Valid throughout almost any discourse, sustainability looks to uphold a standard of living that will never deplete resources for future generations. The concept of sustainability has saturated the current discourse so much that a firm understanding of its epistemology is difficult to grasp.
“The wide range of definitions of sustainability makes the term a fertile ground for misappropriation of its principles, which include environmental efficiency, social equity, cultural diversity, and environmental viability.”
Sustainability: Of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resources so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged.
Architectural Sustainability: A term that counters a capitalistic economy, advocating for health, conservation and prosperity of forthcoming generations above all, utilizing an interdisciplinary approach.
French: Durabilité [architecturale]
Ojibwe: Bimaadiziwin
German: Nachhaltigeit
Theorists: Hans Carl von Carlowitz, Carmela Cucuzzella, Graham Farmer, Simon Guy
Understanding a term like sustainability, so grounded in relativity, guides our imagination towards a utopian world in light of its optimistic, yet grim actuality. Valid throughout almost any discourse, sustainability looks to uphold a standard of living that will never deplete resources for future generations. The concept of sustainability has saturated the current discourse so much that a firm understanding of its epistemology is difficult to grasp. While the concept of sustainable development in contemporary architecture is relatively new, sustainability has been something that has been practiced for centuries.
The term sustainability first emanated from a German Saxon mining administrator and forestry expert, Hans Carl von Carlowitz, in the 18th century. The term ‘Nachhaltigeit’ was used in a treatise written by Carlowitz, discussing the consumption of timber resources. In an effort to convey that the forestry industry should only harvest what it could replenish, Carlowitz observed that people must operate within limits, or else resources would become depleted and ecosystems damaged. Unfortunately, his concept was paralleled with industrialization and economic growth. As a result, industries were deregulated which allowed non-sustainable practices to take place. Consequently, anthropogenic environments grew exponentially, touching on how interconnected the environment, economy and social well-being truly are.
By the turn of the 20th century, sustainable movements speaking to conservationism, internationalism, social justice and many others, were brought together under the uniform call for “sustainable development”. The 1972 United Nations Conference on Human Environment in Stockholm, Sweden recognized the importance of environmental management by means of environmental impact assessment and other management tools. Today, 17 Sustainable Development Goals have been introduced to encourage best-known practices, focusing on topics pertaining to poverty, food solidarity, clean energy, industry and infrastructural practices.
Unified by environmental stewardship, sustainability presents itself as a solution worthy of its inclusiveness and interdisciplinary nature. Unfortunately, the misuse of ‘sustainable’ certification systems’ negatively impacts the perception of sustainability due to its ambiguity. Today, certification systems such as Leed, Breeam and Green Globes act as distributors of “certified sustainable” buildings. As a result, architects often find themselves competing for points on a checklist that mitigate environmental consequences instead of pursuing logical strategies that prioritize regenerative principles. Architectural sustainability’s etymology reveals a term that counters a capitalistic economy, advocating for health, conservation and prosperity of forthcoming generations.
“Understanding a term like sustainability, so grounded in relativity, guides our imagination towards that of a utopian world in light of its optimistic, yet grim actuality.”
Sustainability should be looked at more holistically than is often the case. Within “Contested Constructions: The competing logics of green buildings and ethic” Simon Guy and Graham Farmer identify six logics that offer a more thorough understanding of what is architectural sustainability means today.
Ecological Logic: The ecological logic is focused on reducing the ecological footprint of buildings. Strategies emphasize the reuse and recycling of materials, and reducing dependency on infrastructure. Architects will often draw comparisons from ecology, employing a closed-loop process, rather than an open-loop process.
Smart Logic: Smart logic believes that technology can provide solutions to environmental issues, and focuses on quantitative data such as energy consumption. The technology does not always express sustainable strategies explicitly, and can be subtle.
Aesthetic Logic: Aesthetic logic can be presented visibly or non-visibly, and looks at how to represent sustainability in architecture. Unfortunately, this logic has been misunderstood as what sustainable architecture is to the general public. As a result, too many buildings are now greenwashed and appear to be sustainable, while not functioning as a sustainable building. Aesthetic logic is not about green roofs/walls, but should be used to inspire people’s desire to connect with nature, while encouraging sustainable practices.
Symbolic Logic: Symbolic logic addresses environmental and cultural concerns, and believes sustainability needs to focus on place, looking at traditional knowledge and building methods which exemplify how cultures adapt to a particular environment. Without truly understanding a place, and its culture, this logic believes that any attempt to establish a more sustainable environment fails.
Comfort Logic: Comfort logic is focused on how the built environment impacts health. This logic is concerned with the idea of “sick buildings”, and strive for better control over building environments. This not only includes internal environments, but larger topics such as environmental pollution as well. By linking health to issues such as the quality of air, water and urban space; this logic can be applied to a larger scope of issues.
Community Logic: Community logic addresses the issue of sovereignty and designs that embody a community. They often incorporate the community into the design process, allowing them to feel a sense of accountability. A great example of this logic is the Gando primary School designed by Francis Kéré (see cover image). Throughout the project Kéré engaged the community by making them feel a part of the project. Local materials were used throughout the design and locals were trained on how to build the school itself. This approach empowered the community, while educating them on building techniques. As a result, sustainable architecture within this lens can be seen as a social process that requires the full participation of its beneficiaries.
Understanding these logics and their relation to sustainability’s contemporary discourse, architectural logics to sustainability are derived from environmental, social and economic processes. Misappropriation of the term has revealed the importance of a cross-disciplinary approach, emphasizing the correlation between sustainability and other fields, in order to achieve authentic sustainable development into the future.
Co Author: Shayne Bol
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