A case study on Green Buildings and its applicability in Bahrain

Abstract

The environment is being heavily affected due to human actions and increased urbanization. It is well known that with the increase of conventional buildings, the risk is higher on the environment due to its unsustainable nature and the way it drains resources and harms the environment. This case study paper aims to show the importance of moving from conventional buildings into green buildings. Specifically, it provides information needed to understand what green buildings are and why they are better options than conventional buildings. Green buildings are structures that focus on not harming the environment and draining resources. The most common criteria to measure how green a building is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). A case study was conducted on an existing building in Bahrain to illustrate green buildings' applicability. A comparison was made between conventional buildings and green buildings, and the method to compare was LEED crediting system. This case study proved that conventional buildings consume much more resources, and green buildings are considered a better option in terms of all aspects related to the environment, energy, and cost. The case study showed that green buildings have a lower cost, less material waste, and less energy consumption. As a recommendation, the concept of green buildings should be considered when constructing new buildings and applied to existing buildings.