• Sustainability today often refers to environmental sustainability and includes things like water conservation, biodiversity, and waterway cleanups.
• Social sustainability includes areas like disaster risk management programs and equal access to affordable health care.

As an increasingly used buzzword, “sustainability” today can be a bit tricky to pin down and, as a result, even more challenging to achieve. While some may throw the term around, there are plenty of inspiring examples of sustainability in action, from water and soil conservation efforts to the construction of green buildings and urban agricultural projects.

Here are 25 examples of environmental, social, economic, and cultural sustainability across a range of sectors.

What is Sustainability?

As an urban ecosystem embedded within the city, Schoonschip Amsterdam provides a new model for sustainable living. Photo by Alan Jensen

In the literal sense sustainability simply refers to maintaining something—be it a forest, a business model, or an entire economic system—at a certain rate or level. In the modern age sustainability is often conceptualized as being able to meet the needs of the present without compromising future generations’ ability to meet their own needs.

This conceptualization is in accordance with the United Nations’ definition of sustainability and informs the basis behind the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2012 at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro.

Types of Sustainability

There are four main categories of sustainability that most countries, cities, businesses, and organizations strive for: environmental, social, cultural, and economic.

• Environmental. As the most sought-after form of sustainability, environmental sustainability seeks to avoid depleting the world’s natural resources (renewable or nonrenewable) in an attempt to maintain balance within the ecological community.
• Social. Refers to the processes, systems, institutions, and relationships that actively support the capacity of both current and future generations to create and maintain healthy, livable communities.
• Cultural. The process of maintaining and protecting the world’s cultural heritage, traditions and practices so that they may be learned, experienced, and taught by current and future generations; also known as cultural preservation.
• Economic. Encourages practices that will support long-term economic growth without negatively impacting a community’s environmental, social, and cultural aspects.

Sustainability Examples

As our understanding of humanity’s impact on the natural world evolves and technology advances, the collective idea of sustainability becomes more nuanced.

1. Waste Reduction & The Circular Economy

The Enercare Centre implemented CleanRiver’s Excel Slant recycling unit to help achieve an 85% waste diversion rate. Photo courtesy of CleanRiver

Each year the world generates approximately 2.01 billion tons of waste, most of which is not recycled and finds its way into a landfill, is illegally dumped in the ocean, or is left to pollute some other vulnerable ecosystem. This is largely a result of living in societies whose economic systems are based around the “take, make, throw away” philosophy of production and consumption. In recent years, however, some countries, cities, and even companies have begun experimenting with a new system: the circular economy.

The fundamental idea behind the circular economy is that of creating a closed-loop system of production and consumption that emphasizes reusing, refurbishing, repairing, leasing, and recycling existing materials and products for as long as is feasible. By extending the life cycle of every product or material in circulation the circular economy works to reduce pollution and waste production as much as possible.

When implemented at scale, the circular economy reduces the environmental impact of human activities and actively encourages damaged ecosystems to regenerate what has been lost to over-extraction.

2. Carbon Capture & Storage

As the primary factor driving advanced anthropogenic climate change, carbon emissions are the fulcrum upon which the climate crisis rests. Atmospheric carbon must be greatly reduced the world over—and carbon capture technology may play a key role.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) describes when carbon dioxide emissions are captured as they are produced—typically as the byproduct of certain industrial processes—after which point the carbon is transported to a storage location to be stored deep underground.

Carbon capture technology is capable of capturing and storing over 90% of all carbon dioxide emissions from any given power plant or industrial facility. The first large-scale carbon capture plant is currently being built by Heidelberg Materials in Brevik, Norway and aims to be operational before 2025; once completed, the plant will have the capacity to absorb approximately 400,000 tons of CO2 per year.

3. Decarbonization & Deep Energy Retrofits

Prefabricated architectural panels are an excellent cladding material for deep energy retrofit projects. Photo courtesy of Tremco CPG Inc.

Even better than capturing and storing carbon dioxide emissions, however, is removing said emissions from the equation entirely, a process known as decarbonization. The strategies used in decarbonization vary depending on what is being decarbonized. In this example we’ll cover how decarbonization is being implemented with regard to the built environment.

Decarbonizing the built environment is typically achieved through the transition to renewable energy sources, the use of energy-saving features and appliances, or a combination of the two. New construction projects are increasingly likely to incorporate these decarbonization strategies from the outset, but there are also plenty of existing buildings that can—and should—be retrofitted to improve their overall energy efficiency.

These deep energy retrofits aim to reduce a building’s on-site energy usage by at least 40% and focus primarily on improving thermal efficiency by upgrading the insulation, installing energy-efficient windows and appliances, sealing air leaks, and replacing existing HVAC systems with low-emission alternatives. The building envelope also plays a crucial role, and prefabricated architectural panels are a tremendous help. Tremco’s prefabricated architectural panels were designed as a cost-effective solution to the envelope-first approach required of deep energy retrofits while eliminating the need to displace tenants in the process.

“The majority of all deep energy retrofit projects are generally tenant-in-place,” David Hutchinson, deep energy retrofit development specialist, told gb&d. “If you’re in construction, you know the labor force, you know the timetables. You can’t be working on apartments, for example, for months and months and months.” He said as retrofit projects have very tight windows to get completed, the only way to do an envelope with tight timeframes and a labor shortage is through prefabrication.

“Decarbonizing the built environment presents a tremendous opportunity and priority due to its significant impacts on climate change, human health, social equity, and economic vitality,” Jenna Cramer, president and CEO of Pittsburgh-based Green Building Alliance, previously told gb&d.

4. Renewable Energy

Covestro says clean energy must power the circular economy. Image courtesy of Covestro

As the leading factor contributing to accelerated anthropogenic climate change, fossil fuel and GHG emissions must be curbed as soon as possible to prevent total climate catastrophe. Experts agree that transitioning to clean, renewable energy is part of the solution, especially within the built environment, which is responsible for nearly 42% of all carbon emissions.

Solar panels, for example, are becoming increasingly common on both residential and commercial buildings, with many local and federal governments providing economic assistance or tax credits for solar installation projects. Small- and large-scale wind turbine projects are also major contributors to renewable energy production; wind is the largest source of renewable energy in the US.

