#1. client buy-in > $$$ or the perception of $$$, even if actual costs may be comparable.
seems to me that sustainable building advancement will continue to be made in academic environments, firms with r+d departments, and firms that will bet the store on this being their path to recognition.
the conventional firm finds it hard to invest the time on their own ticket and it's a rare client who will pony up to let them do the necessary research. if a firm is only successful in selling the idea of building sustainably to one or two clients every year or so, they're unlikely to get a facility with it that comes from beating the initial learning curve and allows them to make any money or produce forward-thinking and high-performing results.
for these reasons, and despite the fact that i agree that it's not much of an encouragement for the pushing-forward of sustainable/ecological/holistic thinking about building, i think that the leed system has provided a great service. by systematizing sustainable building, it has made it easier for conventional firms to 1) sell it, 2) quantify it, 3) describe it to their clients and consultants, 4) know how they're doing relative to a larger profession-wide understanding of sustainable practices.
only some will be able to push the limits, but leed gives the rest of us a tool to do the best we can.
Additionally, manufacturers are starting to see it as a way of differentiating themselves. With more "green" wannabe's out there on the manufacturing side, it makes it easier for us to specify better projects.
On another note, greenbuilding.com reports that an internal study at HOK found that their "sustainable" projects were 25% more profitable than their standard fare. Unfortunately they didn't look into why they were more profitable, my guess is more focus on coordination and front end work. In my sustainable work, I have found it easier to tell a client, you can't do that it will totally screw up the "green" goals. This has helped minimize spontaneous changes that hurt my bottom line.
J
Yes, things are happening, fast. Except that we are short of people representing the architectural community!
If you (plural) live anywhere near SF in June of next year, I strongly recommend that you sign up for the 5th symposia for DE Summit on Sustainability! I will write more about this later when the conference ends and I have more energy to spare...
Meantime, something to ponder - paradigm between 1) efficient use of existing resources and 2) innovation of 'efficient' renewables?
is the big issue as everybody jumps on the band wagon of sustainability.
Some stuff to read- Ian McHarg's 'Design with Nature'; Bill McDonough 'Cradle to Cradle', and look at the website for Pliny Fisk's Center for Maximum Building Potential (www.cmpbs.org) in Austin.
Oh, join COTE & the local USGBC chapter.
GREENBUILD in denver this november is another place to get overloading with ideas.
Aug 29, 06 11:38 am ·
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sustainability
allo all,
so i don't know much about sustainability but wanted to investigate further.
- what are the toughest / most important hurdles and issues?
- is anything being done in terms of making the process affordable or comparable to common practice?
i see glimpses of articles getting more common, but im just wondering is there is anything really being done to move it foward?
or any misc thoughts on it?
thanks!
toughest hurdles/issues:
#1. client buy-in > $$$ or the perception of $$$, even if actual costs may be comparable.
seems to me that sustainable building advancement will continue to be made in academic environments, firms with r+d departments, and firms that will bet the store on this being their path to recognition.
the conventional firm finds it hard to invest the time on their own ticket and it's a rare client who will pony up to let them do the necessary research. if a firm is only successful in selling the idea of building sustainably to one or two clients every year or so, they're unlikely to get a facility with it that comes from beating the initial learning curve and allows them to make any money or produce forward-thinking and high-performing results.
for these reasons, and despite the fact that i agree that it's not much of an encouragement for the pushing-forward of sustainable/ecological/holistic thinking about building, i think that the leed system has provided a great service. by systematizing sustainable building, it has made it easier for conventional firms to 1) sell it, 2) quantify it, 3) describe it to their clients and consultants, 4) know how they're doing relative to a larger profession-wide understanding of sustainable practices.
only some will be able to push the limits, but leed gives the rest of us a tool to do the best we can.
Additionally, manufacturers are starting to see it as a way of differentiating themselves. With more "green" wannabe's out there on the manufacturing side, it makes it easier for us to specify better projects.
On another note, greenbuilding.com reports that an internal study at HOK found that their "sustainable" projects were 25% more profitable than their standard fare. Unfortunately they didn't look into why they were more profitable, my guess is more focus on coordination and front end work. In my sustainable work, I have found it easier to tell a client, you can't do that it will totally screw up the "green" goals. This has helped minimize spontaneous changes that hurt my bottom line.
J
Yes, things are happening, fast. Except that we are short of people representing the architectural community!
If you (plural) live anywhere near SF in June of next year, I strongly recommend that you sign up for the 5th symposia for DE Summit on Sustainability! I will write more about this later when the conference ends and I have more energy to spare...
Meantime, something to ponder - paradigm between 1) efficient use of existing resources and 2) innovation of 'efficient' renewables?
DZUY and the rest u might also want to check this which was posted by Finoki a couple of weeks ago and i founded quite interesting:
Are Squatter Communities Sustainable?
is the big issue as everybody jumps on the band wagon of sustainability.
Some stuff to read- Ian McHarg's 'Design with Nature'; Bill McDonough 'Cradle to Cradle', and look at the website for Pliny Fisk's Center for Maximum Building Potential (www.cmpbs.org) in Austin.
Oh, join COTE & the local USGBC chapter.
GREENBUILD in denver this november is another place to get overloading with ideas.
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