My Working Definition:
Elizabeth Redmond considers a sustainable design to be when you use the energy that humans already put off, meaning their kinetic energy, and use that towards a design that would take advantage of the energy and actually use it. She has designed an installment for sidewalks that uses the energy from people as they walk across and play with it. She designed this installment to function off of the wasted energy that we humans use by simply walking.
LEED is known as the The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. They provide builders and constructors with the appropriate tools to build environmentally friendly structures. LEED is all for the green houses that are built in a sustainable manner. The image below is of the Ripple Rock Elementary School who hired the LEED company to help build them a sustainable school. The ventilation system was designed so that the air flowed slowly instead of just blowing into the rooms. This helped with the reduction use of energy. LEED would consider sustainable design to reduces the energy used and to use it wisely.
Sources: metropolismag.com
Matt and Tina Ford, designers and architects, have designed a series of homes that are site specific for Houston, Texas. These homes have been designed in a way that they retract the extremely hot heat that the sun gives off in Texas. The purpose being that they are trying to reduce that amount of air conditioning that is being used. The walls have been described as having a tin foil effect wrapped around the exterior. This being the device that makes the sun bounce back off and not bring heat into the house. The singles on the roof do the exact same function. Matt Ford has been quoted saying, "The greenest thing you can do is a tight design." With this he is means the best thing that can be designed in a sustainable way is to design everything in a way that energy is being used in an efficient way. Take advantage of the power that the sun gives off, reduces the energy that is being used in side the house.
Source: www.dwell.com
Gensler Architects are all for sustainable design. They are known for designing the first office building to be considered a green design. They used raised flooring, air systems beneath the floor, natural day light, a natural ventilation, and shading done in a solar manner. I would consider this to be their personal definition and approaches to sustainable design because they seem to use these techniques to accomplish a sustainable design. With this said the considered using good quality air indoors when they designed dwellings.
Source: www.gensler.com
The drawing represents the perfect house by the standards that the Sustainable Design Group has created. As labeled in the picture of the house they suggest to use solar panels, a solar oven for the kitchen, a rain water collection container, a waterless toilet, solar hot water, a compressed brick wall, and a natural ventilation cooling system. The Earth Home and the company which created it claims that they offer affordable, comfortable, healthy, durable, hurricane and earthquake proof, fire proof, fire proof, termite proof, energy efficient, self sufficient and environmentally sustainable. Through all of these words is how this company considers sustainable design to be defined. I actually can not imagine how it would be to live and function in a house like this. It would be quite a change from what most of us are used to.Source: www.sustainabledesign.com
The General Services Administration's Sustainable Design Program defines designing a sustainable dwelling as the reduction of the consumption of non-renewable resources, the minimizing of waste, and a creation of a productive environment. Their mission is to basically better the environment through several different tactics that include water conservation, and better the quality of the indoor environment. They also consider sustainable design to reduce all of the negative aspects of the environment.
Source: www.gsa.gov
HOK, a design firm that displays sustainable dwellings, claims that they please their clients through a environmentally responsible design. I have found that most of these companies and firms all have the same approach to sustainable design because they are all for bettering the environment. Like the others researched above HOK has certain goals that define their approach to this situation. They included limiting the consumption of resources, improving the building performance, and promoting health.
"Nearly a hundred years ago we made a promise-that we would act as stewards of the environment. Since then, we've been dedicated to serving our customers in a way that never becomes a disservice to our planet. We believe that, big or small, every action that safeguards and retores the environment is significant. By inspiring lasting, meaningful action we can all benefit from lasting, meaningful results."
The above quote was said by the James P. Hackett, the president and chief executive officer of Steelcase. I think by this quote defines their approach towards sustainable design because they describe it as any action that can be taken to better the environment.
Source: Steelcase brochure
The Scarpa and Brooks firm is built under the structure of a married couple. While designing a house for themselves they decided that they were going to see how they could best apply their knowledge of green design. With this knowledge they created a solar powered structure that looked like a very high end design but also a house that paid very little bills because of the solar power. This couple sees the solar architecture to be the solution to sustainable design, also known as green design. Their definition would be that sustainable design would be taking the advantage of the sun and benefit from the energy it puts up.
Source: www.dwell.com
An artist named Vigil and his wife Brandy LeMae, a designer decided that they were going to build themselves a house and they decided that they wanted to be sustainable and environmentally friendly. They describe sustainability to be using materials of the environment and not using by-products instead that will gradually destroy the environment. This couple also used pre-cut and manufactured wood. I think their approach is a very useful approach and I think others should take more advantage of it.
Source: www.dwell.com
1 comment:
Excellent blog entry.
The challenge is to blend sustainable design, with architecturally appealing and interesting design.
A house without windows may be more energy efficient than a house with windows, but which would you rather live in?
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