Sustainable architecture and construction

The consequences that these changes in temperature can cause are drastic variations in rainfall, desertification, increase in average temperatures, reduction in rainfall in the South and increase in the North, rise of the level of the sea, thawing of the ice and increased frequency of weather events on a large scale (Typhoon)(, hurricanes...).

In 1992, was held in Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit where stood the global commitment to act against the threat of climate change. The aim was to achieve the stabilization of the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere within a period allowing the adaptation of ecosystems to climate change, ensuring food production and allowing economic development in a sustainable manner. Later, in 1997 the Kyoto Protocol seeks international engagement and becomes the instrument which establishes deadlines and fixed quantities to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Approved a reduction in emissions of 5.2% for the period 2008-2012 (with respect to the 1990 level).

Taking into account that developed countries are the major cause, and that can afford the investment for sustainable development, are these the first that must reduce emissions. Those who are in the process of development, for the time being, lack these commitments.

Sustainable development is to provide the energy current needs without prejudice to future needs and try to get to produce what is consumed. In the field of construction refers to biotectura, bioclimatic architecture, bio... in any way the architecture has always tried to be bioclimatic. The principle of any construction is to seek protection against external agents. Vernacular architectures have always done using the usual means of the environment and taking advantage of the resources that it has offered.

To design a new building, we must take into account the impact that this construction will have on the environment. The incorporation of technology and our desire for comfort has forced us to use limited and generally not renewable energy sources.

If we focus on residential buildings, which constitute the vast majority of the Park's buildings, the proportion of housing energy costs would be:

Air conditioning (46%)

Electrical appliances uses (21%)

Production of hot water (18%)

Cooking (8%)

Lighting (7%)

We can clearly see the importance, at the energy level of the air conditioning of a building. The use of the energy control systems is important since, in addition to improving the quality of our buildings, contributing to the decline in the consumption.

Most of the energy we consume comes from the use of derivatives of petroleum or coal from non-renewable sources of energy. Both for economic reasons (upcoming shortage of hydrocarbons) and ecological (disturbance of the atmosphere and soil), is vital for the development of new energy alternatives that are less polluting and aggressive to the environment. The current scheme of world energy consumption is not sustainable, i.e., cannot be sustained indefinitely without threatening their very existence.

Renewable energy sources are those that well-managed they can be exploited without limit, i.e., the amount available (on Earth) does not diminish as you take advantage of.

Some examples: the solar power, the wind, the one of the biomass and the hydraulics

The source of renewable power that more employ in the sector of the construction is the solar, to generate electricity (photovoltaic) and hot water (thermal sensors solar). The traditional utilisation of this power has been the electrificación of places where does not arrive the conventional electrical network (shelters, farms, repetidores of telecommunications, etc.). For a house or building that already has of electricity, the sale of the power produced by means of the connection of the photovoltaic system to the network is the most ecological form, since they do not need batteries (highly contaminantes) and takes advantage of all the power that the modules with able to generate. Besides, as it substitutes to the power generated of conventional form reduce broadcasts of CO₂ to the atmosphere.

The captadores solar are at present the half more economic for to the supply of hot water current. His thermal sensors applications can be: heat sanitary ware water, industrial uses, heating of volumes or warming of swimming pools, between others.

In the last years the technology of the enclosures has evolved with the new exigencias of the users. The window is the first and the most elementary of the solar manifolds of any building, being the gap that allows to happen the solar radiation but no the wind, the water, the snow or the noise.... And, however, can open it, close, modify, cover and allows us ventilate to our taste according to the internal conditions of confort that wish. Besides, the group of the window (and no only the carpentry), has turned into an element of high technology: carpentries with thermal sensors coefficients bajísimos, motorised openings, demótica applied, sophisticated enclosures, etc. and if besides we consider the wide range of types of glass from the low emisivos until the cortafuegos, the possibilities are infinite.

It is important to take into account the design window or the parts that allow the input of solar radiation. The holes in the walls must be properly designed (dimensions, forms,...) and oriented. Aspects such as the orientation and the distribution of the interior spaces must also be taken into consideration to make the most of the characteristics of the openings.

South orientation is the most favourable in the buildings at noon, when the Sun is higher, you can provide an easy protection from the Sun's rays. In addition, reduces exposure to the Sun of morning and afternoon is harder to avoid and causes overheating at the end of the day. Occasionally, we must complement these hollows with the radiation control mechanisms as e.g. with solar protection systems or 'brise soleils' lamas mobile or fixed.

Windows allow the passing of the heat more easily than the walls. This coefficient of heat transfer influenced by mainly two parameters: the types of glass and the types of carpentry. It is convenient to use glass with air Chamber and, if possible, low-emission control thermal and/or lighting gains and losses. It should take into account the tightness of the building to infiltrations of air to prevent the loss of energy which have to be provided again by the building air conditioning systems.

Losses due to the shortcomings of Windows play a very important role which should be used certified woodwork and high gasket air.

About Reynaers Aluminium

As gamista, Reynaers Aluminium has a wide variety of systems of aluminium for the architecture and construction. It thus has systems of high-end, profiles with breakage of thermal bridge, double-bladed systems, solar, aireadores protections, walls curtain of double skin and home automation systems.