Two questions have been asked when thinking about “sustainability” from a building perspective:

Question #1: How far should we take it?

The word sustainability itself is used in many different contexts. It can simply be used when talking about something that will allow a more sustainable economy, such as a dam project in India. However, this way uses only a limited perspective. In order to gain its intended focus, one must take on a larger perspective. Jonathon Porritt, former director of Friends of the Earth, shared his definition of true sustainability when he wrote, “If something is sustainable, it means we can go on doing it indefinitely. If it isn’t, we can’t.”

The purpose of LEED certification is to bring forth environmental issues to work with clients and design teams to reduce a building project’s effect on areas of concern. LEED has been thought of as the training wheels to progress to a higher level of systems thinking. It is meant to inspire the question “What does the next level of green design look like?”

Question #2: How do we realize it?

That would require a shift from conventional to non-conventional in terms of the way we think and do things and also more complex system awareness. This means engineers, architects, and clients working jointly on building designs from the beginning. Sustainable design requires an understanding of the invisible connection between the elements of a building and not just the physical elements. A systems approach has to be a collaborative effort, meaning a move from the design team restricting themselves to “experts” and learning to be “co-learners.” Most green projects that have been successful have been because they allowed their focus to be environmental issues.

The process of incorporating sustainable thinking into any project is not a difficult task, however, accepting that the older conventional practices need to be reconsidered can sometimes be challenging. Change is not an easy thing, but the process of change is actually the most exciting part of moving towards a more sustainable world. Technologies will always be improving in subtle and significant ways.

Resources: www.nais.org

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