste. Whether it’s choosing reclaimed wood to create fixtures and fittings or reusing railway sleepers to create borders in the garden, there are countless ways to save money and the environment.
Streif’s approach to green building
We at Streif UK are committed to green building, in line with our pledge to keep reaching for net zero. We use ecologically sound materials, such as timber, which lower the environmental impact of our buildings and company. Highly energy-efficient buildings and minimal waste, from offsite manufacturing and onsite construction, are also key.
Green building materials
We make the most of the ultimate green building materials. As a natural renewable building material, timber regulates temperature and reduces energy consumption by minimising heating requirements. Timber building systems also allow space for added insulation. What’s more, all our timber products are 100% PEFC-certified from a sustainably sourced supply chain.
Near Passivhaus standards
Our sustainable building systems boast near Passivhaus standards, which include high levels of insulation and airtight building fabric. For example, Streif UK’s external wall cassettes and roof cassettes have u-values from 0.12-0.17 for better insulation performance.
Sustainable spaces
Last year, we made the shortlist for Education Project of the Year and won Closed/Advanced Panel Technology of the Year at the Structural Timber Awards.
This was for our involvement in a building project for Hailsham Community College Academy Trust that used green building materials. And, while the school was in an area surrounded by mature trees, a new green space was planted right outside.
Topping Morgan Sindall Construction’s expectations, the build achieved a BREEAM Very Good rating and calculated carbon savings of 1164 tonnes.
Got your own green building project in mind? Contact us for more information