A new building can be what your business needs to function more effectively; a building located closer to your customer base can mean more foot traffic through the front door, and one with a larger and more spacious showroom can also display your products more easily, which can also result in higher sales. Whatever your needs for a new building, note some commonly asked questions about new building designs, so you know which is the best choice for your company.
What is passive building design?
A building will need to be heated and cooled, and it will need interior lighting. A passive building design uses natural means for heating and cooling and for light; this can include skylights that allow in natural light, natural ventilation that helps with cooling the building, and solar panels to convert sunlight into energy for heating, cooling and lighting.
A passive building design is the opposite of an active building design, which uses purchased energy, meaning electricity or propane, for heating, cooling, and lighting. Many buildings will need both passive and active energy sources to ensure the interior is properly heated and cooled and has adequate lighting, but some passive designs in the building can result in less pollution and less cost overall.
What is a sustainable design?
A sustainable design for a building refers to ensuring that the building uses the least amount of energy and fresh water possible, and that it has the least possible impact on the environment in its construction. A sustainable design might include a water recycling system in the building so that water flowing from bathroom and kitchen sinks is recycled and reused when someone flushes the toilets, rather than using fresh water. A sustainable design might also include recycled materials used in construction, such as recycled concrete for the interior floors and recycled glass in the windows.
Do sustainable and passive design compromise a building's comfort?
You may assume that passive designs in a building will mean that you cannot maintain a comfortable interior temperature or that you won't have reliable electricity. This is not the case, as most passive design systems will be backed up with standard city-provided power, but your use of this power will be negligible. A sustainable design may even mean a more comfortable interior environment, as the building will be well-insulated in order to reduce the use of power to keep it warm or cool, and recycled materials used in construction should be of the same quality as new materials.
To learn more about building design, contact a company like Bill Jacobs Pty. Ltd.
