Green Wednesday 2006.1122

[Kevin]

Dear Designers, Builders, and Dwellers,

Green Wednesday, by the editors of ArchitectureWeek, brings you weekly news on green design and building from around the world.

Why is it so unseemly when green building people - people in the "green building industry" as we may be starting to say - are crassly self-promotional, misleading, and otherwise ill-spoken?

"So, from my office window here in Denver, I just saw
one of those "mobile billboards" driving around
advertising some sort of green building solution firm." [1]

One point of view is that these contradictions - up to and including the Vinyl Institute power-move on the USGBC - are positive, that they are signs of a maturing in "the industry" that is essential for it to achieve the scope necessary for real quantitative impact on our sustainability challenges.

Another point of view is that the very essence of green design and building requires moving business-as-usual to the higher level of triple-bottom-line sustainability, where social and environmental reciprocality are held to account, and greenwashing, manipulative marketing, and environmental hypocrisy are really not acceptable.

We say, hang on to your sense of what seems right, and what doesn't. We shouldn't jump too easily to conclusions, nor too readily vilify those who fall short, but neither should we countenance attempts to trade in ethics.

On Thursday, among our natural and personal blessings, let's give thanks for having them.


GreenBuild Highlights
--------------------------------------------------------

Building Sector Is Foundation of U.S. Climate Change Solutions - All American Patriots, 2006.1117
http://www.allamericanpatriots.com/m-news+article+storyid-17112.html

On the Floor of GreenBuild Expo - Grist, 2006.1116
http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2006/11/15/235443/96

Green Building: The View from Here - World Changing, 2006.1118
http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/005366.html

GreenBuild Denver: Opening Day - Inhabitat blog, 2006.1116
http://www.inhabitat.com/2006/11/16/greendbuild-denver-opening-day/
[1] follow-up comment to this blog entry


Green and Sustainable Design and Building News This Week
--------------------------------------------------------

GreenBuild Denver: Women in Green - Inhabitat blog, 2006.1122
Designhttp://inhabitat.com/2006/11/22/greenbuild-denver-the-chemistry-of-green-building-materials/

Manufacturers Commit to Green Chemistry - Interior Design, 2006.1121
http://www.interiordesign.net/id_newsarticle/CA6393685.html

Building Green in DC - World Changing, 2006.1120
http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/005374.html

Green Building Takes Root in New Condos - The Globe and Mail, 2006.1120
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20061020.DIGS20/TPStory/Environment

ASHRAE, Canada Green Building Council to Partner - ASHRAE Press Release, 2006.1120
http://www.automatedbuildings.com/releases/nov06/061120092808ashrae.htm

Building Idealism with 'Green,' Affordable Home Designs - The Plain Dealer, 2006.1119
http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/entertainment/1163843993251970.xml&coll=2

Steelcase Cubicle Wins Certification - Grand Rapids Press, 2006.1116
http://www.mlive.com/business/grpress/index.ssf?/base/business-4/1163692221130480.xml&coll=6

State of the Arctic: Warming, with Widespread Melting - International Herald Tribune, 2006.1116
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/11/16/america/NA_GEN_US_Arctic.php

Clients Pushing AEC to Go Green - Cadalyst, 2006.1116
http://aec.cadalyst.com/aec/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=386367

Fungal Contamination Guidelines - Middle East Economic & Engineering Forum, 2006.1115
http://www.eng-forum.com/articles/articles/air_quality.htm

Greenbuild Conference Offsets Emissions and Is Cleaner - Leonardo Academy Press Release, 2006.1115
http://www.csrwire.com/PressRelease.php?id=6860

Oregon Engineering - ArchitectureWeek, 2006.1115
http://www.architectureweek.com/2006/1115/environment_1-1.html

Beautiful Parking - ArchitectureWeek, 2006.1115
http://www.architectureweek.com/2006/1115/design_1-1.html


People and Places This Week -
Beijing - Olympics "Watercube" by PTW Architects forgoes a standard heating system
http://www.ArchitectureWeek.com/2006/1115/people_and_places.html

Green Building Forum
http://arch.DesignCommunity.com/forum-22.html
Architecture Forum
http://www.designcommunity.com/forums/forum-6.html
Architecture Students Forum
http://www.designcommunity.com/forums/forum-13.html
Construction Forum
http://www.designcommunity.com/forums/forum-14.html
Jobs Board, Design and Building Products and Services
http://marketplace.designcommunity.com/

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Current ArchWeek contents and RSS:
http://www.ArchitectureWeek.com/2006/1115/contents.html

Five years ago in ArchitectureWeek:
A Stylish Sustainability, by Alice Kimm
http://www.architectureweek.com/2001/1114/environment_1-1.html

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Kevin Matthews
Editor in Chief
ArchitectureWeek

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[TJCaine]

The sustainable movement in society is an intricate and interesting shift in pace and direction for a number of fields. Given that buildings contribute up to 45% of energy consumption in the US, it is no surprise that our field is inherently linked to its further stages of evolution. I think some of the perspective discrepancies arise from the fact that different groups view the movement through a different lenses that revolve around where the line of its influence ends.

The opposition or unbelievers look upon it as a fad... a successor of the 60's and eco-friendly goals of saving the world. Were this the case, their pessimism would be warranted. For most, sustainability is still viewed as a cost, mostly because ironically some of the most popular sustainability icons or systems are some of the least efficicent. A perfect example is solar panels. What has developed into a very "green" action is actually far from the hallmark of the sustainability movement and falls short of exemplifying the limits of our capabilities. At the end of the day, solar power just isn't there as a viable, cost-efficient form of power, but it's easily recognizable. So, the business owner/corporate entity/movie star will slap up some panels knowing they'll gain recognition but little actual results.

The next may view it as more of a style--a view of some repute and recognition but more of applied entity than a conscious position and way of life. A lot of the green-washing comes from this arena. Members of this belief track will admit that a certain amount of expectation will arise that demands a base level of efficiency and environmental response in the future and that it's not a terrible thing.

After this we have the the -uber-eco-believers. This is where the movement overlaps with environmentalism. Comprised of people who truly believe that it is our position to respond responsibly to the natural environment. The difference, for better or worse, is that environmentalism is an ideal. Ideals can sacrifice most other things (wealth, lifestyle, existing laws, etc.) in order to achieve a goal. This, of course, is where this group finds its resistence, primarily from the proceeding two, who way environmental goals as secondary to other aspects of society and business.

The last, and growing, group is one that sees sustainability as a new societal cornerstone. Sustinability can be more than a methodology or a building style. Sustainability can rise to be a source of new business, a new industrial base for our country that produces new levels of employment and standards of living. While many people see environmental stewardship as a cost, a sacrifice that counters the effects of a guilty conscience, the truth is that it is an opportunity for efficicency and interconnected networks of living, working and production that can pay dividends in many different forms (including monetary compensation.)

Again, the last option proposes that sustainability's influence goes beyond buildings and billboards, posters and promotions, buying acres of forest and the "feel good" feeling of doing good for the earth. Instead, there is an opportunity to alter the way we operate as a country--and that doesn't mean a reversion to grass huts and communes, but instead the source of a growth movement in industry and technology that rivals the rise of the steel industry.

For all the press that sustainability is drawing, I think it is still in its infant stages of development nd evolution. It is only so long before cost and philanthropy is replaced with opportunity and necessity in the eyes and hearts of the people.

[csintexas]

Pretty good characterization TJCain. I would put myself in the last group. "Green" is such a new concept that it will take us a while to get a handle on it.
I am pretty pleased with the rate at which the last group is growing.