Home / Blog / What is Green Architecture?

What is Green Architecture?

If you have ever heard of green architecture you probably know that it is growing in popularity in the grander scheme of architecture in 2019 and beyond.

Given this growing trend of green architecture, you may be wondering:

So what exactly is green architecture, and how is it used?

What are the pros and cons of green architecture?

What is the cost of green architecture?

What are some primary examples of green architecture developments in real life?

What does the future of green architecture look like?

In this article we will cover answers to all of the above, and more!

What is Green Architecture? Impact of Green Architecture on Environment |  Economical | Social
Source

What is green architecture?

When paradise comes up in everyday conversations, chances are no one's talking about urban farming. ‘Paradise’ as an idyllic, utopian place is a fairly new spin on the term. But surprisingly, the Persians of the 600’s BC used the phrase originally to refer to their parks and gardens kept enclosed within massive walls.


This was the earliest known concept of “green architecture as we know it today” The word has been coopted by other languages to refer to anything from metropolitan orchards, private hunting grounds, and even the Garden of Eden, but the term would be more apt in a conversation about the vegetable patches on rooftops and balconies in contemporary, smoggy Athens and New York.

How to Build Green At No Added Cost | BuildingGreen
Source



Most urban gardens, from Rome’s fabled Gardens of Sallust to the produce growing on a someone’s balcony, all lack one characteristic: integration.

A flowerpot on a roof doesn't integrate the natural with the unnatural.The field of architecture can take the ideal of sustainability into new and exciting places by uniting steel and nature.

How Building a Green Building Can Reduce Construction Costs - Uponor Blog
Source



The highest point of sustainable architecture (literally) is the green roof, now a global phenomenon, which offers pragmatic benefits to problems in the short term but can just as easily present the key to easing the burden of raising sustenance in a future permanently altered by climate change.  

At their simplest, green roofs consist of a waterproof barrier under a layer of 4”-6” of soil, planted with beneficial shrubs.These shrubs must be able to stand the extremes of weather to give benefits like rainwater absorption, heat and cold mitigation during summer and winter, soundproofing from outside noise, etc.

Green Roof Benefits—Technical Preservation Services, National Park Service
Source


Generally, they tend to be a bit more spartan than say any vegetable or flower gardens on the ground level (but they by no means have to be). They really only need grasses to soak up the sun’s rays to lower the cost of cooling the building.

Plants in their own individual pots and lined up in a row are not going to absorb enough sunlight to remotely keep energy consumption lower in the summertime or insulate the edifice during the winter, if at all.

Components or Elements of Green Building-Material, Water, Energy Health
Source



Pros and Cons of Green Architecture:

The pros of green architecture:
- positive environmental impact
- beautiful design
- decreases building upkeep and maintenance costs

Lower Operating Costs Is No. 1 Reason to Build Green, 'Perceived' Higher  Costs Is Biggest Obstacle
Source



The cons of green architecture:
- high upfront investment
- unknown unknowns: issues can arise that were not anticipated due to this architectural style only recently becoming so widely popular
- actual impact can be exaggerated

Now that we have discussed some basic pros and cons of green architecture, lets get to some examples of green architecture.

Comparison between the types of green roof and their structural... |  Download Scientific Diagram
Source



Examples of Green Architecture:
Green roofs aren’t difficult to find, especially in urban areas. One prominent example is in Chicago, Illinois on top of City Hall.

The head of green projects for the City of Chicago, Michael Berkshire, claims that its green roof saves the building $5,000 annually on utility bills.While a world-class city’s civic government has nigh-infinite funding for green projects at its disposal, the concepts are the same for amateurs and professionals. Whether the roof’s area is 20,300 feet ^ 2, the Greenery’s weight (including its soil and waterproofing) must be carefully calculated, and how many layers a new green roof needs to best retain rainwater for the plants but also keep roots healthy should be considered.

City Hall’s green roof has other features such as beehives and an irrigation system, which are not out of the realm of the possibility for new growers, although the care of live bees and the harvesting of their honey aren’t exactly things one can just try with no experience or research.