Depending on geographic location and geologic qualities, geothermal power can also be an incredibly efficient and high-producing alternative energy source, as can hydropower. In fact, Reykjavik, one of the most sustainable cities in the world, is powered entirely by renewable energy and relies primarily on geothermal plants and hydroelectric facilities for its electricity.

5. Green Building Practices

Green buildings like this apartment complex are integral to reducing the built environment’s impact on the natural world. Photo by John Bartlestone Photography

The built environment is responsible for producing approximately 42% of the world’s annual carbon emissions, but it also accounts for approximately 36% of all global energy usage, while the construction and demolition industry as a whole generates 30% of all solid waste and extracts 32% of Earth’s natural resources.

This has led to a growing interest in sustainable architecture—or the design of buildings that seeks to minimize any negative impact on the environment through the use of green building practices like energy-efficiency measures, renewable energy, and using low-carbon materials.

6. Regenerative Architecture

Construction for the MAC Lodge minimized the impact on the neighboring trees. Photo by Chad Holder

Green building can be taken a step further by adopting principles of regenerative architecture. From an ecological perspective “regenerative” refers to the ability of an ecosystem—that is, the land itself and all of its living and non-living inhabitants—to recover and replenish from ecological harm.

Regenerative architecture, on the other hand, refers to a specific methodology or philosophy that views the built environment as an extension of the natural environment and seeks to construct buildings with a positive impact on their respective ecological communities. Rather than simply reduce their consumption of energy or resources, regenerative buildings actively give back more than they take by mimicking the restorative biological systems found in nature.

7. Passive Design

Designed by Jeremy Levine, the Cowboy Modern Desert Eco-Retreat uses passive solar design and wind-driven ventilation to reduce energy needs. Photo courtesy of Lance Gerber

In architecture passive design refers to those design strategies that allow buildings to make the most efficient use of natural environmental factors—e.g. wind, buoyancy, and sunlight—to reduce energy consumption. Rather than rely on mechanical systems for heating, cooling, lighting, and ventilation, passive design enables a building to depend solely on the laws of nature to fulfill these crucial functions.

Three of the most common passive design strategies are passive solar, passive ventilation, and passive lighting:

• Passive Solar Design. Design in which a building’s walls, floors, and windows are made to reject solar heat during the summer and collect, store, reflect, and redistribute solar heat during the winter; informs everything from building orientation and window placement to the materials used in construction.
• Passive Ventilation. Refers to the process of supplying air to and removing air from an indoor space via the pressure/density differences arising from either wind or buoyancy; informs window placement and building layout.
• Passive Lighting. Refers to the use of windows, skylights, and other daylighting elements to illuminate a building’s interior without having to rely on artificial lighting.

8. Water Conservation

Low-flow appliances like this Niagara toilet can drastically reduce water use. Photo courtesy of Niagara

Fresh water is, without a doubt, the most important natural resource on the planet—one all living beings require for survival. As it stands, a large percentage of freshwater ecosystems are threatened as a result of human activities.

“More than one-third of available and renewable freshwater on Earth is consumed for agriculture, industrial, and domestic uses, often leading to water source contamination and endangering public health,” Anna Zakrisson, cofounder and chief science officer of iimpcoll, previously wrote for gb&dPRO.

Water conservation strategies include installing low-flow taps and water-efficient or waterless appliances, greywater recycling, required water-use reporting, the construction of desalination plants, and more.

9. Waterway & Beach Cleanups

Regular waterway and beach cleanups help keep aquatic animals safe. Photo by Chris Howe

Waterway and beach cleanups are crucial in preventing waste—especially plastic waste—from polluting our streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, and oceans. Defined as the process of removing microplastics, debris, waste, and pollutants from bodies of water, waterway cleanups may be conducted at both the micro and macro level.

Small-scale waterway cleanups typically entail wading through or walking alongside bodies of water and manually removing large debris as they are encountered, whereas large-scale waterway cleanups often involve the use of specialized commercial equipment to skim and collect waste actively floating at sea.

When conducted regularly and effectively, waterway cleanups help protect aquatic life by preventing toxic algal blooms and deoxygenation; support fishing and other seafood industries by improving water quality and restoring fish populations; and ultimately reduce the risks of contaminated drinking water.

10. Rainwater Harvesting

The Rain Harvest Home project is made up of three buildings that each collect rainwater to integrate with an above- and below-ground reservoir system. Photo by Jaime Navarro

Harvesting rainwater, or collecting precipitation to store for later use, is another way to conserve water. Rainwater harvesting has become increasingly popular in recent years because of its role in boosting a building or community’s water security.

There are both simple and complex rainwater harvesting systems. Depending on the rainwater’s intended use the collected water may be used as is—typically the case if it’s for landscape irrigation—or it may go through a treatment/purification process so it may be used for plumbing or as an alternative source of potable water.

Not only does rainwater harvesting increase a building’s overall water security, it also helps control and reduce stormwater runoff, which in turn decreases the chances of sewer system overflow and urban flooding. During times of drought stored rainwater can help reduce strain on underground aquifers and the municipal water supply while also minimizing the need for imported water.

11. Sustainable Forest Management

“There is no better, more natural choice than wood when sourced from regions of the world like British Columbia, who ensure those forests will continue to grow in perpetuity,” says Shannon Janzen, vice president partnerships, sustainability and chief forester at Western Forest Products. Photo courtesy of Western Forest Products

Each year approximately 10 million hectares or 15 billion trees are cut down each year as lumber or to make room for development projects. This rate of deforestation is, to put it simply, not sustainable for the long term and contributes significantly to the decline of biodiversity and the traditional cultural practices of many Indigenous peoples.

Many governments and forest managers have adopted sustainable forestry practices that aim to manage and improve the overall diversity, resilience, and productivity of forest ecosystems.

Common sustainable forest management practices include:

• Protecting ecologically important forest areas.
• Prohibiting logging companies from cutting down old growth trees.
• Disallowing the approval of forest conversion projects.
• Prohibiting the use of chemical pesticides and planting of genetically modified trees.
• Replanting native tree species after harvesting.
• Practicing selective logging and thinning rather than clearcutting.
• Ensuring free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous peoples.

12. Soil Conservation

This waterfront restoration project headed by Surfacedesign required the reintroduction of crucial, nutrient-rich soil profiles local to the Puget Sound. Photo by Marion Brenner

Soil conservation and management is also integral to ensuring present and future generations are capable of meeting their needs. As a living ecosystem and the basis for which all food production is quite literally rooted in, soil is as critical a resource as freshwater but is rarely treated as such.

