To build Green or not to build Green June 17, 2008

I had a meeting this afternoon with a colleague who posed an excellent question that I thought was worth sharing here. The questioned asks: Is it ethical for architecture to produce anything but Green design? Is it ethical for builders to build anything but Green? Is it ethical for remodelers to do anything but remodel Green?

This comes across as a tough question when in fact the answer should really be easy.

There is a great deal of noise and attention given to projects across the world that purport to be Green when in fact little about the project is truly Green. Attention may be given to a single attribute that has minimal impact or should really be the baseline for projects rather than celebrated as an achievement. Projects that have met code requirements are hardly examples to be followed.

Much of the problem falls back to our media outlets who struggle to maintain readership and complain that they have to keep their readers attention. The general public doesn’t care about a life-cycle analysis study, or an achievement in embodied energy. You can’t publish pictures of PEX piping or flashing details. Counter-tops, flooring solutions, large homes and lavish furnishings – this is what we want to see.

Even the trade publications want it kept simple and palatable. “We don’t want to overwhelm people.” “We have to take it one small step at a time.” “We don’t want to appear to be too far out there.” “You know how tradespeople are, most of them don’t own computers. You can’t expect them to understand how to properly document a job.”

This pervasive culture of mediocrity and acceptance of the lowest common denominator as the status quo is the reason why in todays world we still question whether the world is changing, whether we humans have an impact on the planet, whether climate change is a hoax, and whether Green building is important. This allows us to still design and build outrageous buildings with no consideration given to impact. It gives us permission to construct 12,000 sf homes for a family of two and present it to the public as Green. The media accepts this and in the interest of a story (substance need not be included) promotes this same monstrosity rather than condemn it.

So is it ethical to continue down the road we are on? At what point do we take responsibility for our actions? When does the Architect refuse to design buildings that are not efficient in resources and healthy for the occupants? When will the public demand a higher standard of living? When will ethics play a role in Architecture?