Green Buildings
The COVID-19 pandemic has made people much more aware of their health status now more than ever.
They will typically bring hand sanitizers when going out and are conscious about wearing face masks all the time.
But apart from minding their personal hygiene, people are also starting to look into how safe the buildings and public spaces they visit are.
That is why in this day and age, green buildings are the new trend.
When buildings are retrofitted to be more sustainable and have the capability to fight against airborne viruses and bacteria, not only do they make people more comfortable, but they also become a massive help to the community.
As the president of the non-profit Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC), Dr. Ho Nyok Yong, puts it, green buildings are large N95 masks that protect whoever is inside.
The introduction of green buildings, though, is not at all new, as even before the pandemic started, various hospitals are already installing additional protective HVAC systems to their facilities.
The installation of extra equipment, like ultraviolet-C (UV-C) lights and demand-controlled ventilation systems, increases the safety and sustainability to the building.
UV-C lighting, in particular, is typically paired with air-handling units as a sort of filter for airborne microbes, making the indoor air quality cleaner.
On the other hand, demand-controlled ventilation systems vary the amount of air drawn from the outside, depending on how crowded the building is. The more the people, the more amount of outdoor air is drawn to keep the indoor air diluted and make infections less likely to happen.
Although sterilization of shared spaces is a common practice nowadays, we should not rely solely on its effectiveness.
Building systems themselves should offer its occupants an inherent protection with the use of various green building technologies and innovations.
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