Documentation_Books: Beth Hawkins

Smith, Peter 2001, Architecture in a Climate of Change: A Guide to Sustainable Design, Architectural Press, Oxford.

Architecture in a Climate of Change: a Guide to Sustainable Design, focuses on why change is necessary in the way we build that will lead us to a more sustainable building environment. The first part of the book introduces scientific data regarding how the climate changes and the energy crisis have affected us. The author makes tragic predictions regarding the effects of these climate changes as well as the outlook for our current energy sources. The importance of this discussion is to prove that human activity is the causative factor for these negative effects. In the author’s opinion, once the issues are understood, it seems that it would be difficult to escape a commitment to sustainable design. The rest of the book is dedicated to sustainable design techniques recommended by the author to avoid the “apocalyptic prospect of catastrophic climate change” (1).
Under natural conditions the release of carbon into the atmosphere is balanced by the absorption of CO2 by plants. The system would be in equilibrium if it were not for human interference. The main human activity responsible for overturning the balance of the carbon cycle is the burning of fossil fuels and is a large factor in global warming. “There is widespread evidence that changes in the Earth’s climate are occurring at a rate almost unprecedented in the paleo-climatic record” (7).
It is estimated that all the glaciers in the central and eastern Himalayas will disappear by 2035. The rise in sea levels due to melting of ice sheets and glaciers is frightening: 20 feet rise in 25 years. Millions of people live less than three feet above sea level. Salination of agricultural land following storm surges would cause the land to become infertile. Pests and pathogens causing fatal diseases are already migrating to more temperate areas. In addition to these natural events, the exponential increase in world populations exacerbates all of these critical situations.
The author addresses the outlook on fossil fuels consumption and their supply. “The world is one huge combustion engine which consumes 74 million barrels of oil a day to keep it running presently” (16). Even the oil companies are starting to become aware of this crisis and researching alternative energy sources. One of the most effective ways of remedying this crisis lies with the built environment. Reason being, “buildings in use or in the course of their construction are the biggest single indirect source of carbon emissions generated by burning fossil fuels, accounting for over 50% of total emissions. Adding the transport costs generated by buildings it is 75%” (17). The technology exists to cut these emissions in half in both new and existing buildings. Already, there have been projects that prove that reductions can reach 80-90% against current attempts to reduce emissions. Since buildings are such a factor in our climate change, it is appropriate that sustainable design is fundamental for our survival.
Outlined sustainable design techniques for optimizing natural resources constitute the final chapters of this book. Each chapter is dedicated to one topic, and are as follows: renewable technologies, energy from water, solar, biomass, wind, photovoltaics, geothermal, hydrogen, and nuclear; low energy techniques for housing and non-domestic buildings; examples of advanced and ultra-low-energy houses; insulation; ventilation; lighting design; lighting in the context of human frailty; and life cycle assessment and recycling. Specific examples of beacon buildings and integrated district environmental designs are given as well. In addition, the author dedicates a chapter to cautionary notes and a discussion of some problems that could occur causing some of these projects to perform quite a bit below their sustainable design prediction.

Guzowski, Mary 2000, Daylighting for Sustainable Design, McGraw Hill

The author’s goal in this book is to show that daylighting design is a main component of sustainable design. Another goal is to expand the scope of sustainable design to include humans and their physiological, psychological, and spiritual needs through daylighting design. The well-being and quality of life of the inhabitants of a building are as important to sustainable design as are reducing waste, energy consumption and environmental impacts. This book suggests that the vision of sustainable design is incomplete without considering its “poetic and experiential implications and (…) daylighting design endows architecture with a life and spirit, and maybe even a soul” (xxiii-xxvi). There are three sections in this book: environmental considerations; architectonic considerations; and human considerations. In addition, building precedents are included that reveal various concepts supporting a sustainable approach to daylighting.
Daylighting design strategies can be grouped into three general categories: skylights, indirect sidelighting, and direct sidelighting. Each is modified to create a variety of luminous patterns and qualities based on the architectural program and the assumed activities. Daylighting is not just a way to provide energy-efficient illumination, it should be coupled with other solar design strategies to achieve maximum benefits, such as; passive heating and cooling; water and waste processing; electric energy generation; and plant growth. Although, in order for this to be successful, daylighting design must take into consideration the specific environment by utilizing a bioregional approach, these topics are covered in section one of the book.
Architectonic considerations are discussed in section two. Architectural form influences the quality of light, which in turn influences human experience and comfort. In the case of daylighting, the building massing, the plan, section and window design are the primary architectural determinants that shape and guide the flow of light within spaces. The appropriate forms to achieve sustainable design are based on ecological, lighting, and aesthetic criteria. Meanwhile, the appropriate technology needs to be considered while determining these forms. A variety of technological approaches to daylighting are also discussed in this section, such as; light pipes, heliostats, high-tech glazing, photovoltaic cladding, and environmental control systems.
Health, well-being, and quality of life are directly or indirectly related to visual comfort and the qualities of light in the built environment, and are addressed in the final section. Daylighting is essential in creating both healthy bodies and healing environments. The author focuses on three facets of light and health: light and clinical therapy (phototherapy, chronotherapy, and chromotherapy); visual comfort (building-related illnesses and sick-building syndrome); and light in healing environments (strategies and contributing factors).
Daylighting design can encourage spiritual connections, can improve our physiological and psychological well-being and move us toward more sustainable designs. In this book, the author shifted the reader’s attention from the outside world of architecture to the architecture itself and, finally, to the inner world inhabited by humans. This brings about the realization of a “living architecture”.

