TITLE:
Fostering Sustainability Consciousness: The Role of Green Buildings in the United Kingdom
AUTHORS:
Hamza Khaliq, Ahmed Abdullah Baeroom, Faiza Shahzad, Asad Ullah, Muhammad Aziz Abid, Farah Saif
KEYWORDS:
Green Building, Climate Change, Greenhouse Gases, Sustainability Awareness, United Kingdom
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.11 No.10,
October
23,
2024
ABSTRACT: Climatic change has compelled constructors, workers and governments to look for new and innovative technologies to reduce the impact of human activities on Earth. Residential green buildings can offer an alternative to conventional green buildings. These buildings reduce the effect of the building industry on the environment by adopting features and measures that reduce GHGs as well as heat emissions. The current study is focused on evaluating the role of such residential buildings in increasing awareness regarding sustainability in the UK. This study adopted a survey-based approach that targeted the occupants of residential green buildings in the UK to achieve its objectives. This study determined the impact of green design features and sustainable building practices on occupants’ awareness regarding sustainability. Encouragement to adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle was the most important impact. In terms of the perception of occupants about benefits and drawbacks, lower maintenance cost was the most prominent benefit while increased construction cost was the most important drawback. The current awareness status of occupants was also determined. Occupants were most well aware of energy-efficient lighting and BREEAM certification while they were least aware of workshops regarding the use of green technologies. Lastly, it was determined that organizing events like Earth Day and using digital displays were the most efficient modes of promotion while publishing sustainable reports was the least efficient. Hence, green buildings can effectively increase awareness regarding sustainability among their occupants while organizing events, which can be the most effective mode of promotion.