Soil conservation efforts have ramped up in recent years, focused on preventing the loss of crucial topsoil and staving off or reversing soil infertility caused by overuse, salinization, acidification, or other contamination.

Some of the most common soil conservation techniques include planting cover crops, rotating crops after each harvest, practicing conservation tillage, use of planted windbreaks, and reintroduction of organic matter/microorganisms.

13. Drought-Tolerant Landscaping

The 6.8-acre campus is designed around the landscape, and the drought tolerant native plants help to restore the natural habitat. Photo by Ric Berryman

In the US an average of 9 billion gallons of water is used per day for residential landscape irrigation. Most of that water goes towards watering lawns, many of which serve a purely aesthetic purpose and are actively harmful to existing biodiversity. A significant amount of water can be saved, however, through the implementation of drought tolerant landscaping or the practice of landscaping with native plant species that possess a high tolerance to drought and drought-like conditions.

Once established drought tolerant landscapes are capable of reducing outdoor water use by as much as 75%, which in turn translates to lower water bills and reduced strain on municipal water systems.

Sustainable, water-wise landscaping initiatives also go hand in hand with promoting and maintaining soil health, as drought-tolerant plants form long, complex root systems that improve the surrounding soil’s resistance to erosion caused by wind and water, preventing the loss of crucial topsoil.

14. Reintroduction of Biodiversity

Green roofs seeded with native plant species can help reintroduce biodiversity in urban areas. Photo courtesy of Architek / Brett Ryan Studios

Experts estimate that the accelerated species loss we are currently experiencing is happening at a rate between 1,000 and 10,000 times higher than the natural extinction rate. This rapid loss of biodiversity is largely the result of human actions—namely deforestation, overdevelopment, and pollution.

Many groups, organizations, and programs are working to reintroduce biodiversity to damaged environments using the following common methodologies:

• Planting trees and seeding meadows. Reintroducing native tree species and seeding meadows with indigenous grasses, flowers, and other plants can help attract and provide habitats for a variety of mammals, birds, and insects; this can even be accomplished in suburban and urban areas by way of green roofs and living walls.
• Building wildlife corridors. The proliferation of cultivated land, roadways, and large urban centers has drastically reduced the ability of many species to migrate safely; constructing wildlife corridors—or strips of natural habitats connecting ecosystems otherwise separated by human development—over and under roads can help reconnect habitats and encourage species migration.
• Reconstructing coral reefs. Coral reefs are some of the most threatened ecosystems on the planet, with estimates suggesting that half of all reefs have already been destroyed or severely damaged; coral reef reconstruction efforts entail growing, gardening, and out-planting coral species as well as the direct transplanting of coral fragments.

15. Sustainable Agriculture

Photo courtesy of Il Borro

While large-scale agriculture is generally considered necessary to produce the food required to feed Earth’s growing population, most experts agree that the current practices—monocultures, slash-and-burn, use of chemical pesticides, etc.—behind modern industrial farming aren’t sustainable for the long term.

This has prompted the creation of—and return to—sustainable agriculture strategies designed to preserve soil health, reduce pollution, and conserve water, amongst other things. Some of the most common sustainable agriculture practices include:

• Crop rotation. Instead of growing the same crop in the same field for years on end, farmers rotate their crops between different fields after each growing season; this helps reintroduce nutrients into the soil that may have been depleted after the last crop and reduces the chances of developing resistant weeds and pests.
• Organic farming. Sometimes referred to as biological farming, organic farming refers to the practice of using fertilizers and pest control measures of organic rather than synthetic origin.
• Agroforestry. Refers to the practice of growing trees and shrubs alongside or amongst crops and pastureland; agroforestry can help reduce erosion, improve water retention, increase biodiversity, and provide protection from wind.
• Permaculture. Describes an approach to land management and food production that aims to mimic the arrangement of plants observed in natural environments to ensure harmonious, mutually-beneficial cross-species interaction; emphasizes ethical production and consumption that benefits the earth, people, and local communities.

16. Urban Agriculture

Photo by Monica Løvdahl

Rural farms are integral to sustainable food production but the long-distance transportation of produce and animal products to cities and urban centers can contribute significantly to atmospheric air pollution. Urban agriculture projects can help cut down on transportation-related emissions by allowing produce to be grown locally while also serving to increase food security, foster community building, provide learning opportunities, improve air quality, and mitigate stormwater runoff.

Losæter is an urban farm, park, and museum in Oslo that is an example of urban agriculture in action. Originally established as an art project, Losæter is now home to fields seeded with rescued ancient grains, vegetable garden plots, a public baking house, and common area that doubles as a knowledge-sharing space for everything baking and farming related

“This place makes it possible for a lot of people to be creative,” Anne Beate Hovind, a previous project manager for Losæter, previously told gb&d. “It started out one way, and today we have a city farmer here, we have a public bakehouse, we have a baker who wants to do workshops. A lot of people are involved now.”

17. Food-Waste Reduction

Approximately one-third of all food produced for human consumption is wasted each year, amounting to roughly 1.3 billion tons annually according to data collected by the World Food Programme. In the US food waste accounts for 24.1% of all municipal waste sent to landfills.

At the agricultural level a large portion of edible food is thrown out due to overproduction or failure to meet cosmetic standards; a significant amount of produce is never even harvested but left to rot in the field simply because it does not meet market size, shape, color, or maturity standards. It’s estimated that roughly 20% of produce harvested is wasted as a result of improper storage, packaging, or transportation.

Allowing individuals and organizations to collect and redistribute produce that does not meet cosmetic quality standards can help reduce food waste at harvest, though it would be even more beneficial to relax cosmetic standards altogether.

Many grocery stores, bakeries, and restaurants also contribute to food waste by overproducing or overstocking and then throwing away, despite food still being edible. Some businesses do donate unsold food to food banks—an action that, if practiced nationwide, could drastically reduce food waste.

