Global warming refers to “the global warming around the world, based on documented information on the temperature, which was retained by the people since 1880″ (Nodvin, p. 2008).

There was an increase in the news, the focus on global warming, 27 March 2008 was woken up the world with a shocking event: the replacement of an ice sheet measurement of 41 km 2 5 km in the Antarctic. The scientists argue that climate change is responsible for the rapid collapse of the ice cap, which had been the month of February, losing weight, but global warming is not just the polar caps, but also the fauna of tropical ecosystems, the effect of these types of species live on the limit of their maximum temperature, a slight increase in temperature is fatal “(Tewksbury, by J. Tristan, R., cited 2008). Figures such as these remind us that global warming is no longer an unknown subject and become a problem is that a part of our daily life.

Despite the constant bombardment of the media with news on this issue, we will not be informed fully of the factors of global warming, in fact, it is believed that the cars are the largest producers of the negative impact on the environment, but there is an even more damaging one: Buildings. This static works are part of our daily life, the majority of our work done, especially in them, we spend 90% of our lives indoors, and the concentration of population is much greater than in those rooms out of them (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2003 . Quoted by Kats, G. 2003). However, we are aware that they “produce almost half (48%) of all emissions of greenhouse gases that are much higher than what is emitted from vehicles (27%) and industry (25%)” (The American Institute of Architects is. 2006).

to explain how the greenhouse effect is happening in the buildings, can imagine it as a huge glass cube, in which the penetrating rays of the sun all day on the surface, so that the objects will be warm in them, found implies that they “give back the heat in the form of radiation. As the temperature at which they heat is relatively small, the radiation of a long wavelength, that is, they emit infrared radiation, not visible. Over the years, are finally an equal amount of energy in the form of sunlight absorbed in the form of infrared, their temperature tends to remain constant (although, of course, they will be warmer than if it is not the direct action of sun exposure). (Greenhouse effect, 2007). Thus it happens the same in a greenhouse, where flowers and plants, even though the outside temperature reaches a low level of cultivation temperature.

According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the decade 1998-2007 was the hottest of them ever been documented. The global surface temperature for 2007 was estimated at 0. 41 ° C / 0 74 ° F above the 1961-1990 annual average: 14 00 ° C/57. 20 ° F. (2008 WMO. Cited. After Nodvin, p. 2008).

To counteract this, a novel form of construction was created, mastermind of a new generation of architects, designers and builders interested in creating a kind of architecture that have commented, “friendly” with nature and sustainable over time allows the reduction of the damage, the conventional design, has done to the planet. This new form of construction is known as Green Building and create “healthier and more efficient in terms of resources, models of construction, renovation, operation, maintenance and demolition are. The elements of green construction : Sources of energy efficiency and renewable energies, water management, waste reduction, specifications and materials, preferably organic. ” (Taken From http://espanol. Orangecountyfl. Net/orangecty/enes/24/_www_orangecountyfl_net/cms/DEPT/growth/building/greenbldg. Htm)

There is a perception that is the construction of green buildings more expensive than conventional construction, and while this is true, but the long-term costs significantly lower. Studies show that the amount of the construction of green buildings is much lower (2%), which is expected and increases the cost of the architectural and engineering together, that this type requires the construction. The sooner this type of practice of green building is under construction included, the increase of its costs are lower. (The United States Green Building Council, 2002. Led by Kats, G. 2003).

But despite short-term increased costs to offer long-term benefits of green buildings back, not the traditional offering, for example: lower operating costs for electricity and water, environmentally effective use of building materials, improving the health and productivity, long term economic, reduce the environmental impact, among others. (Environmental Services, 2008)

Colombia has made in its Green Building the Chamber of Commerce’s Green Building in Bogota, in Salitre City. This magnificent building has distributed over 28 thousand square meters in two basements and three floors of public attention, five levels for staff and 500 parking spaces. He has electrical accessories, which have the entry of people arriving in wheelchairs or any type of disability that prevents them from entering on a staircase. On the second floor of the convention hall is added with a capacity for a thousand people, and has the opportunity, in eight sub-rooms, each divided for hundreds of users.

Another example of Green Building in Colombia, the family compensation fund to compensate, in northern Bogota removed: stabs the use of glass on the facade and inside there is a mixture of aluminum and wood. The building has 16,579 square meters and one of its most important features is an “evaporative cooling system, natural air collection permits, and after an internal process of the air reaches the top and leaves the building, so the installation can maintain a comfortable temperature that area be offered 18 to 21 degrees Celsius (Metrocuadrado. COM, 2006), and within the building services: “multiple-stadium, sports hall, gym, spinning, Gourmet salon, spa, swimming pool, Turkish bath, sauna, jacuzzi, game room, library, computer room (internet), VIP lounge, a cafeteria and auditorium of 150 square meters, as a space for Film Society developed, with projection technology and a retractable animal and – Health care: 50 doctors, vaccinations, laboratory, dental , radiology, psychology, rehabilitation, nutrition, gynecology, diagnosis, prevention, surgery and medicine in general “(Metrocuadrado. com, 2006).

In Latin America, Argentina is a very interesting Green Building: The building Malecon Buenos Aires. This is an office building of 125,000 square feet, built on an abandoned industrial area (his garage was built on the foundations of a warehouse from the nineteenth century) in Puerto Madero, an area of redevelopment in Buenos Aires. The building was to be made as one long block straits in order to gain solar energy in the structure and the endings of the east and west sides of which minimize the United. The wide north façade, suspended on the first of the sun, is shaped to follow the path of the sun and has many deep with sun screens that virtually eliminate sunlight during the peak cooling months. The south facade, which reflects the geometry of the northern facade, is equipped with the same system of high-performance curtain from the other fronts, the reduction of solar gains, open floor plans and high levels offer flexibility for a variety of office tenants or future uses. (From http://www. Aia. Org/aiarchitect/thisweek02/tw0419/0419tw1cote. Htm, May 2008)

In the U.S., these types of buildings have great technical and financial support from public administrations in Europe there are programs such as PAE (Fed-IDE), SAVE 3, Thermi & Others, in addition to providing assistance , certify that the building standards, so they are as green buildings to meet differentiated by their green or eco-labels (Leeds-Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, ISO 14001, EEA, etc.).

Finally, what is intended with this type of construction is granted and certifications to reduce energy consumption and use of natural resources, so that the extension to reach the useful life of the planet and under the reversal of environmental phenomena such as the greenhouse effect, others.