Defining Sustainable Practices Dorothy Gerring Associate Professor Architecture Pennsylvania College of Technology “It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory.” -W. Edwards Deming

Sustainability: The ability to meet our needs while preserving the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Where we live. Earth from space: satellite DIRECTV 8 5:30pm EST November 13, 2006 Earth and Moon Viewer The Living Earth®, NASA Johnson Space Center The image above shows how our galaxy might look if viewed from one of our nearest- neighbour galaxies. The approximate location of our solar system within the galaxy is also shown. Of course, this isn't an actual picture of our galaxy, it is an image taken by the Anglo Australian Telescope of NGC2997, a nearby galaxy with a similar structure to our own.

What is your ecological footprint? Food Footprint 1.How often do you eat animal based products? (beef, pork, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy products) 2.How much of the food that you eat is processed, packaged and imported? Goods Footprint 3.Compared to people in your neighborhood, how much waste do you generate? Shelter Footprint 4.How many people live in your household? 5.What is the size of your home? 6.Which housing type best describes your home? 7.Do you have electricity in your home? Mobility Footprint 8.On average, how far do you travel on public transportation each week (bus, train, subway or ferry)? 9.On average, how far do you go by motorbike each week (as a driver or passenger)? 10.On average, how far do you go by car each week (as a driver or passenger)? 11.Do you bicycle, walk, or use animal power to get around? 12.Approximately how many hours do you spend flying each year? 13.How many liters per 100 kilometers does your car consume? 14.How often do you drive in a car with someone else, rather than alone?

6,605,603,126 world population 302,358,512 U.S. population as of July 16, :25pm EST Economic development Social equity Environmental degradation Earth and Moon Viewer The Living Earth®, NASA Johnson Space Center WWF Living Planet Report w/popclock.html

Greenhouse Effect = Global Warming = Climate Change (Vital Climate Graphics Africa) It’s all about the carbon cycle: (click on Effects tab and then scroll down to bottom to “Earth’s Thermostat”)carbon cycle How much carbon dioxide are you and your products contributing?

Change is hard! People adopt new technology when the level of crisis is greater than the perceived pain of adopting the technology 5 steps: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance New technology takes about 30 years to be integrated into society Pip Coburn: The Change Function 2006

Test U.S. Building Impacts: 12 % Water Use 30 % Greenhouse Gas Emissions 65 % Waste Output 70 % Electricity Consumption

Test Average Savings of Green Buildings ENERGY SAVINGS 30% CARBON SAVINGS 35% WATER USE SAVINGS 30-50% WASTE COST SAVINGS 50-90% Source: Capital E

Building in USA: looking to billion square feet of existing stock now Will tear down 52 billion square feet Will build 150 billion square feet 3/4 of built environment will be new or renovated space by 2035 Edward Mazria: Photo Pittsburg Convention Center:

Life Cycle & Embodied energy

Achieving high performance buildings 1.Design Planning and Innovation (low tech) Project Team: includes everyone from start Goal Setting: must have benchmarks Integrated Design: building envelope (insulative value), passive solar, daylighting, natural ventilation, landscaping, material selection ( 2.Adding Technology (high tech) Active solar (photovoltaics, solar water heating), wind, geothermal, biomass & biofuels, hydroelectric

Measurement Tools & Helpful Sites LEED: Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design—8 building types; certified project; NAHB: Model Green Home Building Guidelines; voluntary; claims membership builds 80% housing stock and ½ of those homes will incorporate green design by end of 2007; GGGC: Governor's Green Government Council; information, downloads, videos; PATH: Partnership for Advancing Housing Technology; specific product and technology information for high efficiency and healthy homes; RMI: Rocky Mountain Institute; Amory Lovins (a founder of the sustainability movement) has tons of information about practically everything; Environmental Building News: the “Consumer Reports” of materials specification and performance; requires a subscription to access most of the site information; really the only unbiased reports currently in the marketplace;

Test What is the LEED System? LEADERSHIP in ENERGY and ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN A leading-edge system for certifying DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, & OPERATIONS of the greenest buildings in the world Scores are tallied for different aspects of efficiency and design in appropriate categories. For instance, LEED assesses in detail: 1. Site Planning 2. Water Management 3. Energy Management 4. Material Use 5. Indoor Environmental Air Quality 6. Innovation & Design Process

Test Levels of NAHB Ratings White Green Buildings worldwide are certified with a voluntary, consensus-based rating system. USGBC has four levels of LEED.

Test LEED for new construction buildings Distribution by geography (DE) 38 (DC) 23 (DE) 24 (NH) 5 (OK) 4 68 AK=10 HI=16 PR=1 as of 07/06

2030 Challenge: architecture2030.org architecture2030.org All new buildings, developments and major renovations shall be designed to meet a fossil fuel, GHG-emitting (greenhouse gas), energy consumption performance standard of 50% of the regional (or country) average for that building type (targets).targets At a minimum, an equal amount of existing building area shall be renovated annually to meet a fossil fuel, GHG-emitting, energy consumption performance standard of 50% of the regional (or country) average for that building type. The fossil fuel reduction standard for all new buildings shall be increased to: –60% in % in % in % in 2025 Carbon-neutral in 2030 (using no fossil fuel GHG emitting energy to operate). These targets may be accomplished by implementing innovative sustainable design strategies, generating on-site renewable power and/or purchasing (20% maximum) renewable energy and/or certified renewable energy credits.

Take Action! 10 years to reduce C0 2 emissions to maintain 1 o C global warming Building sector contributes majority of GHG and uses most energy Opportunity for HUGE positive impact by building green