Erin on Sustainability + Architecture
What are the current biggest sustainability problems facing the building/architecture industry?
The most common issues in the architecture and design industry around sustainability are likely the same across many industries - energy usage, carbon footprint, waste reduction and diminishing resources. Unfortunately, the construction industry is often one of the biggest offenders. Each of these are complex problems to solve, but if we’re willing to alter our build and design approach even a little, we will find there are better ways of completing our projects with less impact on our planet.
How has the problem changed over the past five years, in your opinion?
In the past five years, the issue of how our industry impacts the environment hasn’t changed much, except to say it has become even more vital to be cognisant of how our decisions collectively can create negative outcomes for the Earth. Thankfully, we have become more aware of the influence our choices have on climate change in the last 30 years. The solutions are really what have evolved, and are still evolving. We continue to get smarter and more creative with materials and resources by studying impacts and understanding how slight shifts can make a significant difference.
What should homeowners know about how to make their build more sustainable?
The use of the word sustainability can be misleading because the truth is that sustainability is multifaceted and can be difficult to define and measure. A few ways to approach a more sustainable build project include:
Use of renewable energy sources for your building systems
Request/use more natural materials that can be easily recycled
Consider asking your architect to design a “passive house”
Talk with your architect and contractor early on in the process about what prioritizing sustainability in your project could look like and develop an approach together that will satisfy project constraints but keep sustainability top of mind for everyone involved
Make sure your team is on board with your sustainability goals, and you’ll have greater success in the end
What can be done as a builder, architect or designer to make a build more sustainable?
On the design side, architects know sustainability comes down to multiple factors – the design of the building envelope (air tightness, insulation), the size and placement of windows for optimal daylighting and shading strategies, collaboration with other professionals to design buildings and their systems holistically – just to name a few. As designers we can become more creative in where we’re sourcing materials. We can repurpose demolished materials to divert them from landfills, and specify products with smaller carbon footprints or products that can be infinitely recycled.
I also believe working in collaboration with other experts and professionals will make the biggest difference. No individual designer can possibly know all of the newest strategies, materials and resources available in an industry that is always evolving! So, if we collectively take the time to stay on top of research and lean on each other for the latest thinking on sustainability, this world will be better for it.
Why is sustainability important to you and Cult Creative?
If you’ve worked with Cult Creative, or if you know us personally, hopefully you’ve recognized in us an ethical approach to all that we do, from the way we manage our business to the way we handle relationships. Sustainability stems from the same place in us, approaching design solutions in an ethical and environmentally responsible way.
What is your hope for the future of sustainability in the industry?
My hope is that the construction industry can reduce its impact on our planet and pave a way for our clients to make informed decisions in small ways that result in positive global changes.
Resources:
There are a few websites that I think offer great resources for finding “green” products and materials are buildinggreen.com and c2ccertified.org
One product offhand that has a great model for sustainability is FLOR carpet tiles. Their products are made from post-consumer recycled materials, manufactured in plants fully powered through renewable energy sources. Plus, when the carpet has reached its “end of life”, they will take back 100% of it and recycle it into new tiles for the next consumer. For more information on FLOR, see flor.com/responsible.html