Final answer:
Green building certification is part of sustainable architecture, prioritizing energy and resource efficiency.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept in question refers to green building certification which is an integral part of sustainable architecture. This type of architecture emphasizes energy savings, water efficiency, reduction in CO2 emissions, and improvement of indoor environmental quality. Architects in the 21st century integrate energy-efficient systems and sustainable materials, designing buildings which contribute less to carbon footprints, much like the Eastgate Centre in Zimbabwe that operates with only 10% of the energy needed by conventional buildings of the same size.
As global environmental awareness increased since the 1960s, sustainable architecture became a movement by the mid-1980s, focusing heavily on the utilization of alternative energy sources such as wind and solar. Homes are now being designed to be net-positive, producing more energy than they consume through innovations like lower-energy appliances and strategic placements of windows to optimize solar gain and enable natural cooling.
Companies and governments are taking significant steps to address sustainability. Among these steps are investing in better building materials, improving insulation, offering incentives for energy consumption reduction, and developing programs to support the transition to a sustainable society. Furthermore, green architecture not only caters to environmental demands but also encourages the redesign of infrastructure to minimize the overall ecological impact of buildings on the planet.