What are the most effective environmental design strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

Simpler, smaller, all electric buildings with minimal concrete and steel are a huge first step. Add above code air sealing, insulation, and energy recovery ventilation and you're well on your way to zero energy.

Passive design is one of the best methodologies that we can adopt! And ancient architecture is one of the best examples. The domes, materials used, and window openings, all allowed the building to be there with maximum comfort for inhabitants with no need for electricity. It is also important to look at the local designs because usually they adapt to the conditions of the surroundings.

In the battle against climate change, cities transform through ingenious strategies. Buildings adopt energy efficiency, urban planning supports mixed land use and public transit, industries embrace green practices. Renewable energy, smart grids, and electric vehicles are common. Carbon pricing, green certifications, and tree planting thrive. Government, communities, and education drive change. These strategies are the bedrock of a greener, sustainable future.

Let consider solar energy from agricultural lands stored as N2 for round the clock supply without expensive electrolyzer, fuel cells and H2 system. 2 .millions solar panels are mounted in 10 Sq Km agricultural lands. Investors from worldwide may establish green energy source plant in their place of Choice. For more details contact.

Use passive solar design principles to maximize natural light and heat, reducing the need for artificial lighting and heating. Utilize green roofs and walls to improve insulation, reduce heat gain, and absorb carbon dioxide. Integrate greenery into design vertical gardens to enhance air quality and reduce heat islands. Optimize the building's orientation to take advantage of natural ventilation and reduce cooling and heating needs. Maximize natural daylight with well-placed windows and efficient shading to reduce the need for artificial lighting.

Today there are so many forms of renewable energy that are making it increasingly available for different solutions. Explore new technologies and localize them to your design. For example, if you are close to a farmland or big gardens incorporate a small digester to generate fertilizer from the waste. There are thin film solar panels that can be incorporated into glass buildings and so much more. Consider the feasibility of the various technologies and explore them.

Incorporating renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and geothermal into environmental design is highly effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Solar panels on buildings can generate clean electricity, reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Wind turbines, when integrated into the design, can provide power for large structures or communities, further cutting emissions. Geothermal heat pumps for heating and cooling are efficient and sustainable, tapping into the earth's stable temperatures. Designing buildings with passive solar heating in mind maximises natural light and heat, reducing the need for artificial climate control. Including green roofs and walls.

Consider on-site renewables as a last step in the design process and size the systems according to the actual demand of the building.

Be mindful that renewable energy comes with its own supply, reliability, and availability profiles. Remember to plan so that you are not reliant on fossil energy during peaks in demand or ebbs in renewable supply.

Renewable energy for residential property is typically solar. Wind may be available depending on the site. A few things to consider with solar. 1. Is there shading and how much power will be produced on the site. This is a function of the height of your building, possible height of the building to the south (owners can add additions in the future, what does zoning allow?), and number and efficiency of the panels installed. Sites like PVValue.com can help with the math and valuing the system. 2. Avoid leasing. These leases will require a future owner to agree and the benefits may be greatly reduced. 3. Make sure the roof will outlast the expected life of the solar panels. Nothing like a roof leak or replacing a roof under solar🤬.

Green Infrastructure goes hand in hand with biophillic design. Biophillic design is a concept of bringing in more natural environment in spaces which may be direct or indirect in nature. Inculcating this type of interior designing can reduce the temperature and the need of CFCs (AC). Targeting huge workspaces can be the best and fastest way to start.

Forget expensive electrolyzer, fuel cells for mass solar energy storage and round the clock supply at very low cost. 2 millions ( 500 Wp twin) panels in 10 Sq Km open area generate 1 GW capacity plant along with farming

Urban heat islands are becoming more apparent. We now can measure local temps better that in years past and we’re finding areas with lots of pavement, less tree cover and shading, less green space all have hotter temps into the evening because if heat stored in paved materials during the day. The roads and sidewalks are radiators in the evening increasing the need for cooling, increasing energy consumption, making global warming more rapid. Planting tree cover can help. Urban flooding is also a result of paved surfaces and increased large precipitation events, more common with climate change. Storm sewers are expensive and disruptive, so site storage of storm water in rain gardens helps mitigate. They also reduce urban heat islands.

In agriculture, we can use low-carbon materials such as: 1. Bio-based plastics for mulching or packaging. Made from renewable biological sources like cornstarch or sugarcane. 2. Crop residues and compost, utilizing waste products, can enrich the soil reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers. 3. Plant-based materials like coir and jute can be used for erosion control and landscaping. 4. Hemp and bamboo are sustainable alternatives due to their rapid growth and minimal resource requirements. They offering a sustainable alternative to traditional materials like wood or plastics. These materials are derived from renewable sources, have lower embodied energy, and are often biodegradable, reducing their overall environmental impact.

Low carbon materials should always be considered to reduce the embodied carbon in construction. A few things to consider: 1. Conserving an existing building, as much as practical, reduces the amount of materials needed and reduces embodied carbon. 2. When considering alternate materials, consider the lifecycle (can it be recycled when done), the practicality (do installers understand how to work with it or easily adapt to it), the cost (ROI, is this the best place to put the $), durability (how does the material compare with alternatives in terms of maintenance, suitability for climate and durability)

Track the impact of using low carbon materials through a data and technology strategy: 1. Gather comprehensive data on the carbon emissions of your raw materials 2. Validate and centralize that data treating it as a single source of truth 3. Leverage a select methodology to calculate a metric like embodied carbon or carbon footprint to track your impact and find ways to continuously improve

Nudges and feedback are important to change behavior. Easy user friendly app driven equipment like Energy Monitors and air quality monitors are great to help People make better, impactful choices to conserve. Additionally, building automation systems are great ways to automate processes that would normally require user attention and waste energy. My favorite east upgrade is bath bans that operate on timers with occupancy sensors. The stop exhausting heat when not needed.

A lot has to go to policy making to really achieve this, such that buildings are approved to fit within certain sustainable practices. The city must also implement certain design that buildings feed from or feed to, to ensure continuity. For example, cities should develop natural drainage systems, such as permeable pavements and green swales, to manage stormwater and reduce flooding. Buildings can then feed their drainage systems to existing ones of the city.