Sustainable building has slowly been gaining momentum in Ghana in recent times. What does it mean to go green? Jumia House Ghana provides meanings to some of the terminologies you are likely to hear when we talk about going green:

Green Building

Green building is the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life-cycle from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and deconstruction.

Eco-House

An eco-house is built in such a way that reduces energy consumption and waste. An eco-house is designed in such a way to reduce the buildings negative impact on human health and the environment. This is done through better construction, siting, operation and maintenance.

Sustainable Designs

Sustainable designs seek to reduce negative impacts of housing on the environment. The idea is to improve the health and comfort of the occupants, thereby improving the buildings’ performance.

Solar Panels

Solar panels are devices that convert light into electricity. They are called “solar” panels because most of the time, the most powerful source of light available is the Sun, called Sol by astronomers. Some scientists call them photovoltaics which means, basically, “light-electricity.”

Bio-mass

They are solid plant materials burnt in a power plant, and this process creates energy, which can then be for immediate use or stored.

Rainwater gutters

These are troughs that collect rain running off a roof and channel it, with proper slopes, to downspouts that carry the rain water to the ground and away from your siding, windows, doors and foundation. The most commonly used gutter are regularly cleaned of leaves and debris in order for them to function properly.

Rainwater Harvesting Systems

They utilize the home’s gutters to capture water, then store the rainwater in ground tanks for later use for landscape irrigation, car washing, and decorative fountains or as non-potable water for toilet flushing, laundry and indoor fire sprinkler systems.

Sources

http://www.epa.gov