Readying Tomorrow’s Architects For The Challenges Of Sustainable Building Design
By Scott Kriner, Green Metal Consulting
It’s been estimated that 80% of a product’s environmental impact can be determined in the design stage. This is no different in building design. The building industry is looking to designers to lower the impact of the construction phase, the products used, and the long-term operation of structures. Where are these designers? How will tomorrow’s architects become versed in sustainable building design?
Sustainability has been synonymous with “green” for some time. We know that there are big differences between the two words. ASTM defines sustainability as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. The “green” market is but one part of an overall sustainability program. And sustainability is definitely becoming more of a Main Street concept. This is especially true as we watch WalMart getting closer to introducing their Sustainability Index on all of their products sold in the stores. One of WalMart’s environmental goals is to cut 20 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions from their supply chain in five years.
To answer the question of how tomorrow’s architects will be equipped to deal in a sustainable world, I traveled to Philadelphia University where my older son is studying Architecture. Actually, the visit was an impromptu thought I had while driving nearby.
As many of you know, stopping in unannounced to see your son or daughter at college can prove to be very interesting – for parent and student. But this visit was a pleasure. My son met me on campus and took me to the design studio where he has been practically living, eating and sleeping for the past four years. There I saw the project he was currently working on. It included a very large and impressive 3-D topographical model of a large wooded area and the models of a dwelling and observation building set in the wooded terrain. Next stop was the computer lab where the Revit images of the structures were revealed, with my son talking about the BIM features of the software. The design of the building included natural ventilation, passive solar heating, sustainable site considerations, natural daylighting and rapidly renewable products. Needless to say, I was a very proud father that afternoon.
Philadelphia University is no different than many other architectural schools across the country. As the green building market emerged, universities adapted by introducing more and more curricula in the field. Colleges began to award Masters degrees in Sustainable Building Design as part of their Architecture programs.
An article in a recent issue of Sustainable Industries magazine showcased several colleges, universities and institutes that had introduced these types of classes and degrees. A list of college courses offered in today’s Architecture program includes titles such as:
• Productivity and Health of Buildings
• Urban Agriculture
• Environmental Economics
• Building Performance Modeling
• Bio Mimicry
• Green Packaging
• Business Case for Sustainability
Dozens of colleges and universities also offer “green chemistry” programs and even provide Ecological Design certification programs. Today’s schools of Architecture offer a variety of themes such as Landscape Architecture, Planning and Public Policy, Indoor Design, and Historic Preservation. In fact, my son has expressed an interest in historic preservation and renovation of buildings as the application of his Architecture education.
The Sustainable Building Design concept has transformed the construction market and also the higher education system in this country. There is hope for the future and it’s in the form of the graduating college classes of 2010 and years to come. One can only dream of what today’s young architects will do with new products, new technologies, new systems and new thinking when it comes to the design of tomorrow’s buildings and renovations. I’m confident that our society will see wonderful and amazing structures that will sustain the sustainable building design concept.
Scott Kriner, MCA's Technical Director, is the president and founder of Green Metal Consulting Inc. He is a LEED Accredited Professional who began his career in the metal construction industry in 1981. His company is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, the California Association of Building Energy Consultants and the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET). Scott can be reached by email at skriner1@verizon.net, or by phone at (610) 966-2430. You can also visit him on the web at www.greenmetalconsulting.com.
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