ADVANTAGES OF GREENERY AROUND BUILDINGS AND CONSTRUCTIONS

Nowadays, you hear everyone talking about going green. Whether you want to acknowledge it or not, at some point, we all have to follow the green movement. Because if we continue to live the way we used to be, the earth is simply not sustainable.  That is, over the years we will run out of our natural resources, which are needed for us to survive.This realization is alarming people and many have thought about being eco-friendly and going green.

Ever since our civilizations occur and develop, constructions were created, which in turn burdens the earth adding to the pollution. This thought created the concept of green buildings, and eco-friendly constructions. As per UNEP 2009, (United Nations Environment Programme) the building sector has the largest potential of reducing greenhouse gas emissions compared to other major emitting factors. And on the basis of UNEP 2016, the building sector has the capacity to make energy savings of 50%, or more in 2050.

Green building is the process of creating structures that are environmentally responsible and resource efficient throughout the life cycle of a building from its design, construction, maintenance, renovation and deconstruction. The advantages of greenery in and around buildings and constructions are immense ecologically, economically and psychologically. Modern technologies have made the mere act of planting a tree more practical and adaptable to the changing world by bringing in the ideas of green roofs, vertical gardens and green walls. This new urban green ecosystem could be the solution to the challenges faced by today’s cities environmentally.  More and more of urban areas are being committed to the idea of these green spaces due to its immense advantages.

Some of the incredible advantages of installing these green spaces in and around the constructions are explained in detail below:

1. One most common problem of today’s world is pollution. Planting greenery in and around the buildings act as filters for some of the harmful air pollutants.
2. These plants and trees can retain rainwater and increase humidity. Also, it can reduce the runoff that lead to the collapse of urban sewer system.
3. These green spaces create a new urban biodiversity. Its presence has a direct impact on the generation of wildlife corridors, which are important for improving the quality of life and well-being in today’s cities.
4. This new urban green ecosystem mitigates the effects of global warming, namely the changing rain and snow patterns, stronger storms, damaged corals, warmer oceans, rising sea levels, changes in plant life cycles, thawing permafrost, more droughts and wildfires, changes in animal migration and life cycle, higher temperatures and more heat waves etc.
5. The installation of green roofs on the buildings improves its thermal insulation.
6. Last but not the least, these green spaces improves our quality of life. It nurtures our connection with the environment and leads us to a better human well-being. These green spaces reduces stress, decreases respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and improves our concentration.

Thus, planting trees are not just for simply providing us with shelter and food, its effects are far reaching to the point that it helps us to live cleaner and long life.