18. Eco-Tourism

The Blue Lagoon is an otherworldly spa heated by a geothermal energy plant, and it’s many tourists’ first stop in Iceland. Basalt Architects, a leader in green building in Iceland, completed The Retreat at Blue Lagoon in 2018. Photo by Ragnar Th. Sigurdsson

Approximately 11% of the world’s GHG emissions and 4 to 8% of all global waste is produced by the tourist industry, according to estimates by the World Travel & Tourism Council—and that’s to say nothing of the cultural harm tourism has historically perpetuated against certain communities and identity groups around the world.

Eco-tourism seeks to end and even reverse the harm caused by the mass tourism industry by amplifying conservation efforts and encouraging ethical cultural interaction. Marketed as tourism that prioritizes responsible travel, eco-tourism aims to educate people about the natural world, fund environmental preservation initiatives, support economic development, and improve the well-being of local communities.

While not foolproof, adopting and implementing sustainable tourism initiatives can help improve the tourist industry as a whole and ensure tourism is conducted in a more ethical manner—that is, it minimizes environmental, socio-economic, and cultural harm as much as possible.

19. Heat-Island Mitigation

Westcoat offers both solar reflective waterproofing and concrete coating systems. These systems help combat the urban heat island effect by lowering surface temperatures. Here, MACoat Solar Reflective was installed on a Carmel Valley deck. Photo courtesy of Westcoat

Rising global temperatures, combined with the propensity of urban areas to experience higher average temperatures than rural areas—the so-called “heat-island effect”—puts nearly 41 million people in the US alone at increased risk of fatal heat stroke.

In order to prepare for this increasingly dangerous phenomena, many cities have begun integrating heat-island mitigation into their development plans, including measures such as:

• Cool infrastructure. Light-colored and solar reflective coatings applied to rooftops, sidewalks, and roads allows for a substantial amount of solar heat energy to be reflected rather than absorbed.
• Green roofs. Act as insulators by absorbing solar energy and can be as much as 30 to 40% cooler than conventional rooftops; when implemented to scale, green roofs can help lower city-wide temperatures by approximately 5% via evapotranspiration.
• Trees and green spaces. Similar to green roofs, the expansion of green spaces and the planting of trees contribute to evaporative cooling and provide shade for pedestrians.

20. Pedestrian Infrastructure & Walkability

Multiple urban portals at the Gensler-designed Arizona Center were created to direct pedestrian circulation toward the project’s central core and encourage impromptu social gatherings. With the new open entries, walkability increased dramatically. Dramatically patterned perforated metal screens integrate with existing facades. Photo by Bill Timmerman

For the last few decades cities and other urban centers have been designed around the automobile, largely at the expense of walkability. This has led to the transportation sector accounting for approximately 29% of all carbon emissions in the United States, with light-duty passenger vehicles responsible for over half of that figure.

In an effort to reduce these emissions more and more urban planners, developers, architects, and engineers have begun designing with walkability in mind. “The most sustainable cities are truly resilient and include design for walkability, allowing people to get around on two feet with easy access to key business and cultural hubs without putting their health at risk,” Renee Schoonbeek, senior associate vice president at CallisonRTKL, wrote in a previous gb&d article.

Encouraging walkability by prioritizing pedestrian infrastructure—such as wide sidewalks, wayfinding tools, trails and footpaths, bike lanes, and crosswalks—over car-centric infrastructure reduces vehicle dependency to get around, resulting in fewer emissions and higher air quality.

21. Expanding Public Transportation

The Harrison Path Train Station in Harrison, New Jersey leverages YKK AP subsidiary Erie AP’s ENVIRO|FACADES unitized curtain wall. Photo courtesy of YKK AP

In a similar vein, increasing access to affordable, high-quality public transportation systems can help reduce carbon emissions even further by providing safe, reliable, and sustainable alternatives to personal automobiles. The logic here is simple: buses, trains, subways, and other transit systems are capable of carrying far more people than a personal vehicle can while also producing fewer emissions per person.

This is especially true for cities and countries that invest in public transportation that runs wholly or partially off of renewable energy. Japan, for example, is widely regarded as having one of the best public transportation networks in the world, largely thanks to the country’s investment in electric high-speed rail systems that are fast, reliable, and incredibly low-polluting.

22. Affordable & Sustainable Housing

Photo by Bruce Damonte

Sustainable housing refers to the subcategory of sustainable architecture concerned with the development of green, affordable housing projects and encompasses everything from private single-family residences to high-rise apartment complexes. These housing projects are intentionally designed, built, and operated in such a manner so as to reduce the structure’s environmental impact, promote social equity, and uplift social stability without contributing to gentrification.

Housing that utilizes renewable energy and energy-saving measures, for example, can help reduce renters’ utility bills and decrease reliance on potentially unreliable or overtaxed local energy grids, thereby improving energy security and improving community resilience.

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We see this exemplified in Edwin M. Lee Apartments, a residential complex designed by Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects (LMSA) that serves as the first combined homeless veteran and low-income family development in San Francisco.

“The Edwin M. Lee Apartments has set a new standard for community-forward, equitable design,” Gwen Fuertes, architect and building scientist for LMSA, previously wrote for gb&d. “The integrated design creates a healthy, energy-efficient, resilient, and regenerative complex that provides social, economic, and environmental value to the residents and the greater community.”

23. Accessible Health Care

John’s Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, using YKK AP 50H. Photo courtesy of YKK AP

While the majority of these examples deal with environmental sustainability, it’s important to recognize those concerned with promoting social sustainability as well—and ensuring everyone has access to affordable, quality health care regardless of their financial standing is crucial to promoting social sustainability. This also entails addressing and reducing the historic health care disparities based on race, ethnicity, gender, geographic location, and disability status.

By making essential services like health care accessible to all community members we in turn create a healthier society for both current and future generations.

24. Poverty Alleviation

Wheeler Kearns Architects designed The Night Ministry in Chicago, renovating three floors of a former manufacturing facility in the Bucktown neighborhood. Photo by Kendall McCaugherty, Hall + Merrick Photographers

While it may be more appropriate to consider poverty alleviation as a stepping stone towards sustainable development rather than a true example of social sustainability, poverty alleviation programs nevertheless play an important role in the quest to create healthy, resilient, and equitable communities.

Organizations like The Night Ministry in Chicago, for example, help foster social sustainability by providing overnight shelter, warm meals, housing support, and health care services to those experiencing poverty and homelessness in the greater Chicago area.

