Sustainable Architecture and the Economy

 Have you seen the snow in April this year? This phenomenon is not common, and the reason for this is global boiling - “The era of global warming has ended. The era of global boiling has arrived.”, said Secretary-General of the United Nations. The main reasons which trigger global boiling are buildings. 

 Buildings generate around 39% of global carbon emissions. And, heating and cooling systems account for 35-50% of this. The result of increased use of heating and cooling systems is urban heat island effect. Urban heat island effect means the phenomenon where urban areas are significantly warmer than their surrounding rural areas, particularly at night. Also, as a consequence of urbanization , green space is decreasing and buildings are densely packed together, this generates artificial heat. To solve this problem, we have to reduce the use of heating and cooling systems, and make more green spaces. The best way to achieve this is by creating sustainable buildings. Sustainable buildings not only achieve the sustainable world, but also generate economic benefits. 

 Sustainable buildings make economic benefits by using the sources efficiently. In the short term, green architecture often requires more money upfront. Eco-friendly materials, advanced insulation, and solar energy systems can increase construction costs by 5–20% compared to conventional buildings. Because of this, some people still consider green buildings to be too expensive. However, in the long run, the situation changes. Lower energy consumption, reduced maintenance costs, and healthier indoor environments help recover the initial investment—often within just a few years. In fact, studies show that sustainable buildings can reduce energy costs by up to 30% and water use by up to 50%. In other words, sustainable architecture is a cost today, but a saving tomorrow—an investment that pays off both financially and environmentally.

These days, eco-friendly technologies are gaining attention due to environmental problems all over the world, and sustainable architecture should also receive attention. These days, eco-friendly technologies are gaining attention due to environmental problems all over the world, and sustainable architecture should also receive attention.