Jonathan Chapman and Nick Gant 2007, Designers, Visionaries + Other Stories: A collection of sustainable design essays, Earthscan, London.

The concept of sustainable design and sustainable perception are introduced and defined in this book. In addition, the authors discuss an awakening consumer consciousness; the potential for sustainable design to move from just theory into practice and the current reservations to do this. The following paragraphs will summarize the authors’ definition of these concepts and ideas.
One of the obstacles for stepping out of the box to design sustainably is the fear of criticism. This seems to have discouraged designers to engage in more sustainable practice; therefore, there is a tendency to imitate trends. Designers must view sustainable design as a vibrant, dynamic and forward-looking discipline that questions why things are the way they are, and proposes how they could, and should be. Seeing the interrelation between things, the cause and effect and the linkages that connect seemingly disconnected elements are all part of a sustainable perception.
Sustainable design is usually considered an approach that is a conscious, extra set of issues to be considered when developing, planning and producing. “It may be proposed that the term sustainable design suggests that it is a ‘thing’, an ‘other’ that must be acquired and learnt in order for it to occur; an ethically enlightened destiny that must be aspired to by those practitioners and researchers who have reached that place in their career.” (5)
Sustainability is not actually a state that can be achieved because everything has an impact of some sort, whether through “resource extraction, production, shipping, retailing, use, disposal, and recycling.” (8) The term sustainability is an ‘absolute’, which has the implication of total accomplishment. The idea of 100% sustainability is the ultimate ambition; although, a more realistic way of framing this is to consider degrees of sustainability. Clearly, new ways of measuring sustainability are needed so as to be more effective in embracing the diversity of creative approaches that might be developed. As a discipline, sustainable design requires a level of engagement that must go beyond the “right here, right now” solutions.
Fortunately, today’s demands are being driven by consumers that are becoming more aware of the dangers of excess as well as looking for products that are marketing themselves as eco-friendly. However, this is not enough. Consumer’s awakened consciousness has caused multinational corporations to perk up, although legislation is what is required to force a higher level of cooperation from these corporations.
This book presented pertinent new understandings of sustainable design as well as presenting a collection of essays by some world renowned sustainable designers. The topics covered in the essays and their authors’ are as follows: ”Redefining the Purpose of Sustainable Design” by Alastair Fuad-Luke; “Design Redux” by Stuart Walker; “The Scenario of a Multi-local Society: Creative Communities, Active Networks and Enabling Solutions” by Ezio Manzini; “Relative Abundance: Fuller’s Discovery that the Glass Is Always Half Full “ by John Wood; and “Clothes That Connect” by Kate Fletcher. It seems that the premise of this book is to fuel sustainable design discourse with a critical eye; thereby encouraging effective theory and practice within industries.

United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Denver Service Center 1993, Guiding Principles of Sustainable Design.

