A Short Note On The Global Ecology Center

This manifesto proposes an approach to sustainable design that I am interested in exploring during my time studying architecture. The idea of sustainability is a complex one, not without apparent contradictions. This makes it difficult to define in a wholly satisfactory manner. For the purposes of this manifesto I will advert to the definition proposed by Jason McLennan who asserts that sustainable design: “seeks to maximize the quality of the built environment, while minimizing or eliminating negative impact to the natural environment.” I find this definition particularly useful in the emphasis which it places on quality. By quality, in this

Mirroring the strategies being developed in the state of Israel, CYJ Texas has begun making strides to incorporate new conservation techniques and infrastructures that will stimulate environmental wellness, reduce our dependence on energy and water resources, and decrease overall waste production. At this time, CYJ Texas has already implemented a recycling program and recently finished the construction of our new Experiential Learning Center (ELC). This facility operates using a number of sustainable technologies; including solar panels to offset energy use, a butterfly rain-catchment roof system, and rainwater collection cisterns that provide water for the ELC’s living roof to help insulate the building.

The indefinite growth of the human population, has monumental impacts on the natural environment, not only in the UK, but around the globe. Architecturally, the entire process of designing and constructing a building, both domestic and not, can lead to the rapid exhaustion of natural resources across the planet. Building with environmental design strategies in mind not only combats the impact we as humans have on the natural environment, but also has considerable economic benefits, due to lower running costs of buildings and advanced occupant productivity. There are also many social benefits, such as improved air quality which resultantly leads too enhanced health of a buildings occupants.

In recent years, Florida International University has been known to advocate and implement environmentally efficient solutions throughout its numerous campuses. The original home of FIU, the Modesto A. Maidique Campus was initially opened in 1969 with only a few buildings. As was typical of the time, most of the construction and systems in place were not environmentally conscious. Over the years, many buildings were added, and when it came time to create a new academic research building in February 2013, one of the goals was to try and obtain LEED Gold certification from the US Green Building Council by implementing a multitude of environmentally-responsible features.

Environmental sustainability is the ability to be able to continue a certain process or use a certain resource indefinitely (Mason). For example, if you’re using a certain resource and you know it’s going to run out one day, that resource is unsustainable. Sustainability is important because a lot of the practices that we do in modern society from agriculture, to energy source, and even development, are completely depleting our resources. This practices were also made to accommodate our fast pace lifestyle, everything is built and made to be fast and cheap, nothing is made to last anymore. Many people are realizing the importance of being sustainable and the world is slowly changing to sustainable practices like Renewable energy and sustainable agriculture, while also changing the fast and easy mind set to a more “reusable” one. Brevard College has boarded the sustainable train of the world by making several additions to the school like solar panels, alternative transportation options, a Fair trade and organic Coffee shop, and several environmental based clubs. Although they are heading in the right direction, many changes still need to be made in order to achieve a well-developed sustainable campus.

Grinnell College students, faculty, and staff have, for years, tried to make Grinnell College and its community more sustainable. Whether it has been through sourcing food grown locally and without fossil-fuel based fertilizers, advocating for LEED-certified buildings that conserve energy and water, or altering the College’s energy profile through the implementation of large-scale wind turbines, the College has focused on reducing harmful emissions while preserving standard of living (BMUB 2014).

The mission statement for EcoLiving is “To provide cost-effective, quality, and modern design and construction services while promoting greener living. Striving to advise and help our clients reduce their carbon footprint, along with our own, for the well being of our future generations.”

As technology increases through massive changes it becomes apparent that the individual user must also make changes that are environmentally safe. Green IT, also known as Green Computing, is the movement towards a more environmentally friendly and cost-effective use of power and production in technology. The crux of Green IT is to double or triple the bottom line investment costs by converting existing structures and systems to this more conservative mode of operation in green computing (eweek.com, 2012). The greening of information technology (IT) offers numerous ways for companies to

The Ted talks I decided to analyze for this assignment all focused on environmentally friendly ways to build or enhance existing structures. I watched several Ted talks, but decided to focus on Greening the Ghetto, The Tradeoffs of Building Green, and Eco-Friendly Drywall because I liked these 3 presentations the most. Building and it’s effects on the environment is a topic I developed an interest in as a child. I grew up the daughter of a soldier and therefore had opportunities to see parts of the world and meet people living in them that an ordinary tourist would not. Even as a child it was easy to connect the quality of environment to quality of health and living conditions. Healthy environment generally equates to healthy, happy people. I have also had the opportunity to see how pollution effects people, animals, land, and water in both urban and rural areas. All of these presentations made good and effective use of still photography in their Ted Talks. Eco-Friendly Drywall also used a few, kind of hokey, but effective graphics.

We believe a sustainable built environment is one that is more durable, more efficient, and more profitable with less risk.

Sustainability is the foundation upon which resilient and adaptive design was built. It “is based on a simple and long-recognized factual premise: Everything that humans require for their survival and well-being depends, directly or indirectly, on the natural environment” (Sustainability and the US EPA). Concern for the environment grew in the 1960’s, and after the creation of the EPA in 1970 the term sustainability came into use. “Sustainable development emerged as a result of significant concerns about the unintended social, environmental, and economic consequences of rapid population growth, economic growth, and consumption of natural resources.” (Sustainability and the US EPA). In the U.S., the history of sustainability is rooted in American

Our project will focus on the athletics department and helping them figure out where they can make adjustments to their building usage. Currently, the university sustainability fee “KRELF” has paid to install 12 new solar panels on our recreation center; which puts out about 2,500 watts of power. In 2009, the athletics department had a basketball game that went “green” in support of UM's sustainability. Each year the sustainability committee holds earth week. These types of activities are effective because it gets student and staff engaged and

You are a member of the environmental club at your school. Your club has been asked by the principal to propose ways to make the school more sustainable. You will need to use your knowledge of environmental sustainability to make your school's environment ''greener''.

College campuses across the nation have taken action to participate in the Reduce, Recycle and Reuse initiative to help make their campus a better and more environmentally safe. The program encourages recycling in communities, schools and work place. Through this proposal I plan to implement the program “Let’s Go Green” at Savannah State University. This program would challenge the faculty, students and the university itself to implement eco-friendly activities into day to day operations or everyday lives.

The University of Massachusetts Boston prides itself on its accomplishments when it comes to sustainability. The school is built on a landfill site and sustainability has been integrated as a guiding principle in the development of the university (1). Green design has been integrated into the development of the university’s campus center building as well as the new buildings being constructed and renovations being done following the master plan. UMBe Green is the university’s sustainability program which centers itself on the four areas of recycling, education, sustainability, and practice in order to move forward with sustainability (2). UMass Boston has been awarded the “University Sustainability Award” and the Massachusetts ECO-Award for Excellence in Commuting Options for its efforts thus far by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (2). Although the university has achieved some great goals there is always room for improvement. One problem that UMass Boston still faces on campus is energy consumption from light usage throughout the day. Though energy saving light bulbs are used throughout the campus, but the lights always seem to be on even when no one is in the classrooms or conference rooms. What UMass Boston should be addressing with this problem is what aspects of the building designs have to be changed, what has to be put into place in order to decrease the energy consumption from light usage on campus, and how this beneficial to the university.