Green Construction and other Sustainability Trends

Sustainable development is a hot topic in today’sworld since it could help us to meet the needs of today withoutcompromising the ability of future generations to meet their ownneeds. As a civil engineering student, to meet our needs, we mustbe willing to learn and adapt and to continue to do so in the future.For example, infrastructures for changing climate, andearthquake and flood resistant buildings. It is our responsibility tobe innovative in our practices and find solutions for the issues thatour planet faces. Green material plays a key role in sustainabledevelopment. They are the local and renewable materials that areused to construct energy efficient structures. Green buildings arenot just about little more efficiency. But it creates less waste andgreenhouse gases and supports clean environment and healthyliving. Materials, energy, water and health are the key elements ofgreen building. This paper is a review on green materials andgreen construction and its importance in growing sustainabilitytrends. It is a question that disturbs minds of civil engineersaround the world that how could construction industry bothersustainability. Construction industry, from energy usage toemissions, by its very nature is a large user of natural resources.Besides having potential for building over wild habitats, it also haslarger environmental impact. It uses fossil fuels for its heavymachinery. World’s 36% energy usage and 40% CO2 emissionsare solely from construction industry. Thus, this industry is underpressure to decrease its environmental impact. So, usage ofrenewable and recyclable resources, and reducing energyconsumption and waste should be the major goals of this industrywhich could fulfil the idea of green construction. It should alsoadhere to the idea of Corporate Social Responsibility- the idea thatbusiness should support good causes.