25. Disaster Risk Management

Disaster risk reduction or management describes the systematic approach to identifying, assessing, and minimizing the risks of various environmental, climate, and social disasters. Disaster risk reduction efforts are designed so as to reduce socio-economic vulnerabilities to these disasters and prevent future disasters by addressing the factors that trigger them.

Disaster risk management strategies often manifest in the form of resilient infrastructure, educational programs, poverty alleviation campaigns, improving healthcare accessibility, and even the relocation of vulnerable populations.

The post Sustainability Examples & Trends in 2023 appeared first on gb&d magazine.

• Sustainability in business refers to the strategies employed by businesses to reduce their negative environmental and social impacts.
• Businesses that practice environmental, social, and economic sustainability typically enjoy reduced operating costs, increased profits, and build better relationships with their employees, customers, and investors.
• The Kingspan Group, Geneva Rock Products, and Covestro are three businesses who have made significant strides in improving their overall sustainability.

As the effects of anthropogenic climate change worsen and the ever-growing threat of total climate catastrophe looms closer, it’s become increasingly apparent that all societal entities—especially businesses—must accelerate their efforts toward sustainability.

But what exactly does that entail? What does it mean for a business to be sustainable? As it turns out, it can mean a lot of things, as the path toward sustainability looks different depending on the business in question.

What is Sustainability in Business?

Johnson Controls, a leading producer of efficient fire, HVAC, and security systems, practices sustainability by investing in green energy and through its support of student success programs. Photo courtesy of Johnson Controls

When we talk about sustainability in business we’re referring primarily to the strategies employed by companies to increase their economic growth and longevity while also reducing their negative impact on the environment.

A business’ efforts at achieving sustainability or implementing sustainable practices is typically measured by way of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics, which take into account everything from emissions and energy usage to a company’s social outreach and community development efforts.

Types of Sustainability in Business

EHDD’s redesign transforms KQED’s headquarters into a hub for civic engagement and contemporary journalism. A dynamic new entry reinforces the public media station’s commitment to transparency and accessibility. Photo courtesy of EHDD

While there are different types or categories of sustainability in business, most businesses seem to be striving for environmental (or ecological), economic, and social sustainability—a grouping often referred to as the “triple bottom line.”

• Environmental. Predictably, achieving environmental sustainability means reducing a business’ negative impact on the natural world; this is generally accomplished by taking steps to improve energy efficiency, transitioning to renewable energy, obtaining materials responsibly, and so on.
• Economic. Economic sustainability, on the other hand, refers to the implementation of certain practices—be they financial or otherwise—designed to create and support a business’ long-term financial growth and continued generation of profit without negatively impacting a community’s environmental and social aspects in the process.
• Social. Finally, social sustainability refers to the positive and negative impacts a business has on the communities it interacts or engages with—e.g. employees, the families of employees, consumers, shareholders, or anyone else that may be affected by the company’s actions; social sustainability can manifest as donations to various organizations, the provision of affordable housing, education opportunities, etc.

What Does Sustainability Mean in 2023?

Decarbonization is one of the largest sustainability trends in 2023. Photo courtesy of the Global Cement and Concrete Association

Overuse of the term “sustainability” has perhaps led to a muddying of the waters, so to speak, as to what this word actually refers to.

Currently sustainability is largely concerned with reducing the environmental impact of goods, services, and industries—in most instances, social sustainability takes second stage, though that’s not to say it’s non-existent. Some of the current trends in sustainability include:

• Circularity. More and more companies, organizations, and even cities have begun to work towards building a circular economy, or a system of production and consumption that seeks to reduce waste generation as much as possible; materials and products are reused, recycled, reclaimed, refurbished, and leased for as long as is feasible.
• Decarbonization. In response to the worsening effects of anthropogenic climate change, more industries and businesses have begun working to decarbonize their operations, with many aiming for net-zero carbon status.
• Green Energy. With global humanitarian crises causing fossil-fuel prices to rise, the push for green energy has been renewed, with more corporations and countries looking to adopt clean energy technology and make the switch over to renewable energy sources to facilitate greater energy security.
• Scope 3 Emissions. Over the last decade or so most countries have made it mandatory for businesses to report on their scope 1 and 2 emissions, or those GHG emissions that they have direct control over; recently, however, the focus has turned to reducing scope 3 emissions (indirect emissions from consumers and supply-chain partners), as curbing these emissions is crucial if we hope to reach those goals laid out by the Paris Agreement on time.

While not an exhaustive breakdown of 2023’s sustainability trends, these points do represent the most common goals sustainability-minded businesses are setting for themselves.

Why is Sustainability Important?

Sustainability in business is important because it helps address and reduce the negative impacts of businesses on both the environment as a whole and at the societal or community level.

In order to address, adapt to, and eventually reverse the worst effects of anthropogenic climate change, all businesses must take measures to improve their ESG metrics, curb their carbon emissions, and reduce waste production—all while ensuring their employees and the communities they’re embedded in benefit from the profits they make.

Benefits of Sustainability in Business

Geneva Rock Products’ fleet of CNG mixers helps the company save money and reduce its GHG emissions. Photo courtesy of Geneva Rock

Let’s explore more of the direct benefits that come with achieving sustainability in the business sector.

Reduce Costs & Increase Profits

Implementing sustainability strategies—particularly those related to improving energy efficiency—can help businesses consume less electricity and reduce their overall operating costs. Sustainability can also help businesses increase their profits, as companies with high ESG ratings typically have lower equity costs, lower debt, and often outperform their market competitors in the medium- and long-term.

Attract Employees & Investors

In our contemporary world more employees are prioritizing employment with companies who have demonstrated a commitment toward sustainability, especially when it comes to environmental sustainability. Adopting sustainable business strategies can help businesses help driven, talented employees who share a similar vision and actually believe in the company’s goals.

Similarly, sustainable businesses with reduced operating costs and increased profits tend to attract investors. Adopting sustainable practices can also help reduce risk, as your business is less likely to become caught up in lawsuits or scandals—something shareholders will undeniably appreciate.

Improved Brand Reputation & Public Image

Working to improve sustainability also helps improve brand reputation and draw in customers, as more consumers are making buying decisions based on their personal, social, and environmental values. Approximately 66% of US consumers prefer to purchase goods and services from sustainability-minded companies, according to a recent survey conducted by the GreenPrint.

