Why Build Sustainably?
ASK THE EXPERT ADVICE
Links to the Ask the Experts page

Q: Why should schools of architecture teach sustainable design?

A: Why should we do anything sustainably? The answer in all cases is to insure a decent, secure, healthy life for all species on this planet. The alternative is not a pleasant prospect.

Q: In 1980, my underground house project won the 6th grade science fair. In 1995, my first home (timber frame from refurbished timbers) was successfully passive solar. Now I am 35, in college. My Eng 402 research paper is "Excited about energy efficient homes - Why you should care". If you could say one thing to a group of impressionable 22 year old students, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

A: Why should one care about energy efficient homes? The reason to live sustainably, utilizing only as much energy as can be provided through renewable sources in a globally equitable fashion, is to provide hope that future generations of humans, and all other life forms on earth, will have an environment conducive to healthful and flourishing life.

Q: What trends have you seen that are prompting consumers to request, and contractors to offer, green homes? And what barriers remain?

A: I am averaging some 1500 unique visitors each day to my website www.greenhomebuilding.com. People find this site because they are interested in knowing more about some aspect of sustainable architecture. People are becoming aware of the need to be responsible about how energy is developed and used, and they realize the pitfalls of not accepting this responsibility.

The barriers to adopting many aspects of sustainable architecture lie mostly in our minds, which tend toward habitual behavior and thinking. The building codes that regulate most construction support existing industries and technologies, so there is little impetus to look beyond the conventional, even though it is not sustainable.

Q: I am a high school student and I am doing a report about sustainable architecture. Has sustainable architecture made a positive impact on the environment and the pollution?

A: Absolutely! This is really what it is all about.

Q: I was wondering what some disadvantages are for using using cement in building a home?

A: From an environmental standpoint cement has a negative impact, because manufacturing it emits about a ton of greenhouse gas (CO2) into the atmosphere for every ton of cement manufactured. Then you need to add the use of fuel and emissions in transporting the heavy cement from the factory to wherever it is used. Cement is also a rather cold, unyielding material to live in.

Q: Green building has many positive effects on the environment. What are the most significant environmental benefits?

A: Any time materials and techniques are used that reduce the embodied energy that goes into a house, there is a like reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and less consumption of un-renewable fuels. In addition to this, you should factor in the health-enhancing benefits of using non-toxic materials and practices that yield healthy homes.

Q: Are the environmental benefits of green building the main incentive for people to build green or is there a stronger motivation pushing the movement?

A: Environmental benefits are obviously a prime factor, but potentially greater economy can also be a factor.

C: I just wanted to drop you a note to say thank you. I am second in command of a company called Bayou Contracting in New Orleans. I have poured over your website for the last few weeks and learned more than I ever thought was possible. You have done me a great service and all the people I will serve in the future to make this world a better place are certainly seeded with your good work. Thank you so much. I am not sure how fast I can get all this started with many of my clients, but I have already started educating my people on ways that we can work to make life better for all.

R: It is extremely gratifying to receive your note. This is why I established the website in the first place, was to help people focus on sustainable solutions to our housing needs. Thank you for sharing this with me...and good luck with the tremendous job to be done in New Orleans and that area.

Q: I am in the process of filing my Federal Tax Exemption forms for a Multi-Species Animal Sanctuary to be located East or Southeast of the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas Metroplex. HELP....!!! I need your expertise, suggestions, and quotes for a few (2 to 5) structures for the animals, office space, medical care, etc. I would like to use sustainable materials (adobe, cob, strawbale, etc.) for the constructions. Please advise with how well you think these will hold up, their practicality, costs, ease of construction, etc. I need some written quotes for construction for my Federal Filings. Are you able to help me with this ???

A: I see no reason why an animal sanctuary could not be built with natural materials; to the contrary, I believe that the use of natural materials will likely lead to a healthier environment for the animals as well as their human care-givers.  Natural materials, such as adobe, cob, strawbales, cordwood, etc., have been proven to be durable over time; indeed some of the oldest buildings in the country were built with such natural materials. The environmental advantages are many, in terms of low embodied energy and the fact that they do not off-gas toxins as do some industrial building materials. And then there is the natural feeling of the space that is hard to quantify, but many will respond positively to. Also most of these building techniques create a breathable shell that does not hold in stale air; the building actually respires. The cost of building naturally often compares favorably to more conventional approaches, especially when volunteers are available to help with many of the unskilled tasks. And then, of course, there is the satisfaction of knowing that you have done your best to build sustainably so that future generations can thank you for your effort.

Q: How and when did you first became interested in ecological issues, and what did you see as the most urgent issues then and now?

A: I believe that I have been concerned about ecological issues since I was a small child. I grew up on a bird refuge in rural Idaho, and those in my family were great admirers of natural systems. We took weekly field trips into the local mountains to explore and be in nature. My folks were very conservation minded.

Preserving the habitat for wild animals, especially birds, was an early goal which became extended to the habitat of all animals, including man. My father was a builder and a historian, and I learned from him the value of preservation of old buildings and recycling used materials. I also learned how to build with such natural materials as stone and whole tree parts. So respecting nature and natural systems by carefully preserving the built environment while using natural, non-industrial materials has been important to me.

Ultimately, the most important issues are how we use energy and how we use available resources. These aspects of human endeavor need to be balanced so that natural ecosystems are not destroyed or become imbalanced.

Q: How important is it for families to start building or remodeling now with green techniques?

A: This is very important because this is a critical time to slow down the pollution that contributes to global warming and to become in balance with the natural systems. Sustainable architecture means providing for a healthy future for mankind and our planet...without this healthy future the picture looks pretty bleak.

Q: What are the less commonly known benefits to being green (if any)?  Usually people think “save the earth” and sometimes even home cost savings (utility bills).

A: Ultimately there is a comfort level  that would surprise most people; green homes are often more comfortable while they use less energy.

Q: When and why did you begin to design Eco-friendly homes?

A: I have been interested in ecological design since I was a kid. My father was involved in lots of construction projects where he would use natural field stones or recycled wood, and I admired this. As I got older, I did a lot of building myself and became convinced that making things that would last a long time was especially valuable. Later, as I read about various design concepts that relate to energy conservation, such as passive solar design, I realized that the design itself is critical to making a successful building. This is all important because we can no longer waste energy the way we used to, since it ultimately pollutes our environment and diminishes resources that future generations will need.