Context BD• The Effectiveness of Green Building in Pandemic Control

DESIGN. ARCHITECTURE. CULTURE

The Effectiveness of Green Building in Pandemic Control | 2nd position in ARCASIA Idea Competition

Author Name: Ar. Shafique Rahman

ARCASIA Committee on Green and Sustainable Architecture organized the international idea competition on the theme of how a Green Building would contribute to COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control. Titled as “The contribution of Green Building in the fight against COVID-19”, the competition called for entries from Architects of the Member Institutes of ARCASIA. The featured project by Architect Shafique Rahman won the second position.

Jury comment

“This award of citation for well thought out plan that the participants are connected green building’s elements to the exterior environments in a very simple almost minimalist way yet smart enough to define clearly on the importance of Green Buildings’ roles in against epidemic such as Covid-19. It shows a powerful way to restraint and simplicity putting the emphasis on the quality of spaces over fussy architectural detailing to overcome the pandemic.”

Concept

A 21^st Century Green Building can be defined as a building with minimal consumption of resources, has minimum emission and enable to operate with renewable energy sources. Green Building design principles adopt a healthy living condition in a build environment which substantially benefit human from improving mental and physical health. A Green Building would tremendously increase the human immune system due to the strategic passive design, which would be an effective approach to fight COVID 19 pandemic.

On the other hand, Green Building produces renewable energy, minimizes consumption both for energy and water and recycles resources, like, rainwater, gray water, would benefit a community financially by diminishing resource demand during the economic recession.

While benefitting from all optimum use of resources, Green Buildings also allow inhabitants to grow own food within their urban sprawl, which would allow people to stay home for long period without having difficulties of procuring food and vegetable.

A conceptual section summarizes the broad spectrum of Green Building design strategies to fight COVID 19 pandemic © Ar. Shafique Rahman

Minimized Consumption & Passive Design

COVID 19 patients often advised staying home in an isolated condition where the recovery paved up by improving a patient’s immune system. Along with other prescribed activities, space itself plays a substantially important role to boost up his immune system. Cross ventilation decontaminate the space, sunlight provides Vitamin D and ample of Natural light boost up mental health. Similarly, for a non-infected person, the indoor environmental quality would be a great addition to improve self immune and mental health which would enable them to fight COVID 19 Pandemic.

Recycling , Reuse , Renewable Energy

Green Building minimizes resource consumption like energy and water. On the other hand, Green Building produces energy from renewable sources, for example, Photovoltaic Energy, Wind Energy which further keeps the demand to an optimum level. During COVID 19 pandemic many countries have gone through economic and resources constraint, where Green Building would be an effective solution to face the challenge of limited resources.

Secondly, Green Building design strategies emphasize rainwater recycling and greywater recycling. During COVID 19 pandemic water usages become substantially higher due to the prescribed personal and community hygiene. This extended demand for water can be balanced with the recycled water without creating extra demand for water from external supplies.

Food Security & Urban Vegetation

The most effective strategy adopted by the world in order to fight COVID 19 is Home Quarantine for a long period. It has become a great difficulty to procure fresh food and vegetable regularly from the outside in the lockdown situation.

Green Buildings often promote urban agriculture, vertical gardening and community farming. During the Quarantined period, Green Buildings could ensure the supply for fresh vegetable and fruits for the occupants, and allow them to stay home and ensure own safety.

To sum up, in the sudden outbreak of COVID 19, humankind still remains in grey. Until the successful invention of the vaccine, the only known method in practice is social distancing and boosting up self immune in order to fight the virus. It is widely advised to stay home and carry out certain activities to achieve the highest health protection.

While staying home for a long period, it is conclusively seen that consumption of resources become higher than ever. Whereas, this crisis situation demands to descend of resource uses due to the economic recession. Green Building as a first concern minimizes the consumption of resources which would be a great contribution in the fight against the pandemic.

In addition, Green Building maximize climatic efficiency and allow nature to interact in an indoor environment. Indoor Environmental Quality in a Green Building is highly beneficial for improving self immune and mental health, which is further a known strategy to fight COVID 19.

About the Author:

Architect Shafique Rahman (MIAB) is currently affiliated as Assistant Professor at Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology (AUST). He is the principal architect of the consulting firm called Trikon Architects.