Sustainable construction
Since the 1970s, it has become clear to part of the population
that the degradation of the natural environment and current climate changes
are linked to human activity.
The first UN Conference on the Human Environment took place
in Stockholm in 1972. It is from that period that most of the Environment
Ministries were created. The Norwegian Prime Minister, Mrs Brundtland, presented
an important text at the conference, which introduced the notion of sustainable
development. In her words, "sustainable development is development
that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs."
This concept of sustainable development rests on 3 principles
:
- taking into consideration the entire lifecycle of materials
;
- developing the use of raw materials and of renewable energies
;
- reducing the amount of materials and energy used in the
extraction of natural resources, the utilization of products and the destruction
or recycling of waste materials.
Sustainable construction, as envisaged by Green Immo, rests
of course on these principles; however, it goes beyond the sustainability
alone of the building, as such. Sustainable housing may only be understood
as such if its occupants enjoy a certain quality of life. That is why Green
Immo intends to implement this concept of sustainability by ensuring various
aspects :
- planning and architectural choices : integrated
into the urban landscape; buildings constructed by Green Immo will combine
ecology, comfort, pleasant atmosphere and modernity. Their location and
layout must promote a friendly atmosphere and "soft" transport
(proximity of public transport, places to leave bicycles, facilitated
contact between inhabitants while at the same time respecting their privacy,
etc.) ;
- respect for strict energy performance criteria
: Green Immo will aim at zero-energy, which means that all of the primary
(fossil) energy resources used during building will be offset by the renewable
energy produced by the building. The zero-energy objective will be reached
by constructing passive buildings, putting in place biomass co-generation,
and installing solar photovoltaic panels in the case of the construction
of new buildings. Where renovation is involved, if it is not possible
to create a passive building, then the insulation will be the most performant
possible ;
- use of sustainable materials : preference
given to materials with a low embodied-energy cost (energy needed for
their manufacture, transport, etc.), choice of labelled timber, recyclable
insulation materials, non-polluting paint which is also non-harmful to
the environment or man, no formaldehyde ;
- choice of equipment which is highly efficient in
terms of energy consumption (lighting of common areas, household
appliances) ;
- water management : rain water tank for
washing shared spaces and watering green spaces, plumbing which allows
water consumption to be reduced while maintaining comfort, green roofs
;
- contribution to biodiversity, by using green roofs and facades.