Sustainable Design

The goal of sustainable design is to design places and products so that we reduce the use of non-renewable resources, lessen environmental impact, and relate people to the natural environment. Another part of sustainable design is good design.

In the November 2007 issue of Dwell they said that they promote projects that are sustainable in their ecological footprint but not only that, they also believe that evern project they show is sustainable in terms of timeless design. To further promote sustainability, Dwell will begin printing their issues on recycled paper in 2008 and are commited to finding ways to lessen their environmental implact, and showing environmental solutions that will make sure we have a sustainable future.

In the November 2007 issue of Metropolitan Home there is a section that has facts and information about the green market. Also in this section it has information about LEED Certification. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. When they look at sustainable design they look for things like site use, water and energy efficiency, design innovation, and indoor environmental quality.

Green Source is a magazine of sustainable design. When looking through the April 2007, all throughout the magazine you can see various ways of having better sustainable design, saving energy, and doing things with considering the environment. In one ad that I noticed there is a quote that says "sustainable solutions that support the environment." This tells me that sustainable design has to consider the environment that it is in and take care of it, support it, and not harm it.

In the November issue of Metropolis there was an article about the LEED and how they are becoming of increasing importance because it is the way many American builders are trying to handle all of the environmental challenges that they face. In this issue, they said that "LEED's vision of environmental sustainability is exceedingly broad, taking in site development, water efficiency, building materials, and fresh air, among other issues." The article also talks about how it has not been easy for buildings to be certified. Why? because that means that architects would have to design a better building. "Achieving significant energy reductions inevitably forces designers to use an integrated approach...trading more elaborate walls and windows for fewer elctrical and mechanical components."

In a November article in Contract magazine the focus was sustainable design and what it is. The article stated that the concept of sustainability is normally defined as "meeting the needs of the present without inhibiting future generations from meeting their own needs." This article also mentions LEED and tells of the five areas they focus on: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality.

In the June 2007 issue of Interior Design Magazine there was an article called "LEED by Example" about the U.S. Green Building Council headquarters and how they would be an example in 'green' design. The article tells of the different things they did in designing the building so that it would be better on the environment; supporting it and not harming it.

In the October/November 2007 issue of Interior Sources there is an article called "Top 10 LEED Projects" The LEED has provided a way to build a more sustainable environment. The LEED system is for all building types including new construction, existing buildings, commercial interios, homes and neighborhoods. The article gives the 5 key areas that LEED focuses on like the previous articles mentioned. The Top 10 LEED projects include: Wayne L. Morse U.S. Courthouse; U.S. Green Building Council Headquarters; Herman Miller's National Design Center; New York City Office of Emergency Management; Berkeley City College; Hubbel Lighting Headquarters; St. Mary's/Duluth Clinic; SoFlo Office Studios; Armstrong World Industries' Headquarters; and Orchard Garden Hotel.

An article in the November 2007 issue of Architectural Record talks about new Asian cities and their pursuit of sustainable design. SHoP architects are designing Sector 61 in India and are in charge of designing 100 buildings. The plans of these buildings will stress sustainable strategies which could include solar orientaition.

In the December 2007 issue of Environmental Design and Construction magazine I looked at an article about Stillwater Medical Group incorporating sustainable strategies to balance budget with conservation. This article says of sustainable design; the goal is "promoting and protectnig the health and wellbeing of the community." For many smaller organizations it is harder and more expensive for them to pursue LEED certification.

In the October 2007 issue of Residential Architect there was another article about LEED and using it the right way. LEED and sustainable design movement have gained a lot popularity. In 2007 the green building market is expected to exceed $12 billion. And 3 percent of new commercial developments in the U.S. are pusing LEED certification. Some people do not see how some points are awarded in certain situations for the LEED certification but LEED is changing and adapting. "LEED helps the design team think about sustainable strategies important for specific projects."