Sustainable Real Estate
Research Questions
What methods can architects employ to minimize environmental design footprint
Construction designs highly determine the energy consumption rates of a building. As such, architects require to have outstanding knowledge regarding energy-consuming systems within a building such as heating and cooling capacity as well as the lighting requirements. Advancement in technologies and increased urbanization also contribute to increased construction rates whereby some of the designs of the building do not consider the aspect of environmental footprint. Architects are also faced with the challenge of providing efficient designs that fit within many financial models. As such, it becomes critical for architects to embrace the intelligent deployment of strategies and technologies in making designs. Currently, many design systems exist to help make the process easier and standardized. The use of systems such as ASHRAE, LEED among others, should help architects in creating designs that promote the use of cleaner energy while also considering low consumption of the same (Suehiro, Suehiro, Masuda, Ito & Ito, 2018). Beyond the designs, architects should consider having professional individuals such as commissioning agents, qualified engineers, among others, take charge of monitoring the construction and management of buildings such that they operate according to design.
Should bamboo be embraced to replace the use of wood in construction?
Wood has been widely used in the construction industry. The use of timber, however, faces a lot of criticism as it contributes to desertification internationally, which translates to rising global warming. As such, the use of wood can, therefore, be considered as unsustainable as it threatens the survival of future generations. Many nations have accordingly sanctioned policies against the felling of natural forests, thus threatening the expansion of the construction industry. Bamboo is, therefore, proposed as an effective alternative to the use of wood for various reasons. Bamboo has a shorter harvest time, which guarantees rapid growth of construction, especially with the growing global populations (Caroline, 2018). They are also widely available across many locations, which makes the use of bamboo sustainable. Although bamboo fails according to its limited durability and difficulties in jointing, it offers a viable solution, especially in developing regions that might lack the resources to secure wood or other sophisticated building materials.
Statistical Method Applied
The research follows the guidelines of a qualitative study. It, therefore, applies document analysis to establish information on studies conducted to enlighten the research questions. The method remains highly effective in data collection since documents are manageable and easily accessible. Documents also credible information on particular topics that inform decision-making knowledge. Reports also come in various forms, which increases the variety for comparisons, thus making findings more reliable.
Summary of an Academic Paper
Zimmermann and Burkholz (2019) explore the question of sustainable real estate development amid the increasing use of e-commerce. The authors identify that according to most of the property owners, sustainability describes how comfortable the tenants are from using the buildings. When the client is unsatisfied, the entire question of sustainability loses its meaning. The authors explain that indeed property owners should consider their current and future customer needs and therefore offer constructions that deliver the needs of the current and future users. The use of e-commerce has increased the demand for houses as clients can get all the information they require at their comfort. Property owners should, therefore, consider the feedback from the market to make sustainable buildings that not only meet the social but also environmental needs