Sustainability? Huh?

Defining sustainability has become a fashion in this new environmental era... many take a shot at what sustainability means to them... some fail miserably and some really do come up with some good perspective.... I tried my luck too...

Some where I read about architectural value and how a design brings out that...

the stars aligned and something clicked.... I have my definition of "sustainable design"

take a deep breath before you read the next line... pretty intense...

"Sustainable design is a design that seeks maximum architectural value with minimum environmental impact"

I was under the impression that this works for any industry dealing with sustainability... say I am computer manufacturer... to me a sustainable design in my industry would seek maximum value out of everything (people, products, time etc...) with minimum environmental impact...

so this works for any body... but my perspective changed... infact my perspective realigned with my inner conscious bringing that out to the surface when I ran into a book called "Natural Capitalism". Amory Lovins... man he is a genius...

Now my old definition of sustainable design might still stay valid in some respects... but it does not satisfy my inner self...

On a search I framed this....

Sustainability is something (which I am yet to find) that goes beyond the triple bottom line - POEPLE, PLANET, PROFIT

Lets take a deeper look...

Triple bottom line... what does that mean to an architect?

An architectural design needs to address how it enriches the quality of use of the designed space - it should talk to the PEOPLE who are using that space - do the people feel comfortable? invigorated? Relaxed??? or scared??

Also an architectural design should consider its impacts on mother earth - in analyzing the need for a new space (that's the most sustainable thing you could do - don't build anything new that's not needed); in choosing the materials and products - hence being kind to the PLANET...

And last but not least... architectural business is no pro bono... as much an architect dreams to create the next great wonder... he needs to make sure he can wake up after almost close to an all-nighter and be able to afford to stay in his house... so PROFIT.... but profitability is not just for the self - an architect should involve in how profitable his design could be for all the players in the team... it seldom happens.. but something to consider in future..

So is that it? If an architect listens to the clients' needs and designs a space that makes them happy, is good for the planet and profitable for everybody involved... is that it????

I just can't settle for that...

That's why I think sustainability goes beyond the triple bottom line...

Will explore and share more later..

Is NEW GREEN = the CLASSIC GREEN?

Yarite - stands for "Yeah right?" - is a very inquisitive fictional character

Utopian - A part of me that believes everything is possible. Based on the new science... everything is a matter of probability... and this part of me believes that I can create this probable future - with the right intention and right attitude.

Yarite: NEW GREEN? what the heck is that?

Utopian: Mother earth... since the dawn of human kind everybody loved her always... respected her for her nature/behaviour, because many of her actions were unexplainable... all respected her out of fear and love - she is the most beautiful, known to mankind... and we still do love and respect her...

but slowly mankind started working with her... making certain assumptions on how she would respond and correcting their method of predictions to increase the probablity... mankind saw many other fellow earth dwelling species bite the dust - succumb to the forces of nature - this brought the notion of protecting oneself from mother's elements... guess what... innovation... when in dire need... you can do anything to survive... thus mankind still survives... found several ways to protect itself from the elements...

Somewhere along the history of great inventions... mankind ran into OIL... boy who in the world thought that will change the face of mother earth for centuries to follow...

OIL - is an amazing resource... gave the power to protect us from not only the elements but also from our own mankind... mankind acquired many habits from other species all along his history from sharing to fighting...

With this new power and a thought that "we know how mother earth works", there came this incerdible notion that mankind can not only protect itself from the elements but also CONTROL them!!

Mankind started doing funny things from here on... mankind fought amongst itslef to prove this point... many things happened... guess what... mankind thought they could control mother earth with their developed understandings of her... but eveytime they made a move... mother earth responded differently... until now it has always been a missed target...

recently after several attempts mankind started to believe that we just have to work with her... nourish her... respect her... inturn work with ourselves.. nourish ourselves... respect ourselves...

This notion grew not out of insecurity but out of hope.. that we can be in sink with mother earth when we work with her using the tools we have accrued so far in our history... it is possible... it is possible to use her forces for the good by respecting and acknowledging that she does have a force...

This is the new wave of love on mother earth... on ourselves... and thats the tag name NEW GREEN!!

Yarite: Jeez!.. all I asked was what does NEW GREEN mean... not for a thesis!! anyway... be precise and say what the heck is CLASSIC GREEN...

Utopian: Ever since mankind thought whatever he had for himslef - was for himslef and whatever his buddy had was also for himslef... they started trading... trading possessions... then some cool dude said we have got to have some common ground for trading... they came up with "money"... the look of money has had several revisions... recently its all in green... hence the CLASSIC GREEN.

Yarite: thanks for being short... now why in the world do you think these two greens could be the same when they stand for completely opposite notions...

Utopian: NEW GREEN is all about new opportunities... mankind has found that in respecting mother earth... nourishing her... loving her... there's lot of new tools to be invented... lot of new markets - avenues to be explored... lot of CLASSIC GREEN is one of the by-products....

This is not a hypotheseis... this is happening... take GE, they have their ECO Line products, take GM, they have their new line of ethanol vehicles.... take Walmart, they fixing their moral responsibilty with GREEN buildings and it makes economical sense too... change is happening and there are lot of ways to get back in track with mother earth... and along side mankind says "hey lets make some GREEN out of this GREEN"

Yarite: Huh!! interesting... now what the heck is a GREEN Building??