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Introduction to Green Building

Active Design Strategies

Active Design Strategies are a set of principles that aim to enhance the built environment's capacity to support physical activity and reduce energy consumption. These strategies center around the concept of designing buildings and spaces that encourage movement and increase access to fresh air and natural light. Active Design Strategies can be incorporated into a building's design, planning, and operation phases. Let's explore some of the most common Active Design Strategies below:

Staircases and Stairwells

One of the most significant Active Design Strategies is the incorporation of visible, accessible, and inviting staircases and stairwells into a building's design. By making staircases more prominent and attractive, designers can encourage people to use them instead of elevators. For example, staircases can be located in highly visible areas, like the center of the building's floor plan, and designed with materials like glass and metal to make them more visually appealing.

Bike Facilities

Another common Active Design Strategy is the inclusion of bike facilities, such as bike racks, storage rooms, and showers, in buildings. These facilities encourage people to commute by bike, which is an excellent way to reduce energy consumption and promote physical activity. Bike facilities should be conveniently located, secure, and accessible to all building users.

Daylighting

Daylighting is the practice of using natural light to illuminate interior spaces. It is an essential Active Design Strategy because it can reduce energy consumption and improve the health and wellbeing of building occupants. Daylighting can be achieved through the use of large windows, skylights, and light shelves that reflect natural light into interior spaces.

Green Roofs

Green roofs are roofs that are covered with vegetation and soil. They are an excellent Active Design Strategy because they can reduce energy consumption and improve air quality. Green roofs can help regulate a building's temperature by providing insulation and reducing the amount of heat that is absorbed by the roof. They can also absorb rainwater and filter pollutants from the air.

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