Boxing in Green

How many of you know what the meaning of Green is? What about sustainability? Well, I suppose we all can deduce what "Green" might mean and even come closer to what sustaining might equate to. We hear it in the media, in advertisements, and in claims by sellers of all sorts. What makes a building Green? The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System or LEED was developed by U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to establish a Green building standard to addresses six major areas:

· Sustainable sites
· Water efficiency
· Energy and atmosphere
· Materials and resources
· Indoor environmental quality
· Innovation and design process

New constructions who meet these "standard" requirement credits, can become LEED certified and make Green claims. However, despite popular LEED movement some like Glenn Murcutt, a renowned architect in Australia, strongly feels LEED requirements are short sighted, Green and sustainability are more than just pursuing and fulfilling credits, certification quotas or building to make statements. "Architecture by logic is not wrong....LEED disregards the connections between humans and nature." See and build beyond boxing quotas by aiming to incorporate into designs and construction of buildings the following:

1. Geology and Geomorphology of the area or history of landforms and its dynamics, to predict future changes

2. Maximize natural ventilation via wind pattern and/or raised platforms thus minimizing or eliminating the use of air conditioning

3. Shadow patterns

4. Drainage systems, i.e. soil types

5. Climate

6. Materials, i.e. in arid environments the use of water to insulate, cool, or for fireproofing

7. Flora, native plants

8. Natural problems in the area, i.e. reoccurring flood, seasonal changes

9. Making the most with the least, i.e. use of bolts and screws in place of nails

See article in Architectural Record or read full article in hard copy May 2009 AR magazine. Examples of his works can be found online.

In our pursuit to a more "Green" lifestyle, let us not get lost in the credits and miss the point. "Just because there's a sliver of light doesn't mean it's considered a window. The view through a window is as important as the light; it relates to mental and physical health as well as energy savings," cautions Mike Lyner, principle of RSP i-Space, a division of RSP Architects (see full online article in Architectural Record).