What Does Sustainable Architecture in 2021 Look Like?
Whenever there's a talk about climate change and sustainability, the discussion usually centers on renewable fuels and carbon emissions. Since this affects the very air we breathe, what we eat and what we drink, it's understandable so much attention focuses on those issues. While these requirements are important, it's also vital we spend time thinking about where we live. Our home and workspaces are no less important than the world around them. They are as much a part of our environment as any forest or meadow. Since we have complete control over them, we should make them as healthy and sustainable as the rest of our surroundings.
The world of architecture has turned its attention squarely to the task of designing sustainable dwellings. What was once an added request or an anomaly is now squarely in the mainstream. Sustainable architecture now gets built as beautifully, daringly and as often as any of its counterparts.
What Is Sustainable Architecture?
Sustainable architecture is building and design that bases its methods on principles that meet “the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” It does this through choices about building materials, energy consumption, human resources, and construction methods. The goal is to plan and build sensibly, using all your creative skill, while having a positive or neutral affect upon the natural environment. The phenomenon of embracing sustainable creativity is a global development supported by strong institutional cooperation. In the United States architect Brian Carlson, lead designer at JLG Architects says, “There's a desire for sustainability. We're seeing it within the broader architectural community – the American Institute of Architects has instituted a framework for design excellence, which includes many of these sustainable principles as part of this design strategy.”
How Do You Measure Sustainability?
There is a small amount of subjective reasoning attached to measurements of sustainability. For the most part, however, it is easy to determine hard critical data once you've set a fixed number of goals. There are credible, reputable organizations that set definable criteria to judge if a structure meets a standard of sustainability. Though none of these entities work together officially many of their parameters do overlap. Some of these organizations target their services specifically to their home countries, while others see themselves as international in scope. Five of these organizations are listed below. These aren't the only important entities that measure and rate sustainability, but they are representative of the standards and capabilities such organizations try to achieve.
WELL – WELL is a certification program managed by the International WELL Building Institute in New York City. It is mostly concerned with occupancy health and well-being. It has building prerequisites and preconditions for receiving a certification from the organization. To date is has almost four thousand registered projects and two hundred thirty-two awarded certifications.
BREEAM - The Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method is the oldest green building rating system. It has certified more than half a million projects in over fifty countries. It was created in 1990 and focuses on sustainability, building performance and efficiency.
LEED – The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is based in the United States and has representation in most of the fifty states. LEED has four certification levels. They focus on nine areas to award their certificates. LEED has registered more than eighty thousand projects and certified more than fifty thousand of them.
Green Star – Green Star is primarily used in Australia and South Africa. They are mainly concerned with energy usage and material selection. They assess a variety of building types and have certified in excess of fourteen hundred fifty projects.
BEAM PLUS – This certification entity is based in Hong Kong, and is managed by the Hong Kong Business Environment Council. The organization believes in education about sustainability and seeks to extend its reach beyond the Hong Kong area.
Examples Of Sustainable Architecture
Here are four fine examples of sustainable architecture from around the world. Each design has a particular function that manages to depict beauty while achieving practicality and eco-friendly standards.
Weekend House Nové Hamry! is a cabin in the Carpathians, designed by the Czech Studio NEW HOW Architects. The design was inspired by the spruce trees surrounding it. It has shades of gray and dark green. The roof and much of the rest of the exterior is covered in durable aluminum cladding. It has a sloping, angular roof to accommodate the heavy snowfall of the area. There are connecting points for solar panels and wind turbines on the structure. The interiors are bright and warm and look upon a spectacular landscape.
The Belltown Collective in Seattle, Washington is located in an historic neighborhood. It is the creation of Evolution Projects in association with architect Robert Hutchinson and Metis Construction. The building was originally finished in 1908. It was transformed from a neighborhood retail hub into a redeveloped ten thousand square-foot tenant improvement work. New flooring and custom steel complement the restored original wood and facade. Original ceiling joists and finishing details were updated and exposed to showcase the vintage nature of the building. The entire structure was updated to bring it into full sustainability compliance.
The Argyle is a five story building in Grand Forks, South Dakota. It has been under construction since late spring 2020 and is a project of JLG Architects. It has three top floors of residential space, a bottom retail space, and JLG's new offices on the second floor. The building will be LEED certified. It has generous amounts of glass, right angles and attractive curves. It maximizes the use of daylight, has a solar array on the roof, and uses water to cool the building throughout the day and night.
The Seaholm Power Plant in Austin Texas is an historic site that was built in the 1950's and decommissioned in 1996. In the early 2000's the city commissioned a redevelopment team, led by Capitol Property Management, to revitalize and repurpose the property for public and cultural use. The team took nine years and thirteen million dollars to remove hazardous materials, restructure certain areas and install sustainable fixtures. By the time they finished, the 7.8 acre development was LEED Gold certified and home to thirty stories of residential space.
