Unlike many of my classmates thinking green design is relatively new for me, some of this may seem too simplistic... any feedback would be great!
High priority
- Reduce light pollution - limiting the amount of light being generated by our buildings during the night time hours.
- Increase usage of natural lighting - better learning environment and reduced energy usage - utilize indirect lighting almost exclusively when artificial light is required.
- Improve indoor air quality - health of occupants, reduced medical problems of building occupants.
Lower priority
- More efficient use of water and reduce waste production - reduce need for fresh water from outside resources, natural waterways.
- Reduce heat signature of building - decrease contribution to high urban temperatures.
- Reduce energy usage and emissions from building - conservation of natural resources and decreased effects upon the atmosphere. Healthier outdoor urban air quality.
*note - program updated as of 8.20.07
9 comments:
Rick... I love your "reduce light pollution" priority... Where I live in Maine, the sky is gorgeous at night, flooded with stars... growing up south of Boston, I don't remember seeing skys like this... it is a very important goal, and even more so in this type of urban setting...
I am new to this too! I think the reduction of heat signature and light pollution are great goals, especially if our site is somewhere in the heart of Boston or the Back Bay.
Thanks for the encouragement guys. Pretty much things that irritate me about the built environment. Another example is the flourescent light fixture... hate the light that they give off. Can't seem to escape them. It's probably the main reason I haven't installed any of the energy efficient flourescent bulbs in my home. I need to learn more about them...
Rick,
Why are these issues/strategies important to you? I think you will have an easier time managing your green program once you answer that question.
To be perfectly honest with you Tim. I do not know that they truly are important issues for me. Green design is important to our industry, our clients, the world, etc. but I have not made a personal/career commitment to it. I think that the approaches are sound basis for strong design - not just green design for the sake of green design. I am most interested in the effects upon the end user and not necessarily someone's thoughts opinions etc. are on global warming. I understand some of the basic facts, but I mentioned earlier that I need to form an opinion of my own, which I readily admit I have not done yet. The media in this country is a tricky beast full of misinformation and half truths that focus on the bad. Al Gore and Michael Moorer (sp?) are full of it, in my humble opinion. Not that they are necessarily wrong, I just disagree with the image they present and the manner in which they communicate... woh... starting to rant a bit... hehe
Thanks for the feedback Tim, appreciate it.
Its good to rant. Your developing your opinion; keep thinking it through but don't be discouraged by the messengers you noted. They overdramatise thier issues, which in my humble opinion, is distasteful to a more sofisticated and educated audience but very effective with the much larger less sophisticated voting public. Take the politics out of the issue and look at it again.
Absolutely, I am not a politcal person they were just ready examples. Political views would not sway my opinion in regards to green design. I want to learn and understand for myself and not do it just for the sake of doing it... not that anyone here is.
Rick,
I have a somewhat different take on the whole al gore issue, i dont necessarily agree with you saying its a political thing. I watched his documentary (An Inconvient Truth) for Herb's class, I would argue that his stance is far from political, more of an informative message for the masses. Anyways, I wont bore you with all the details, but you might want to give it a viewing, its quite interesting. Not comment on michael moore.
Thanks for the info Joe. Like I said before, Al Gore and Michael Moore were just ready examples that came to mind.
I don't think his stance is a politcal one either. Sorry if I gave that impression. I would rather read the studies for myself and draw my own conclussions. There is so much information out there, alot of which is conflicting. Some claim that global warming exists, others don't etc.
Until I make the commitment to studying the topic. I reserve my opinions and thus passion about green design. But one thing is for sure Al Gore is not who I would turn to learn about the environment... but that's just me.
After all of this has been said, I must add one last thing... I do think that green design is important and in fact an imperative for architects and the construction industry. Problems exist. Being able to design buildings that contribute in a positive manner to the environment is our responsibility.
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