Introduction
The building sector alone is responsible for 40% of the annual energy consumption and nearly 30% of all energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emission1. Buildings in general do not only consume energy, but also water, produce wastewater and solid waste as well as one of the main reasons for mining sand, quarries and other extractives.
The concept of green buildings is as old as the first building was constructed. Traditionally, home owners wanted to have the best aeration system for their dwellings, the best natural light and a small plot of land to grow their own food needs. In recent history, due to the negative impact of urbanization on the environment, the concept of green buildings has been developed to encourage home owners to integrate some design elements to minimize the impact on the environment and use construction materials, fixtures and other resources that reduce negative impacts and create positive ones on our climate and natural environment.
A House of Worship is a building or a structure especially constructed or converted into a place where individuals or a group of people perform religious rituals of devotion. Such houses of worship can occupy a land as small as few meters to structure and facilities that expand for thousands of acres. Temples, monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques are examples of such structures. Throughout history, these houses of worship were among the first buildings to be constructed in a human settlement.
