Sustainable Architecture, Design, and Philosophy
Ranked #5,273 in Healthy Living, #92,348 overall
What does it mean to be Sustainable?
If you want to go beyond design and incorporate green into daily life be sure to visit Green Me Please: SimpleTips for an Earth Friendly Life.
What is Green Washing?
Ethics in eco-marketing.
Want to read more about ethics in architecture? Check out Ethics and the Built Environment.
Sustainable Mission
Architecture as a holistic art form.
Architecture should appeal to both the client and society as a whole. This ideal calls for an encompassing dialogue to exist between the architect, client, and neighbors. As a profession, Architecture exists due to a desire by mankind for structures which surpass that of a functional nature. Skillful design is achieved through a seamless combination of function and aesthetics. This is further enhanced by the inclusion of cost-benefit analysis and sustainable design.
Sustainability and Art
How can art be 'green'?
While most of us typically don't think of paintings, crafts, and sculptures when we think about the environment, art can do a lot for the sustainable movement. The most important thing art can do to promote green design is to make the subject of the art something that will draw attention to using less, recycling, etc. Now that you are thinking in these terms it's now probably obvious that art does indeed help the green movement; just think of all the websites, t-shirts, and bumper stickers out there spreading the message and how much they depend on good design. But this isn't the only way art can help out.Art can be inherently 'green," and I'm not talking about color. Paintings can be made using organic paints on recycled canvas or paper. Crafts can be made out of all sorts of found, recycled, and up-cycled objects. The possibilities are endless and the practice of trying to re-use objects can spark the creative process.
If you'd like some inspiration to make your own eco-crafts check out my other lens:
Eco-Craft: Crafting for a greener tomorrow
Wanting to add some eco-art to your website or printable project? I have a lens for that too:
Free Eco Graphics
Green Architecture
Greening our world one building at a time.
Green (sustainable) architecture is the practice of designing buildings so that they make minimal impact on the environment both during construction and for the life of the building. This includes proper site selection, energy efficient design, daylighting techniques, choosing green materials, and even considering what will happen when the building use changes.Popular green building certification programs in the United States are LEED and Energy Star. But it is not necessary for a building to have approval from an organization for it to be sustainable. The purpose of such programs is to develop standards that communicate to the designer what they need to consider and let the client and public know just how "green" the project is. In short, certification takes away the need to wonder if someone is not being entirely truthful about their projects sustainable efforts.
What are people saying about green architecture? Visit my other lens:
Best of Green Architecture on Twitter
Population and People
Sustatinability and our growing numbers.
What will the world look like 100 years from now if we don't also recognize that leading sustainable lives means controlling the size of human population? What can we do to achieve this?
Distributing birth control to everyone has been offered as a solution, yet doesn't seem like a viable option since many are unwilling or unable to medicate as directed. And there is also the additional concern of that much birth control adding estrogen to our water supply...a problem that is already starting to concern some.
What about government restrictions on how many kids one can have? Assuming our current population is not too high for the planet's resources (as some debate we may have already gone over the limit), It would be sustainable for each one of us to be allowed to have one replacement; meaning a couple could have two children. But what are the ethical implications of attempting to enforce such a rule? In China abortions are forced on unwilling mothers, is that something we are prepared to accept as the norm? I hope it doesn't have to come to that. Forced sterilization wouldn't be much better.
There is currently no good solution to this problem, but it's something we need to start thinking about.
While the built and natural environments are affected by things like population, did you also know that Aesthetics Shapes Our Lives?
Debate: Global Climate and Design
Where do you stand on this issue?
note: Climate change is commonly called 'global warming'.
Will Global Climate Change Affect Design?
Yes, if climate change is a real issue then design will have to respond to environmental changes.
LiberateDesign says:
Design is always effected by social or environmental issues. Where there is an issue design can takes on the function of finding solutions to problems in both practical and visually appealing ways. The best design is always design that is made for people and combines technical solutions with an appeal to the senses. Read my blog on the 10 sexiest mobile solar chargers on the market for example. This is one yet small example of design adapting to environmental issues. http://liberatedesign.blogspot.com/.
SBToolkit says:
Design has a huge role to plan in terms of smarter, more connected and sustainable cities and infrastructure. Climate change or no climate change, it is a critical consideration for sustainable development. You may be interested in my article on megatrends and the future of business. All the best, M. http://www.squidoo.com/megatrends-and-the-future-of-business
NidhiRajat says:
yes..surely....it create great impact on global climate
gypsyman27 says:
Of course it will, not only architectural design. Engineering design will be affected as well. See you around the galaxy...
Heatherseesthelight says:
Yes, our lighting choices as consumer matter. I am confident that we can save energy and decorate our homes beautifully with lighting.
No, global climate change is not something to be concerned with.
daria369 says:
Climate has always been changing - like everything else in our environment - and so is design of our living spaces. Change and variety is good.
