…or for Good

In a sustainable culture buildings will once again be seen as part of a beautiful place from planetary biomes to specific sites. These buildings will be part of a cyclic flow of materials and energy in an environment without seams or waste.

—Robert Haggard

The Village Homes subdivision in Davis, California, used proper solar orientation to reduce energy use for heating and cooling 50 percent back in the 1970s. The 500,000-square-foot ING bank in the Netherlands cost little more than conventional construction, but uses less than one-tenth as much energy, and absenteeism is 15 percent lower. A sustainably designed factory complex helped double worker productivity for the Herman Miller Corporation in Holland, Michigan. A very modest retrofit of a standard office building in San Diego reduced seasonal energy use for heating and cooling 70 percent and improved the comfort of those working there.

Pacala and Socolow, 2004

Wolken Education Center, Los Altos Hills, CA

Energy reduction by a passive design:
73 percent.
The inclusion of a photovoltaic roof with the electric grid intertie results in a zero-energy building on a yearly basis.

Fig. 0.3. We all use buildings, and if they are designed right they can improve health and security and provide an effective and proactive approach to reducing global climate disruption.

Increasing attention has been paid to sustainable building as a result of the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) program and other green building evaluation programs. While more green buildings are being built, they are only pale green and often perform little better than the buildings they replace, for they often neglect the most elementary feature of sustainable design: using the sun and climate resources for heating and cooling.

The benefits of sustainable design include comfort, health, economy, security and safety during power outages, as well as reduced impact on the planet. A well-designed building will keep its occupants warm in winter and cool in summer even when the power goes off. A sustainably designed building will also be able to provide emergency water supplies from its rainwater harvesting systems during a water-main break or natural disaster. And a passive solar water heater will provide hot water for showers and cleaning even when the power is off.

Building sustainable buildings has never been easier. Improved sensors and control systems can increase building thermal performance and resource use by better managing fans, pumps, valves, vents, shades, lights, and blinds, as well as making it easier to monitor buildings. Replacing the hidden mechanical meters used for energy and water with highly visible and easy-to-read water and energy meters in the lobby, living room, or as a display on your computer makes it much easier to understand and optimize building performance.

Better accounting that takes the true costs of a building—throughout its life cycle—into consideration is critical to make it clear that sustainable buildings are the best choice. When health and productivity are added to the mix, sustainable buildings are the best buy! Improving accounting for all costs is not going to be easy, as those who benefit from current subsidies are loath to give them up. But growing awareness of global warming, resource shortages, and energy insecurity are adding pressure for change.

A well-designed and well-constructed building should require minimal mechanical cooling, heating, and ventilation systems and limited artificial light during the day. And it can be built with renewable, locally sourced materials, which in turn can be manufactured and maintained without toxic chemicals. The built environment can become a source of satisfaction and joy rather than a polluting and often toxic prison. People enjoy sustainable buildings. They improve the quality of life. And sustainable designs add value from increased productivity from improved working and learning conditions. This book will help you find your path to sustainability!