AMAtects – June 2013
Someone asked me recently what ‘sustainability’ meant, in practical terms, when designing a building, and it’s an interesting question. Sustainability may be defined as meeting the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs, and most people would agree that it’s pretty essential to preserve or enhance the earth’s resources for that reason alone. It’s just that not everyone agrees on the best ways to achieve that. It’s a bit like ‘recycling’, another term that can mean different things to different people.
So, we have arguments for ‘Green’ buildings, which are designed to use energy and water, etc, as efficiently as possible, as well as reduce waste and pollution and protect the health of the building’s users. Then there are the people who think that ‘natural’ buildings are best. These buildings are usually on a smaller scale and use natural, local materials. And, of course, another aspect of sustainability is preserving what we already have, in existing buildings. But transforming, say, a Victorian terrace house into a home that’s energy-efficient and ‘green’ isn’t straightforward – or cheap, and often fails to give optimum results. So an Energy Performance Certificate for a Victorian house that’s been renovated with every green, energy-saving process available will still probably not compare favourably with a ‘sustainable’ new-build house / a sustainably built new house. Read more…