Vote for your Favorite Green Book
Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by William McDonough, Michael Braungart
A manifesto for a radically different philosophy and more...4 points
The Philosophy of Sustainable Design by Jason F. McLennan
In the Philosophy of Sustainable Design, McLennan more...2 points
Easy Green Living: The Ultimate Guide to Simple, Eco-Friendly Choices for You and Your Home by Renée Loux
We are what we eat, but we also are what we use to more...2 points
Green Architecture (25th Anniversary Special Edtn)
When is a house ecological? Does the use of natura more...1 point
Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature by Janine M. Benyus
Biomimicry is a revolutionary new science that analyzes more...1 point
Everything Green Living Book: Easy ways to conserve energy, protect your family's health, and help save the environment (Everything Series) by Diane Gow-McDilda
Want to learn more about organic food? Curious about more...1 point
Big and Green: Toward Sustainable Architecture in the 21st Century by David Gissen
More than a century after its inception, the skysc more...0 points
PreFab Green by Michelle Kaufmann, Cathy Remick
IN PREFAB GREEN, architect Michelle Kaufmann share more...0 points
Green School Primer: Lessons in Sustainability (Architecture) by LPA
Examines why and how schools should be made 'green more...0 points
Green Building & Remodeling For Dummies (For Dummies (Home & Garden)) by Eric Corey Freed
Want to build responsibly, reduce waste, and help preserve more...0 points
Biomimicry
Design inspired by nature.
Biomimicry is, in the most basic sense, a study of design in nature.
I'm wokring on a lens related to this topic. Those who want a quick overview can read more about Biomimicry on wiki or watch the TEDtalk below:
Using Nature's Genius in Architecture
"How can architects build a new world of sustainable beauty? By learning from nature. At TEDSalon in London, Michael Pawlyn describes three habits of nature that could transform architecture and society: radical resource efficiency, closed loops, and drawing energy from the sun." - TEDtalk by Michael Pawlyn
Sustainable News
What's happening in the world of green design?
- LPA Inc. Named California's Design Firm of the Year 2012
- The architectural design, planning, and engineering firm is among the greenest companies in California, with a solid track record in water and energy efficient building design. San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) May 30, 2012 For the first time in 47 years of ...
- Lafayette Takes Second in Sustainable Design Competition
- ?The competition provided an excellent opportunity for students to explore various strategies for achieving heightened project sustainability, including green architectural design, sensitive site development, and effective community connectivity,? ...
- Applegate Insulation Partners with BluePoint Marketing for Green Architectural ...
- Focusing on Applegate's new Cotton Armor insulation, BluePoint will be offering continuing educational opportunities for architects involved in sustainable construction, particularly in the design of commercial and institutional structures as well as ...
- NB school honored for being 'green'
- The ?Green Schools Organization? awarded five Massachusetts schools for their environmentally friendly learning environments, including New Bedford's Abraham Lincoln Elementary. The organization highlighted the school's sustainable construction design ...
Countdown to Earth Day
Go beyond the hour.
On 8:30pm on March 31, 2012 switch off your lights, unplug electronics, etc. to show support of Earth Hour and your continued commitment to the welfare of the environment. To learn more please visit EarthHour.orgCountdown to Earth Hour @ 8:30 PM local
Reader Feedback
What are your thoughts on sustainable design and philosophy? Do you have tips or ideas to share?
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cottagecrafts Feb 8, 2012 @ 10:23 pm | delete
- Thumbs up from Cottage Craft Works.
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dfroray
Dec 29, 2011 @ 11:15 pm | delete
- I have reviewed your lens and I liked it so I added a squidoo like to your like count on your lens. I also have a squidoo lens and I have 5 friends that also have squidoo lens' If you would like to look at our lens' and add facebook likes to them, then we would all add facebook likes to your lens. I am not putting our lens addresses in this post because I do not want to be considered spam. If you would like to add likes to us so that in return we can add likes to your lens, please let us know by emailing me at dforay@insightbb.com
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TheZinc
Dec 21, 2011 @ 9:31 am | delete
- really like this lens, specially since I am going to be studying environmental sustainability myself. Two Thumbs Up!
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NidhiRajat
Dec 11, 2011 @ 4:09 am | delete
- Nice Lens.....
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Joie Dec 9, 2011 @ 1:38 pm | delete
- Very important subject. Thank you for tackling it. And congratulations for being featured on the front page.
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Architectural Designer and LEED AP BD+C with a 5 year professional degree in Architecture from Oklahoma State University. Owner of ArchGrafix which pr... more »
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The Philosophy of Sustainable Design
What does sustainablity mean to us?
The Philosophy of Sustainable Design
Amazon Price: $23.99 (as of 05/31/2012)
Catered towards architects and builders, The Philosophy of Sustainable Design is a great starting point for anyone who is wanting to learn how to design responsibly. This is not a "how-to" book, it is intended to lay down the foundation of understanding the meaning and theory behind sustainability so that the reader is ready to pursue more technical studies in the right frame of mind.
Biomimicry
Design learned from nature
Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature
Amazon Price: $8.19 (as of 05/31/2012)
Millions of years of evolution have allowed plants and animals in nature to develop truly amazing design solutions. Biomimicry is the idea that we can study design in nature and use the inherent 'wisdom' to develop better solutions to our every day design problems.
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Cradle To Cradle
Sustainbility starts with design
Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things
Amazon Price: $7.74 (as of 05/31/2012)
Cradle to Cradle paints a picture of what we are doing wrong with the idea of recycling. What are we doing wrong? Not designing products so that the component parts can be recycled back into their original state. We too often take a cradle to grave approach when we really should be thinking cradle to cradle.
