A homeowner has a valuable opportunity to contribute to a reduced carbon footprint, and it is the Architect’s responsibility to guide them towards that goal. The degree to which a client builds a sustainable structure is both a personal and a practical one, and requires the evaluation of cost, aesthetics and future benefits much like other decisions throughout the building process. Conversations about subjects like energy efficiency, incorporating sustainable materials and technologies, and minimizing waste are starting to take place in the beginning of the design process. Homeowners and architects are thinking more globally about how to make a difference beginning with their own home.
Ultimately, the goal is to design a beautiful building with an environmentally conscious design solution. There are many aspects to building green and the integration of passive and active solar design strategies is best addressed early in the design process. Passive strategies include consideration of the building’s siting and solar orientation, specialty window glazing, natural cross ventilation for air flow, deep overhangs and deciduous trees to minimize heat gain. Active strategies can include photovoltaics, radiant flooring, on-demand water heating, and grey water recycling systems, with an evaluation of these and other available technologies and their costs. Green practices also include recycling demolition and construction waste, using FSC Certified Wood that is reclaimed or harvested from sustainably managed forests, specifying energy efficient lighting such as LED’s, using low flow water fixtures, and using paints and sealers with low VOC’s (volatile organic compounds). In the landscape, using drip irrigation, permeable paving to reduce runoff, and drought tolerant and native species plantings all contribute to building green. Deconstruction, the process of carefully dismantling a home for reuse and donation in lieu of traditional demolition, not only diverts waste from landfill but also can result in significant tax savings.
The green movement is changing and developing rapidly. While the LEED rating system is by now a recognizable term to many homeowners, there are other effective rating systems, such as Build It Green, being developed and used to promote the same goals. While minimum standards of energy efficiency have long been built into the permit process (Title 24 Energy calculations), the state of California adopted mandatory green building codes known as Cal Green. Some cities are now requiring Net Zero Energy (NZE) compliance for new residential construction, where a home produces as much energy as it consumes over a year. There is an abundance of green websites, conferences, and blogs to keep homeowners and professionals learning and engaged in the movement. The opportunities for tax credits and rebates are increasingly being made available. A program called Architecture 2030 issued the 2030 Challenge, a breakthrough vision that calls for all new buildings, developments, and major renovations to be carbon-neutral by 2030. Ultimately, sustainability is a key element of the architecture profession’s approach to design in the 21st century.
Read more about Diane Waingrow AIA Pacific Palisades Architect