Drexel_Week+7


 * Memo: Study Components **

Interviews with professionals Interview with educators Interview with policy creators Interview with codes/standards creators Research current infrastructure for green building Evaluate the trajectory of the green building industry and the role designers play in this future based on research and interviews
 * architects
 * engineers
 * HVAC specialists
 * Lighting designers
 * Landscape designers


 * Memo: Field sites **

Professionals-- office environments, possible the site of the buildings created Educators-- the schools (aka RPI, CASE, HVCC TEC-SMART, etc) Policy creators-- office environments AIA conferences, USGBC, ASHRAE, etc.


 * Memo: Schedule of Activities **

October 7-21: Contact NYSERDA and RPI interviews October 21-Nov 4: Contact professionals for interviews (KEMA, Balodmas, ICF, EYP, LRC, Fisher Maranz Stone, Tod and Billie Tsien, Jan Moyer) October 21-Nov 15: Interview NYSERDA contacts (architects, incentive writers, specialists) Interview RPI contacts (deans, professors) Nov 15- Dec 11: Interview professional contacts.


 * Memo: Core Categories **

__ Advocacy __ —think about what level do professionals feel responsibility in the sustainability movement. Determine the drivers and barriers for professionals to commit to a sustainability oriented career. Examine the “triple bottom line” and how it is reflected in recent built environments. At what level are built environments defined as sustainable projects, the consumer, the designer, or the policy maker?

__ Interdisciplinary __ —examine the role of each person in the development of the built environment. What are the limits of each discipline? Who feels in the gaps in between each discipline? Recognize the habits of modes of thought. At what point are roles and disciplines reexamined and reflected on failures and successes. How is the separation and combining of disciplines undermining the success of the sustainability movement?

__ Technology/Techniques/Approaches __ —evaluate the techniques currently used in the building field. Approaches like LEED have started the conversation about sustainability in the building field, however it cannot stop there. Most of the results from LEED like projects are additive solutions, not holistic approaches, even though USGBC advertises “holistic solutions.” Because of this lack of original and effective solutions LEED and sustainable technologies are causing a sense of complacency in the sustainable building field.


 * Memo: Hegemonic Backdrops **

The hegemonic backdrop of the sustainable building industry is that sustainable designs are expensive, additive approaches that can use “local” materials. The biggest barrier in the sustainable building field is that “green” designs have more upfront costs and do not have a strong return on investment. However, there is a lack of knowledge about how the price of green building practices has gone down. In fact, there are programs in place for builder incentives for sustainable buildings. The policies for tax credits and deductions work hand in hand with programs like LEED. In order to apply for LEED there are many upfront costs, but with the tax and building incentives the total costs is no more than traditional construction. To continue, the additive approaches that have become standard in the building field have led to a level of compliancy that is not helping in terms of sustainability as a goal. In order to achieve sustainability it is important for designers to think of the big picture of the built environment and zoom in to different scales. This multiscalular approach creates a level of evaluation of a designer’s role that is not currently commonplace. Furthermore, the “act locally, think globally” mindset that is currently adopted is not moving sustainability in the direction that is necessary. The conversation that it has started in the building field is incredible, but without a standard definition of local and sustainability it is impossible to regulate and enforce the mindset. The current model of local needs to be reflected on because it is difficult to say importing materials from 500 miles away is a local and sustainable model.


 * Memo: Shifts in Sign Systems **

The most monumental shift that is occurring in our society is our connection with our environment. When humans want to see nature, they feel as if it can only be achieved through camping or going on a hike. However, the built environment is an environment; it is a nature that we have created. It is important to consider that humans and what we create are part of a larger ecosystem. Waste is a newly found discover. Our culture has shifted from a system that uses and reuses every part of a product to a conveyer belt of disposable products. Native Americas listened to their ecosystem. The materials and techniques used reflected the surrounding environment in order to survive. Architecture is an indicator of the health and values of an ecosystem. Today the standardization of construction has led to materials and techniques that do not belong to an ecosystem. This creates a level of expected waste in order to compensate. Homes in Florida should not be the same construction as in New York. This shift to standardized approaches is further exacerbated by the additive solutions proposed. In order to make the same construction in New York to work in Florida, expensive HVAC systems need to be added creating more greenhouse gas emissions. A new shift needs to be proposed, combining our knowledge of technologies with our more holistic design approaches that were traditionally used.