Almost 6.2 million people live in Hesse, in well over 400 cities and communities. They all need space to live and work. There are correspondingly many buildings – for example, apartment buildings, factories, shops, office buildings, and schools. Many buildings have a major impact on the environment. Cities and villages need space and cut up natural habitats such as forest areas. Large quantities of materials are used for building. And the residents need energy, especially for heating and hot water. Green areas and other unsealed areas, on the other hand, should be preserved. Buildings can also be greened, for example, their roofs, facades, or terraces. And with the new trend in education in these times of pandemic, online education following a system such as Mis Webmail actually contributed to energy conservation and helped clear the environment of many pollutants.
What is the problem with land use?
The most visible consequence for the environment is that where there are buildings there is less space for nature. In Hesse, buildings and associated areas have a share of eight percent. Together with roads and other transport facilities, settlements have a share of 15 percent – around a seventh of the total area of the country. Where there are buildings, the ground is sealed. This means, for example, that no water seeps away there. Plants do not grow on sealed surfaces either. In large settlements there is therefore a special climate: it is often warmer there than in natural areas. Plants provide shade and evaporating water provides cooling. In the summer heat, the lack of green spaces can become a health problem, especially for the elderly or children. In addition, built-up areas offer hardly any living space for plants and animals. For many species, they are an insurmountable obstacle. Houses and traffic routes cut up natural habitats, which means that many species have fewer opportunities to spread. That is why the environmentally friendly building is also about “saving” space. In many cities, for example, new apartments are being built in vacant lots or on company premises that are no longer in use. Sometimes it is also possible to modernize or remodel old buildings. This not only saves space but also construction materials.
What are environmentally friendly building materials?
The building is time-consuming. Many building materials are used, such as bricks, concrete, and mortar, insulation, metal, and wood. Whether sand for the concrete or wood for the roof beams: The raw materials for building materials are taken from nature. And energy is required to process them and transport them to the construction site. Therefore, the building materials should be used as sparingly as possible and be environmentally friendly. Renewable raw materials can be used for many purposes, for example, wood from sustainable forestry or natural insulation materials made from plant fibers.
Smart technology for energy-saving buildings
Once the building is finished and used, it has an impact on the environment. Because the people in it need electricity, warm water, and heating. Depending on how a house was built and equipped, this can have a greater or lesser impact on the environment. Around a third of all energy consumption in Germany is used for heating and hot water in buildings. Since most houses have built-in oil or gas heating, large amounts of the greenhouse gas CO 2 are generated. But there are already houses that are particularly climate-friendly. They have good thermal insulation so that little thermal energy escapes to the outside. They often also use the energy of the sun: photovoltaic systems on the roof provide electricity and solar collectors heat water.
What can the residents do?
The residents can also do something to equip their house in an environmentally friendly way. For example, you can equip it with environmentally friendly paints, flooring, and furniture. And you can take care to save energy. For example, through correct ventilation and heating. This includes, among other things, the “burst ventilation” in winter: the windows are opened wide for a short time. In this way, fresh air flows in quickly and the room does not cool down too much. In addition, not all rooms usually have to be cozy and warm. The temperature can be a little lower in rooms that are rarely used. Of course, gardens, terraces, and balconies are also included. Most of them are small – but small contributions also help some animal and plant species. Native trees and bushes, undergrowth, and piles of leaves and brushwood in the garden provide shelter for hedgehogs and birds. And even on a small balcony, there is space for herbs and meadow flowers, which provide food for bees and bumblebees.