Guiding Principles for Sustainable Design was written after the National Park Service’s sustainable design initiative was created. It is intended to, “provide a basis for achieving sustainability in facility planning and design, emphasize the importance of biodiversity, and encourage responsible development decisions in parks and other conservation areas, particularly related to ecotourism.” (6) Concepts of sustainability are introduced, in addition to a set of sustainable design principles for the management of sensitive natural and cultural resource areas. The theme throughout the book is bringing together ecotourism and sustainable development to transform a visitor’s perception of the natural and cultural world which could encourage them to develop conservation-oriented values.
The concept of sustainable design recognizes that we are an integral part of the natural world and that nature must be preserved and perpetuated if human civilization is to sustain itself. Sustainable design is the philosophy that human development should stand by the principles of conservation and apply those principles in our daily life. Included in this concept is bioregionalism - the idea that all life is established and maintained in distinctive communities that are self-supporting and generally self-sustaining life systems. Future development needs to respect the bioregional patterns and scales and maintain biological diversity and environmental integrity. They must incorporate design and construction that reflect bioregional conditions and reduces the impact of human use.
Sustainability requires a change in values toward less consumptive ways of living and requires a change in mind-set. It does not require a loss in the quality of life as some people fear. Sustainable design must use an alternative approach to traditional design that incorporates these changes. This alternative approach must be aware of the impact of every design choice on the natural and cultural resources of the environment, small to large scale.
This book has documented “a model of the sustainable design principles exemplified by the “Hannover Principles” (…) and were the basis of the “Declaration of Interdependence for a Sustainable Future” adopted by the World Congress of the International Union of Architects (UIA) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in June 1993.” (5)
For ecotourism development to be truly successful in achieving sustainability, it needs to anticipate and manage human experiences. Interpretation, a form of communication that connects visitors with the resources, is a term used throughout the book and is said to be the best tool for shaping experiences and sharing values. By providing an awareness of the environment, values are taught that are necessary for the protection of the environment. The value system that is communicated to the visitors must pervade the entire cycle of planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance.

Williams, Daniel E. 2007, Sustainable Design: Ecology, Architecture, and Planning, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, N.J.

This book addresses the positive contributions that designers can make to improve environmental quality through the ecological design of architecture, community design and regional planning. Ecological design is the use and reuse of only the energy and resources available on site and within the bioregion. In addition, it outlines sustainable design principles by which to formulate projects and plans. Examples of the implementation of these principles are given in case studies and the American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment (AIA/COTE) top ten green projects. This book discusses the necessity to design “unplugged”, which is defined as, “a life that functions well without exploitation of nonrenewable resources and increases renewable capacities for present and future generations.” (xv)
According to the author, ecological design is based on “the bioclimate of a region: solar energy, soil, water, humidity, wind, topography, altitude, and natural energies.” (xiiv) Among the guiding principles of ecological design is to design for connectivity and avoid fragmentation. In ecology, fragmentation of land, waterways, and forests decrease the chances for species survival. “In design, connectivity of natural systems such as watershed streams and open spaces creates logical places for pedestrian walkways, bikeways and recreation, alongside protected corridors for wildlife and plant habitat.” (18)
Considering rainfall as a precious and limited resource is another guiding principle of ecological design. Because the demand for water has increased exponentially and so much of it is polluted, how we provide safe water for communities that exist now as well as in the future is the question. Depending on the rainfall conditions of a specific site, the water goals of a project can be established so that the roofs and landscape can serve to store, clean, recycle and reuse water. A region that is solely reliant on the precipitation that falls on its land area is self-sufficient.
Design principles that use the available site energies and focus on designing with the region’s resources are approaching sustainability and are considered ecological models. Resources sustain communities and when they dry up, so do the communities. Presently, community design focuses solely on the form. With this being the focus, the objectives that are stressed are: walkable neighborhoods; small-scale streets; the design and location of town centers; transportation; and community gathering places. These are great objectives and a good start, however, sustainability is not achievable if the communities rely almost entirely on non-renewable resources. They must tie its long-term development and use to the sustainable energies and resources that are on-site.
Architecture, up until 100 years ago, had to be ingenious to utilize elements of the natural place and still provide comfort. The techniques used were: “warm air rising, prevailing breezes, ventilation chimneys, floor plans proportioned and oriented to provide daylight and fresh air to all users, unique methods of construction, virtual elimination of waste, a symbiotic relationship between the structure and materials needed to build it, and the reuse or return to the earth of the materials after their use.” (16) These elements were the foundation of architecture, grounded in sustainable principles, and we now have moved away from these principles.

McLennan, Jason 2004, The Philosophy of Sustainable Design: The Future of Architecture, Ecoton, Kansas City, Missouri.

