Real estate developers in Kenya are presented with the challenge of producing sustainable architecture that is relevant to our times. One of the important spheres within which architecture needs to be sustainable is the ingredient of designing energy efficient building. Constructions are huge guzzlers of energy in many ways and the building industry has led to having a high level of energy use. This brings about a requirement therefore for buildings to incorporate requirements for sustainability in order for them to favorably chip in to the green agenda.

Guidelines for real estate developers in Kenya to create Green Architecture Through Energy Efficient  Sustainable fittings

Green architecture necessitates buildings to have a lighter energy footprint, i.e. that they wield less power requirements on the environs, and do not cause unfavorable environmental outcomes in the process of finding this power. This is related to the need to have other energy sources that are clean and not toxic to the environment. Energy sources that are not prone to production of high carbon dioxide levels and have low or no volatile organic compounds elements within them are better for the sake of conforming to the green agenda.

Electrical Energy is used up within buildings through the huge number of appliances and gadgets that we use in our offices, institutions, places of dwelling, industries and commercial enterprises. They are inherent to the operations of the same, and are a major part of our day to day activities. We cannot work in today’s professional environment without using these machines. With this in mind, we play, are productive and buy and sell using energy consuming gimmicks.

Taking into account that these conveniences that use up energy are used in the context of use of our built environment, it is critical that adequate provisions be made in the model of our buildings to minimize power use. Similarly it is important that we look at using equipment that consume as little energy as possible as they function within our buildings.

Use of energy efficient devices in buildings built by real estate developers is important

Out of the incalculable activities executed in the home and the office, the prerequisite for lighting is an primary ingredient for most of them. Especially in the office, the necessities for light is insatiable. Many offices have workstations that are placed distant from windows and sources of natural lighting, hence the need to supplement with artificial light.

While it may appear to have small power intake per person or workstation, the cost of lighting can be large when it is factored for every workstation in a building. Lighting an office or home also requires other levels of light to be provided, including general lighting, task lighting, external lighting and decorative lighting. All these exert their demands on the light expenditure required. These add up to create a considerable energy consumption bill from this one factor.

Use of energy saving lamps is a useful way of ensuring energy conservation within buildings. An interesting progress in the field of lighting technology is the way with which one can apply lighting fixtures that produce more lighting while consuming less energy. For example, traditional light bulbs used glowing tungsten filament that burned to provide light and heat energy. These bulbs consume more power as they require higher current to give out light, hence they have consume more energy. Today however, energy efficient lighting such as LED lights and flourescent light that take in less energy and give out more light are very popular.  In this regard, should you need to allow for artificial lighting to heighten your office space lighting levels, you will spend far less on energy consumption by using these forms of light fittings.

The ability to verify how light fittings are used within buildings is a big source of savings for one who is interested in going green. Often lights are left on in spaces which are not being used, or which have periodic traffic to them. Lavatories and stores often have their lights left on even when there is no human activity in them. Office spaces at night can have their lights left on at night due to neglect, resulting in energy usage that cannot be vindicated. Even security lights can be left on continuously in spite of their being no one using them at a time.

Having self regulating lighting which has the ability to trigger or inactivate itself is best for these scenarios, depending on user requisites.  Smart fittings having electronic sensors are able to be placed in rooms and can turn themselves on or off automatically as they sense the occupants within a room. In addition, should the space be cleared, the light fixtures are able to switch themselves off, resulting in less wastage. Light fixtures having photocell sensors are also able to detect the amount of surrounding lighting in a space and are able to dim or brighten accordingly, to ensure best lighting levels. This has a huge effect in producing savings from energy consumption through smart lighting.

Another huge source of energy consumption in the world today is the computer. Computers are used globally, and most activities in the workplace and the home happen in the context of electronic media.  These often come in several components that draw electrical power, i.e. a CPU unit, a monitor, printers and other peripheral devices, as well as an uninterrupted power supply (UPS).

Information Technology handlers should encourage the use of portable computers within the office from day to day, as these come as single units that consume less power. Laptops and netbooks have raised steadily in their capability to manage tasks in the office, with many having great specs. Their portability offers great vantages in allowing people to work in other locations without much challenge.

A major advantage is the fact that their power supply utilization is much leaner than duplicate desktop systems that require several components to be powered at a time. Use of such computer systems will guarantee much lower power consumption within the office. In addition, being battery powered gives an alternative option for energy provision, ensuring that less electricity is drawn from the national grid all the time. Incorporating these thoughts on house plans in Kenya goes a long way towards building great real estate developments.

We must use energy efficient building methods to ensure sustainable building of real estate development

Dealing with these two spheres alone in a working environment can have sizeable implications on the energy demands of a building. Wisdom demands that if these things are properly harnessed, they can reduce the energy footprint of the built facility, and largely increase a building’s sustainability. Are you therefore incorporating such thoughts on your real estate developments in Kenya? Tell us about it.