Publication: UNU-IAS Working Paper No. 171 Co-Benefits of Green Buildings and the Opportunities and Barriers Regarding their Promotion by Osman Balaban (Mar 2013)

UNU-IAS Working Paper No. 171


Co-Benefits of Green Buildings and the Opportunities and Barriers Regarding their Promotion

Author: Osman Balaban


Abstract
The lifecycle of a building usually results in significant amounts of energy and resource consumption as well as considerable environmental footprints. In almost every country, buildings are among the major sources of CO2 emissions, waste generation and water consumption. The concept of green buildings, which is based on the application of sustainability principles to building design, construction and management processes, is a recent response to reduce the overall impacts of buildings on natural environment. Although there has been important progress in development of the green buildings concept, implementation of it is not widespread yet. In both developed and developing countries, the greening of buildings has not taken place on a wider scale, owing to significant challenges. In this respect, further research is required to develop the conceptual and especially the practical underpinnings of green buildings.

In view of this background, the main purpose of this working paper is to understand the environmental benefits of green buildings as well as the opportunities and barriers regarding their promotion. In particular, based on a case study in Tokyo and Yokohama, this paper (a) discusses the most common green technologies and measures used in the Japanese building sector, (b) quantifies the major environmental benefits of the case study buildings, and (c)highlights the opportunities and barriers to promote the construction of green buildings in Japanese cities.

To download the full paper: http://www.ias.unu.edu/sub_page.aspx?catID=7&ddlID=196