Companies and businesses capable of demonstrating their commitment to continued sustainable operation are more likely to cultivate and retain a favorable public image and reputation amongst their customers and investors.

Compliance With Regulations

As we begin to better understand the negative impact of certain materials, chemicals, and practices on the environment and human health at large, government regulations are becoming increasingly influenced by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially with regard to energy use and emissions. Adopting and integrating sustainable business strategies early on can help companies and corporations stay ahead of their competitors and meet these evolving regulatory requirements head-on.

Reduce Waste & Carbon Emissions

Businesses that practice comprehensive sustainability strategies also tend to produce less waste and fewer carbon emissions than those that don’t, and reaching net-zero carbon status is often one of the primary goals for companies looking to improve their operational sustainability.

Recycling initiatives and carbon reduction strategies—particularly those that focus on increasing renewable energy production—can also help businesses qualify for certain tax benefits.

Challenges With Sustainability in Business

Some sustainable business strategies and solutions—such as the installation of solar panels and other renewable energy sources—can be an expensive barrier to overcome. Photo by Chad Holder

Actually achieving sustainability in business, however, is easier said than done—indeed, there are a number of challenges that may impede a business’ efforts towards sustainability, including:

Higher Upfront Costs

While it’s true that sustainable businesses may see reduced costs in the long term, the implementation of sustainable business practices often requires higher upfront investments—something smaller businesses may not be able to afford. Fortunately, there are a growing number of government programs that can help small-to-medium sized businesses fund certain sustainability goals or which provide tax incentives/credits for adopting renewable energy or carbon reduction strategies.

Lack of Tools & Expertise

One of the most common challenges barring businesses from achieving meaningful sustainability goals is the lack of tools and expertise needed to actually plan and enact those solutions. This can, however, be mitigated in part by hiring a sustainability consultant—that is, a professional who specializes in advising businesses on sustainability initiatives and methods—to help identify areas of improvement and develop strategies for improving social and environmental sustainability.

Greenwashing

In an attempt to cash-in on the rise in demand for sustainable, environmentally- riendly products and services, many businesses have adopted surface-level strategies associated with sustainability as a means to attract consumers without actually making radical changes to their business practices.

This unscrupulous strategy is typically referred to as greenwashing and describes the process by which businesses convey false or misleading information as to the positive impact of their goods or services. Businesses engaged in greenwashing generally spend more time, energy, and money on marketing themselves as sustainable rather than actually working to reduce their negative environmental impact.

To help protect consumers against greenwashing legislative bodies around the world have started passing laws and regulations requiring companies to back up their claims with strict substantiation requirements.

How to Create a Sustainable Business Strategy

Photo courtesy of Sage

While there is no one-size-fits-all blueprint for creating a sustainable business, there are a few steps that any company can take to plan and develop a successful sustainable business model.

1. Identify Problem Areas

The first step in forming a sustainable business strategy is examining your current business model and identifying problem areas or those areas with room for improvement. By doing so you’ll have a better understanding of the impact your company currently has on the environment and community, which in turn informs where to focus your energy moving forward.

2. Communicate With Employees, Stakeholders, and Community Members

When creating a sustainable business strategy it’s important to involve the right people—and shareholders can often offer valuable information as to the needs of a community or provide insight into how to go about enacting meaningful change without compromising the business itself.

It’s also a good idea to involve employees in this process as employees are likely to be directly involved in implementing the strategies you decide on and so should be involved from the outset. As people who not only work for the company itself but also live in the community, employees often have valuable insight into which sustainability issues should be addressed.

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If possible it also benefits to communicate with other community members with no direct affiliation with the company, as these people may be able to highlight certain concerns or suggest potential outreach opportunities that are outside of your company’s radar.

3. Set Realistic Expectations

Now that all relevant parties have been consulted, your business can start setting goals that align with the agreed-upon sustainability strategy. These goals should be specific, realistically attainable, and aim to remedy the most important problem areas identified in steps one and two.

For the sake of accountability and record-keeping, it is recommended that businesses prioritize goals that can be easily tracked (e.g. reducing annual carbon emissions by x amount).

4. Create a Sustainability Plan

After your business has agreed upon and set realistic goals or company changes, it’s time to actually create a sustainability plan with concrete actionable steps, a budget, and a realistic timeline to see them through. This is often the most complicated part of the process and one that won’t look the same for each business. For that reason many companies bring on a sustainability consultant.

5. Monitor & Track Your Progress

Once you’ve started taking definitive steps to improve your company’s overall sustainability, be sure to carefully monitor your progress to ensure you’re on track to meet your business goals. Over time this can help determine whether or not certain goals and strategies are actually realistic or if they should be reevaluated and adjusted.

Keeping track of your business’ progress towards sustainability—and making these records public—also helps reassure stakeholders, employees, and customers that you’re actually making an effort to achieve the goals you set out to meet.

Examples of Sustainability in Business

Let’s take a look at a few companies that have successfully implemented sustainable practices as core components of their business strategies:

Kingspan Light + Air & Solatube

Both Solatube and Kingspan Light + Air follow the Kingspan Group’s high sustainability standards. Photo courtesy of Solatube International

Founded in 1965 the Kingspan Group—which includes both Kingspan Light + Air and Solatube—has provided architectural projects around the world with innovative insulation, daylighting, and natural ventilation solutions.

With more than 100 manufacturing sites the Kingspan Group is known within the industry for its high sustainability standards and carbon reduction goals. “We take the stewardship of the environment very seriously,” Neall Digert, vice president of innovation and market development for Kingspan Light + Air in North America, previously told gb&d. “It’s not only creating energy-efficient products that help architects create low-carbon, efficient buildings, but it drives how we make our financial decisions every day. It really guides what initiatives we choose and what product development occurs.”

In 2019 the Kingspan Group achieved its goal of becoming a net-zero energy company and has since set a goal for both net-zero carbon manufacturing and zero landfill waste production by the year 2030. In 2022 the company reduced its scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 26% and increased its renewable energy usage to 33.4%.

The group’s commitment to sustainable business operations is exemplified by Solatube’s headquarters. “When you walk into the building it is clear the business operates differently than the traditional architectural product company,” Digert says. “The first thing you’ll notice is there are no electric lights on. We are fully daylit for 90% of the occupied day throughout the year. Wherever people are working, they are working under the perfect light source all the time.”