In this book, the author addresses professionals that are attempting to understand the sustainable design movement in hopes of encouraging dialogue and consequently, transformation of beliefs. It provides principles for getting us to where we need to go in terms of sustainability, while challenging one to evaluate the barriers of change that exist either socially or personally. It discusses why the sustainable design movement is so critical and provides key definitions. By focusing on the philosophy and evolution of sustainable design, this book attempts to help people come to a common understanding of what is meant when sustainable design is talked about.
Many misconceptions exist regarding sustainable design that has created barriers to its adoption. The terms sustainable design and green architecture have come to mean so many different things to so many different people that, despite the growing interest, most have little true understanding on the subject. One of the problems is that the term sustainable design is completely inadequate to describe the movement and the philosophy behind it. “In the dictionary, the word ‘sustainable’ is actually defined as something that is ‘able to be maintained,’ which doesn’t accurately portray the need to change the way we relate to the natural world” (2). The author recommends that a better choice of words would have been “restorative” design, which would refer to the challenge ahead, or “ecological” design, which is really the main focus of the philosophy. In addition, sustainable design, for many people, means a total shift in how they design; therefore, it means unlearning as much as it means learning new things. This paradigm shift will probably last an entire generation. This is certainly another current barrier for change.
The author believes that one reason sustainable design is misunderstood is that people are trying to define and explain a movement that is still actively defining itself, its principles, components, and philosophy. With incomplete knowledge comes incomplete information. Sustainable design is the philosophical basis of a growing movement seeking to redefine how buildings are designed, built and operated to be more responsive to people. It is a “design philosophy that seeks to maximize the quality of the built environment, while minimizing or eliminating negative impact to the natural environment (4)”. Having an accurate and consistent definition is necessary; this particular one is useful for three reasons. First, it establishes sustainable design as a philosophy, an approach to design rather than a stylistic fad. Two, it establishes that one of the major goals of this movement is to create better buildings for people by enhancing quality rather than decreasing comfort. Third, a project should not be called sustainable unless it has truly eliminated impact on the natural environment.
Sustainable design has implications of responsibility and respect for natural systems, respect for people, and respect for the cycle of life. It also implies “intention to seek the best solution that balances environmental concerns with comfort, aesthetics, cost and traditional architectural concerns” (6). Sustainable design will return a sense of responsibility and a higher purpose back into the building environment. Those that stick to the philosophy will provide a service that goes beyond the client to other people, to other species, and to future generations.
Sustainable design is often used to describe a set of strategies, components and technologies. The chapter entitled, Technologies and Components of Sustainable Design, explains these further. In many ways the components are the easiest to comprehend because for most people it is easier to just point to and identify. However, “as with any philosophical way of thinking, its true wisdom is in its principles, not in its components” (8). The sustainable design movement has been developing principles that will guide sustainable design practitioners. The author discusses in depth these six principles of sustainable design with respect to: natural systems, people and place, cycle of life, natural resources, and process in the final chapters of the book.

St. John, Andrew (ed.) 1992, The Sourcebook for Sustainable Design: A Guide to Environmentally Responsible Building Materials and Processes, Boston Society of Architects, Boston, MA.

Approximately 40% of the U.S. annual resource spending is used by the construction industry (1.3) with the main criteria for the materials used being the initial cost and aesthetic value. The author’s goal in this book is to inform professionals of the natural resource consumption involved with materials and processes included in the construction of a building. In addition, there are discussions regarding why specific materials and processes are more beneficial than others. The author believes that to advance the cause of sustainability, aesthetic value must be placed in areas other than just the visual. For instance, if the criteria for the materials used was how sustainable they were then that might be considered aesthetic.
Sustainable design is basically inseparable from social and economic sustainability. To encourage economic growth and increase community well-being, resources available within the community should be retained. The issues of resource control such as what to build with and where to build are basic factors in sustainable design. Once sustainability becomes embedded in the process of design rather than a feature added on, choosing a material on the basis of environmental impact and level of sustainability will be the main criteria.
In addition to discussions on sustainable design, this is basically a catalog of sustainable products used in the construction industry. Within the introductions to each construction division, the author addresses specific issues regarding the processes or material used and a description of how the product is sustainable. The divisions are: site work, concrete, masonry, metals, woods and plastics, thermal and moisture protection, doors and windows, finishes, specialties, equipment, special construction, mechanical and electrical. Each division provides one or more product names with the manufacturer/distributor and trade name.