Sustainable design is the smart and subtle way of utilizing modern building methods and materials to achieve a more intelligent building, while using fewer resources and recycling more waste. It is not simply a trend, nor is it only a marketing tool for 21st century developments, but rather sustainable design is a conscientious decision by an architect to take measures to protect the environment, lessen utility costs, and ensure a longer lasting product in the end. The future of Earth can only be looked after by those who inhabit it, and therefore sustainability has become the most important idea today in the field of science and design. Like with many building standards, each country has its own method of measurement and evaluation to the level of sustainability achieved, and because of globalization, there have been several different international standards competing for international recognition and control over the green design process. The three methods to be studied here are BREEAM, LEED, and ESTIDAMA, each presently in use today, and each with its own strengths and weaknesses. BREEAM, the Building Research Establishment's Environmental Assessment Method was created in 1990, to cover the United Kingdom, but subsequently expanding to include several countries around the globe, and was last updated significantly in the year 2008. This building standard requires itself to actively train assessors whose job it is to assess new buildings, refurbished buildings, and new attachments to buildings, and make a conclusion as to its sustainability. The assessor's evaluation is then sent over to the BRE's offices, who then give the final certification. In 2008, a post-construction review was added to the evaluation so that a completion test can determine the efficacy of the green construction, in part because of pressure from LEED's post-construction requirement. In 1998, sustainable design came to the United States with the LEED...
LEED differs from BREEAM in that it is the green building council itself, which makes all assessments to the quality of building sustainability. Accredited Professionals may advise the construction, however they do not make any of the evaluations themselves. These two standards represent the majority of sustainable design development in the world, however a third standard, ESTIDAMA, will be considered as well.
Sustainable Design is Evidence-Based Design Until relatively recently in human history, most buildings would have qualified as "sustainable," in the sense that they did not use fossil fuels for electricity or heating; and buildings were made with local material. Now, the concept of sustainable design is more difficult to implement because it is viewed as not being cost-effective. Evidence shows, however, that sustainable design IS cost-effective when it is done right. The following case
Sustainable Design Biomimicry Biomimicry is the use of the natural environment as a model for the built environment (Goss, 2009). This term was first used by Janine Benyus in 1997, in her book Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature. As a biologist, she was ideally suited to notice how nature 'invents' solutions to challenges presented by the natural environment and how humans do the same. The major difference between the two solutions is
Fair Trade allowed producers to receive a significant price premium, dependent upon world coffee prices and the mainstream markets. Price premiums for farmers promoted social development and strengthened institutional capacities in the area. However, the ability to improve working conditions for workers was limited (Valkila and Nygren 2009). Price premiums were found to be the main benefit for fruit producers involved in a Swiss partnership (Bezencon 2009). Conclusion Fair Trade products
Sustainable Design Sustainable Development Searching for Sustainability When researchers analyzed the global resource flow trends that emerged between 1980 and 2002 they found a 25% worldwide increase in material extraction and natural resource use (Behren, Giljum, Kovanda, and Niza, 2005). The increased material extraction rates were attributed to growing economies in developing nations like China and the growing size of the consumer class in these countries. When compared to trends in economic activity
Sustainability Process in the Design of Construction of Sports Venues In the United States, the construction and operation of sports stadiums create certain numbers of environmental problems. The construction projects including the sports projects consume 60% of the U.S. raw materials yearly. Moreover, the physical facilities in the United States consume 14% of the country's potable water, responsible for 38% of CO2 emissions, 30% of waste output, and 72% of electricity
This essay is on Sustainable design within retail spaces store design (including the physical space of the store, as well as the merchandising fixtures, and products). This paper will explore some different brands that utilize this sustainable design concept. Introduction & Defining the Concept The concept of sustainability is, for the most part, in the eye of the beholder. In theory, sustainability reflects consumption that can be sustained indefinitely, implying that no
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now