Covestro

Covestro is a leading producer of sustainable polyurethane and polycarbonate raw materials. Image courtesy of Covestro

Covestro is one of the leading producers of polyurethane and polycarbonate raw materials. And while plastic is widely regarded as one of the most unsustainable materials on the planet, the company has put an admirable amount of effort into reducing its environmental impact.

“There are significant changes afoot today in the plastics industry that are already changing the way we do business,” Richard Skorpenske, head of sustainability and public affairs at Covestro, previously wrote for gb&dPRO. “The two main ways our industry has been able to move the needle are in changing the kind of energy we consume and changing the sources for our raw materials.”

In 2020 Covestro announced its plan to become fully circular with regard to all aspects of its operation, as well as the ambitious goal of becoming fully climate- and carbon-neutral by 2035. Most of Covestro’s facilities around the world are in the process of transitioning to renewable energy and the company has recently started experimenting with plant biomass for organic chemical extraction and carbon dioxide harvesting for feedstock purposes. Together these technological innovations will allow Covestro to produce net-zero emission plastics that are designed from the outset to be recyclable.

Covestro has also made significant strides to achieve social sustainability, as evidenced by their partnering with the University of Pittsburgh to develop the Covestro Circular Economy Program, the first graduate program in the US. focused on circular economy design solutions to minimize waste production. This program helps graduate students develop problem-solving skills by allowing them to experience and interact with sustainability initiatives in the community.

Geneva Rock Products

Photo courtesy of Geneva Rock Products

Founded in 1954 Geneva Rock Products (GRP) is Utah’s largest concrete, construction, and asphalt paving company. Their mission is grounded in sustainable operation and community-building, which stems in part from the business being locally owned.

To help reduce its carbon emissions GRP has invested more than $8 million in a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fueling station and a fleet of 25 CNG concrete trucks. “The new cleaner running CNG fleet has significantly lower emissions than its diesel counterparts: 50% less fine particulate matter and 90% less carbon monoxide,” Nathan Schellenberg, vice president of specialty construction at Geneva Rock Products, previously wrote for gb&dPRO. “The impact of this investment is the equivalent of removing 8,000 cars per year from Utah roads.”

GRP also recycles all of its waste material to be reused in future products, preventing approximately 1 million tons of concrete, asphalt, and other aggregates from entering landfills each year. A filter press helps the company recycle and reuse roughly 1.7 billion gallons of water annually.

To help foster social sustainability Geneva Rock Products sources all of their materials from local mines, helping to create jobs and reduce transportation distances, which in turn reduces traffic and wear on roads.

“At Geneva Rock we believe it is possible to achieve sustainable development, and we are committed to taking the necessary steps to make it a reality. Being socially responsible is not just a commitment to our employees but also to the communities we serve,” writes Schellenberg. “As populations grow and infrastructure ages, it is up to those of us in the building community to produce sustainable solutions that consider not only the well-being of our current neighbors but also the well-being of future generations.”

The Future of Sustainability in Business

Photo courtesy of ICC, Getty Images

As the language, technology, and attitudes associated with sustainability continue to evolve, it stands to reason that the business sector will continue to adopt new strategies to reduce their negative environmental and social impacts. In the coming years we’ll likely see an even greater focus on reducing scope 3 emissions, a more widespread adoption of renewable energy sources, and an increasing number of market players striving for carbon neutrality or negativity.

In its current form sustainability in business is helping to slow the speed at which we are approaching climate catastrophe, but it’s not on track to actively enable the drastic changes needed to stop the crisis altogether. To do that businesses must take it upon themselves to transform the current market, shifting it away from the endless “take, make, discard” method of consumption and toward the circular model that prioritizes a highly integrated system of recycle and reuse.

The post Sustainability in Business: Examples and Tips in 2023 appeared first on gb&d magazine.

• The circular economy model aims to eliminate waste and resource over-extraction by keeping materials in circulation for as long as possible via recycling, reusing, refurbishing, leasing, and repairing products.
• Architects, engineers, designers, and product manufacturers can promote the circular economy by reusing materials wherever possible, ethically and sustainably sourcing raw materials, incorporating green energy, and more.

Current data estimates that the built environment is responsible for approximately 40% of the world’s carbon emissions, while the construction and demolition (C&D) industry as a whole produces over 33% of the world’s waste and accounts for nearly half of all resource extraction.

“Excessive waste is the unfortunate byproduct of a consumer culture that grew during a time when the world did not understand the perils of overconsumption,” Richard Skorpenske, head of sustainability and public affairs at Covestro, previously wrote for gb&dPRO. “Through a combination of market forces, design trends, and consumer demand, an ‘extract, use, discard’ cycle became the dominant mode of manufacturing and consumption.”

Historically our economic method of production and consumption has been incredibly linear, following the “take, make, waste” philosophy—resources are extracted and products are manufactured before being sold, used or consumed, and finally disposed of once they are perceived to have outlived their usefulness. This model uplifts convenience and profit at the expense of conservation and sustainability.

This does not, however, have to be the case, as there are other economic models which seek to eliminate waste production altogether and facilitate a regenerative approach to resource use: enter the circular economy.

What is the Circular Economy?

Amsterdam is on track to becoming one of the world’s first cities to adopt the circular economy model. Photo by Alan Jensen

While the concept itself is a bit more complex than can be conveyed in a single article, the fundamental idea behind the circular economy is that of creating a system of production and consumption which emphasizes reusing, refurbishing, repairing, leasing, and recycling existing materials and products for as long as is feasible.

Ultimately the circular economy’s goal is to reduce pollution and waste production as much as possible by extending the life cycle of each and every product or material in circulation. In this way the environment as a whole is less impacted by human activity and is actively encouraged to regenerate what has been lost to over-extraction.

Achieving a circular economy varies depending on the sector, industry, or other socio-economic entity in question; the individual consumer, for instance, plays a different role in reducing waste production than, say, a grocery store or energy provider, though there is some overlap.

10 Ways to Promote a Circular Economy

Here are a few ways in which architects, engineers, and designers can promote the circular economy in their work and projects.

