Eco-friendly or green practices are everywhere; restaurants use paper products that contain recycled fibers and office buildings might connect motion detectors to lights in restrooms and storage areas. There are also many eco-friendly practices a company might employ such as separating recyclable items from their trash and updating insulation to reduce the loss of heating and cooling.
While individuals and companies might employ eco-friendly practices, green engineering is also a vital part of preserving the environment. What is green engineering and why is it so important today?
What Is Green Engineering?
Engineering refers to the application of science to particular fields, such as design and construction. A structural engineer understands, for example, how the weight of a building affects its stability and the type of foundation and framework needed to keep that building secure. A mechanical engineer might understand the amount of heat that will be produced by a computer and the ventilation needed to cool it properly.
Green engineering refers to incorporating eco-friendly options into those practices. For instance, a green engineer might note the environmental impact of a proposed finished product and suggest changes to accommodate a plastic that is easier to recycle.
Green Engineering and Construction
Green engineering practices might be employed in virtually any manufacturing and production field but is especially useful in design and construction. Eco-friendly or green engineering:
· Reduces the amount of pollution produced by a building
· Reduces a building’s dependency on energy
· Minimizes a building’s overall impact on the environment
· Considers the environmental impact of goods produced by your business
Examples of Green Engineering Practices
One prime example of green engineering is the reduction of heating and cooling needs in a building. A green engineer might include upgraded insulation that protects a building’s interior, overhead fans, and tinted windows in the design of a structure.
Production facilities also tend to create tremendous amounts of heat due to the use of heavy-duty machinery. A green engineer might include added ventilation in production machinery or a facility, to reduce interior heat and the need for cooling.
A green engineer might also incorporate recycling in a building’s design or your production processes. For example, certain production machinery might capture and collect recyclable waste, keeping it out of the rubbish and landfills. Reusing these materials also means less use of raw or virgin materials.
Employing Green Energy Practices
While it’s vital to employ green energy practices in new construction and machinery, many such practices can be retrofitted in a building or various production equipment. Building renovations might also employ green engineering practices, to reduce energy consumption and waste and to benefit the environment. This might include green or living roofs and a water recycling system.