Towards the implementation of the Green Building concept in agricultural buildings: a literature review

Abstract

The “Green Building” is an interdisciplinary theme, where the green building concept includes a multitude of elements, components and procedures which diverge to several subtopics that intertwined to form the green building concept.  Generally, the green building is considered to be an environmental component, as the green building materials are manufactured from local eco-sources, i.e. environmentally friendly materials, which are then used to make an eco-construction subject to an eco-design that provides a healthy habitat built on the cultural and architectural heritage in construction while ensuring conservation of natural resources.  This ensures disassembling the building components and materials, after a determined building lifetime, to environmentally friendly materials that can be either re-used or recycled.  During their lifecycle, the green buildings minimize the use of resources (energy and water); reduce the harmful impact on the ecology, and provide better indoor environment.    Green buildings afford a high level of environmental, economic, and engineering performance.  These include energy efficiency and conservation, improved indoor air quality, resource and material efficiency, and occupant's health and productivity.  This study focuses on defining green buildings and elaborating their interaction with the environment, energy, and indoor air quality and ventilation.  Furthermore, the present study investigates the green building materials (e.g. biocement, eco-cement and green concrete), green designs, green roofs, and green technologies.  Additionally, the present study highlights the green buildings rating systems, the economics of green buildings, and the challenges that face the implementation. Eventually, the interdependency between the green buildings and agriculture has been discussed.

Keywords: green building, agricultural buildings, biocement, eco-cement, green concrete, green roofs, low-energy building, zero-carbon building, eco-construction