The term ‘environmentally conscious’ often conjures images of green buildings that are built to save energy or to limit their negative impact on the environment in general. However, today more people than ever before are looking for environmentally friendly buildings and green developments and venues. These buildings include everything from residential apartments and houses to schools and businesses. Green developments often incorporate sustainable practices into their design and construction as well as the use of recycled materials. In addition to using fewer resources to create a building the use of recycled materials reduces landfill waste and the carbon footprint left behind by buildings. Green development also has the added benefit of creating a better local community as well as contributing to a more stable, cleaner economy.

If you are planning any type of sustainable building project you should start off by calculating the carbon footprint of your project. This is usually measured per square meter, where one gram of carbon dioxide is described as one metric ton of carbon dioxide. Green buildings can make up to 20% less carbon than traditional buildings, and half the average annual carbon footprint. You may also want to take into account the environmental impact caused by road haulage, as when a building is being built it is likely to release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. One way to offset this is to build your environmentally conscious developments close to transport infrastructures such as trains and subways so that you can minimize your carbon emissions coming from your vehicle.

Another aspect of your life that can be made more environmentally conscious is your consumption of products such as bottled water and energy drinks, which use up far more resources than the construction industry for production only. You can cut your carbon footprint in other ways, for example by consuming foods and beverages that are locally produced to reduce the amount of pesticides and fertilizers used in the growing and farming of food. Being environmentally conscious also means that you will have to spend less money on everyday items like coffee, chocolate and tea, as well as buying fresh produce and locally produced electricity.