Sustainability in Architecture
Introduction
In recent years, sustainable architecture has become a prominent example of sustainability and how to incorporate it into daily life. Simply put, sustainable architecture are building designs made in such a way to minimize human impact on the environment. Some of the more common or recognized forms of sustainable design include solar panels and “green walls.” Everything from the materials used to the heating and electrical systems (e.g. solar panels) can be modified to become more sustainable. This kind of architecture is popular worldwide, and is still growing in popularity. It is now even possible to major in sustainable architecture at some universities. In this post I will explore the uses of sustainability in architecture, the controversy surrounding it, and when this new type of architecture may work or not.
How Sustainability Has Been Used in Architecture
As discussed in an HMC Architecture article, there are multiple strategies for sustainable architecture. This includes passive sustainable design (considering sun orientation and such in a design to keep lighting and heat costs lower), active sustainable design (implementing high efficiency/sustainable systems into the building), using green building materials and finishes, and more. As mentioned above, some of the more popular versions of sustainable designs include solar panels (which has become more affordable as well, with the prices dropping to 50% of what they were in 2014 and usage increasing 35-fold since 2008 according to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy), and green walls, which have been implemented in designs as simply beautiful botanical walls and also given purposes like growing foods for communities on rooftops or in vertical gardens. Other things can also be considered sustainable design, such as using spaces that may not normally be used (such as rooftops), using LED lights, and incorporating recycled materials into designs. While not every design idea is applicable in every area of the world, some areas may take advantage of good sunlight and orient a building so the sun provides most of the heat, or use natural ventilation by keeping large windows open, or even taking advantage of heavy rain falls by collecting the rain water to be used elsewhere.
Controversy About Sustainable Architecture
While sustainable architecture is now considered “mainstream” and widely accepted, there are still areas that bring up controversy and issues. Perhaps the biggest criticism of sustainable design is that while one area can successfully become environmentally friendly, the efforts are often lost because the “green” qualities of one area cause another to require much less “green” qualities than it normally would. For example, an ArchDaily article points out that “green walls” are not always that sustainable, as they usually leave no room for anything else on the wall, leading to a greater need for artificial lights and/or ventilation. The article also alludes to the idea that resilience may be just as powerful as “green designs” if they do not need to be repaired or updated as often. It has also been argued that while sustainable architecture may be considered mainstream, many architects are really not properly educated on how to incorporate sustainability into their designs, and therefore their designs tend to not be as sustainable as was expected. All in all, the controversy surrounding sustainable architecture tends to not be about whether or not it should be implemented and expected, but whether or not the steps taken toward green designs actually are more environmentally friendly.
When Sustainability Doesn’t Work
Obviously, some types of sustainability are not useful everywhere. If you live north of the arctic circle (or even near it for that matter) solar panels are probably not a convenient source of light and energy, as much of the year is spent in complete darkness. Similarly, if you live in at a higher elevation or in a colder area, it’s probably not helpful to keep wide open spaces in walls for natural ventilation…or to try to collect rain water for reuse in a desert area. As discussed before too, some aspects of a sustainable design may cause a need for a much less environmentally friendly aspect somewhere else in the building, which of course effectively cancels out efforts to make the building sustainable.
Conclusion
Sustainable architecture has become a widely accepted and praised aspect of sustainability as a whole. These designs often come out to be cheaper in the long run, however have faced criticism for not being as green as everyone originally thought. Even so, scientists and designers are constantly considering new ways to create more sustainable designs that truly do reduce environmental impacts, and many ways of recycling materials into new buildings have already been discovered. I hope that in the future the positive effects of sustainable architecture will be undeniable, but in the meantime the topic is certainly interesting and will probably continue to hold the interest of many architects and designers.
Sources:
https://www.thespruce.com/what-is-sustainable-architecture-4846497
The Top 6 Sustainable Architecture Strategies for Public Building Design
https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/solar-energy-united-states#:~:text=Solar%20power%20is%20more%20affordable,million%20average%20American%20homes1.
https://www.archdaily.com/396263/why-green-architecture-hardly-ever-deserves-the-name
https://www.archdaily.com/782905/when-it-comes-to-sustainable-design-architects-still-dont-get-it
https://www.architectmagazine.com/aia-architect/four-decades-of-green-design_o
Images:
https://medium.com/in-kind/sustainable-architecture-sustainability-explained-ea2e76bceb69
https://www.planradar.com/sustainable-architecture/
https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/buildings-prove-sustainable-architecture-high-design-perfect-pair