Why green roofs? Benefits?
Source



Conclusion
Green Architecture is a growing trend across the world, especially in urban areas.

With investment set to increase annually in green architecture, how will it develop it and change in the future?

To make sure you stay up to date on these trends, don't forget to subscribe to the Urban Vine newsletter and check out our online store!

Asia Vertical Farming Companies: The 2023 Report

Download the Free Sample Report

Mark-Horler

"For a target audience that is trying to understand the basics of vertical farming, this is a quality newsletter to subscribe to"

- James Pateras, CEO, Modular Farms Australia

North America Vertical Farming Companies: The 2023 Report

Download The Free Sample Report

Mark-Horler

"The North America Vertical Farming Companies Report 2023 aggregates many sources of public information on many different companies so that you don't have to do the research yourself, it's worth the money and saves a lot of time"

- John Ireland, CEO, NTP Technologies

Europe Vertical Farming Companies: The 2023 Report

Download the Free Sample Report

Helen Andrew Spare Harvest

"As a business development manager supporting the indoor agriculture, CEA, and food tech industries, I can say Urban Vine guides and their insider newsletter provide detailed information often difficult to find online."

- Irena Lundberg, CleanTech Invest Stockholm

Middle East Vertical Farming Companies: The 2023 Report

Download the Free Sample Report

Mark-Horler

"As a marketing professional in the indoor agriculture industry, Urban Vine's newsletters, reports and guides are an excellent resource for keeping up-to-date with news and developments in vertical farming."

- Steven Mitchell, Product Manager, Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS) UK

All Indoor Farming Company Interviews

OMARFRA

May 1, 2024

This interview details OMARFRA, a company based in Canada. The interview is with Fadi Al-Daoud, Greenhouse Vegetable Specialist of OMARFRA. To learn more about OMARFRA and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!

View Full Interview

Libra Design

April 24, 2024

This interview details Libra Design, an indoor farming technology company based in the United States. The interview is with Travis Williams, Co-Founder & CEO of Libra Design. To learn more about Libra Design and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!

View Full Interview

BioSafe Systems

April 23, 2024

This interview details BioSafe Systems, a company based in the United States. The interview is with Eric Smith, National Sales Manager (Horticulture Division) at BioSafe Systems. To learn more about BioSafe Systems and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!

View Full Interview

McNabb MicroFarm

April 23, 2024

This interview details McNabb MicroFarm, an indoor farming company based in the United States. The interview is with Lauren McNabb, Head of Marketing at McNabb MicroFarm. To learn more about McNabb MicroFarm and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!

View Full Interview

Griffin Greenhouse Supplies

April 22, 2024

This interview details Griffin, an indoor farming company based in the United States. The interview is with Tami Van Gaal, Director of Vendor Relations at Griffin. To learn more about Griffin and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!

View Full Interview

Virgo Global Inc.

April 22, 2024

This interview details Virgo Global Inc., a company based in Canada. The interview is with Guillaume Paquet, Director R&D at Virgo Global Inc. To learn more about Virgo Global Inc. and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!

View Full Interview

Corridor Farmers

April 25, 2024

This interview details Corridor Farmers, an indoor farming company based in Singapore. The interview is with Roc Koh, CEO of Corridor Farmers. To learn more about Corridor Farmers and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!

View Full Interview

Affinor Growers

April 19, 2024

This interview details Affinor Growers, an indoor farming technology company based in Canada. The interview is with Nick Brusatore, CEO of Affinor Growers. To learn more about Affinor Growers and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!

View Full Interview

Ina Plastics

April 18, 2024

This interview details Ina Plastics, a company based in Greece. The interview is with Jacob Tsonakis, Founder and CEO of Ina Plastics. To learn more about Ina Plastics and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!

View Full Interview

Funga Farm

April 12, 2024

This interview details Funga Farm, an indoor farming company based in Denmark. The interview is with Thomas Kyle Cometta, Owner of Funga Farm. To learn more about Funga Farm and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!

View Full Interview