1. Prioritize Renewable Energy

Initiated and developed by the residents themselves, Schoonschip Amsterdam includes 46 self-sustaining floating homes powered by solar energy. Photo by Isabel Nabuurs

Prioritizing the adoption of renewable energy sources over the burning of non-renewable fossil fuels is fundamental to promoting a circular economy. Hundreds of millions of tons of fossil fuel combustion waste—that is, the slag, ash, and other particulates created by the burning of oil, coal, and natural gas—is produced each year, most of which contains toxic heavy metals or other harmful compounds.

These waste byproducts, of course, are in addition to the greenhouse gasses (GHGs) produced by fossil fuels as they are burned—the very same GHGs fueling advanced anthropogenic climate change. Incorporating renewable energy sources like wind, solar, geothermal or hydropower helps remove these waste and pollution streams, while also helping to lower a structure’s operating costs. Excess energy can even be shared with others via an energy cooperative or using block chain technology, as practiced by the Schoonschip Amsterdam integrated community in the Netherlands.

It’s important that the transition to renewable energy sources does not inadvertently come at the cost of producing new forms of waste. Lithium, nickel, cobalt, and other high-value materials, for example, are often crucial to the production of renewable energy technology—but the mining of these materials often generates harmful waste that pollutes local soil and waterways.

Fortunately there is already a large amount of these materials in circulation via discarded phones, laptops, and batteries, of which may be collected and repurposed for use in green energy technologies.

2. Use Renewable & Sustainable Materials

Photo courtesy of StructureCraft

Similarly the widespread use of renewable, sustainable building materials—like timber, stone, bamboo, cork, and the like—helps eliminate construction waste in that they may easily be recycled, reused, or left to decompose once they have reached the end of their operational lifespan.

For help in finding sustainable products and considering the environmental impact of building materials, architects and engineers can look to Cradle to Cradle, a platform that certifies products based on their ability to contribute to the circular economy. This makes it easier to design buildings whose materials may be collected and repurposed at the point of demolition, similar to how one draws money from a bank to spend it elsewhere.

“In the future, we will create buildings that are essentially material banks whereby the materials a building contains are selected based upon principles of circular design, material health, and design for disassembly and recovery,” Stacy Glass, vice president at the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, previously wrote for gb&d. “In turn, this approach will help owners realize greater economic value, occupants will have improved health, and the environment will bear less of the burden of growth and consumption.”

3. Harvest Natural Materials Sustainably

The Green School in Bali is built almost entirely out of ethically-sourced bamboo, a highly-regenerative plant that may be harvested multiple time throughout its life. Photo by Tommaso Riva

Whether you’re sourcing raw materials directly or purchasing them through a manufacturer, care should be taken to ensure that those raw materials were harvested in a sustainable, regenerative manner—that is, they are replenished at a faster rate than they are extracted.

Construction-grade timber and wood products, for example, should only ever be sourced from manufacturers or material providers that utilize timber from FSC or Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certified forests. These forests are managed to strict social, economic, and environmental standards to ensure that biodiversity is preserved and that local peoples’ benefit from the activity.

4. Prioritize Material Reuse

Waste—including fishing nets, industrial plastic, and carpets—is collected to be regenerated into ECONYL nylon. Photo courtesy of ECONYL by Aquafil

The reuse of existing materials—even high-carbon materials like concrete and plastic—should be made priority whenever possible, as reusing these assets ultimately eliminates more waste and reduces the overall demand for new materials.

Reclaimed wood, for one, can be used in a multitude of ways, from flooring and siding to furniture and even as accent features. Steel—one of most prolific building materials out there—also has near infinite recyclability and can be continually re-melted, molded, and shaped without losing its desirable qualities.

Out of all existing materials, plastic is the most widely available and one of the most uniquely suited to reuse in product manufacturing. Aquafil—one of the leading manufacturers of synthetic fibers for the textile industry—for example, has recognized the role of plastics in the circular economy, as evidenced by their ECONYL® fiber.

Made from nylon waste sourced from recycled carpets and fishing nets, ECONYL® helps breathe new life into a material often discarded with wanton abandon. “We are trying to create a new world for plastics and fibers that can be regenerated to open the doors to solutions,” Giulio Bonazzi, chairman and CEO of Aquafil, told gb&d in a previous interview. “Making raw materials from renewable sources, recycling them at the highest possible level without the necessity of taking new resources from the planet—this is our vision.”

5. Avoid Toxic Chemicals

Valspar’s Signature paint is one of this brand’s low/no VOC offerings. Photo courtesy of Valspar

While a circular economy primarily seeks to eliminate waste, there is also a focus on reducing pollution and the use of harmful chemicals and compounds in materials and products; we want these resources to be kept in circulation for as long as possible without compromising human and environmental health in the process.

When it comes to the built environment these toxic compounds are most present as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), or gasses that are gradually emitted throughout a product’s life cycle. Long-term exposure to VOCs can exacerbate existing respiratory diseases, lead to the development of respiratory diseases, and even cause certain cancers. Paint thinners, sealants, coatings, adhesives, and solvents are the most notorious VOC producers.

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When choosing materials or products for a project, verify whether they bear an LBC Red List Free label. Compiled by the International Living Future Initiative, the Red List is a comprehensive guide to the “worst in class” chemicals, materials, and elements that are known to cause serious harm to human and ecosystem health. Red List Free products fully disclose 100% of their ingredients at or above 100 ppm in the final product and do not contain any chemicals on the Red List.

Most Red List Free products and materials are, by definition, also low- or zero-VOC as well.

6. Implement Regenerative Design Principles

Construction for the MAC Lodge minimized the impact on the neighboring trees. Photo by Chad Holder

From an ecological perspective, “regenerative” refers to the ability of an ecosystem—that is, the land itself and all of its living and non-living inhabitants—to recover and replenish from ecological harm.

Regenerative design in architecture describes a specific methodology or philosophy that views the built environment as an extension of the natural environment and seeks to construct buildings with a positive impact on their respective ecological communities. Rather than simply reduce their consumption of energy or resources, regenerative buildings actively give back more than they take by mimicking the circular biological systems found in nature.

In practice, regenerative architecture makes use of a variety of design principles, including: landscape integration, whole systems thinking, resource replenishment, collaboration, and more.

7. Involve the Community & Design for Multi-Use

Wheeler Kearns Architects designed The Night Ministry in Chicago, renovating three floors of a former manufacturing facility in the Bucktown neighborhood. Photo by Kendall McCaugherty, Hall + Merrick Photographers

Another way to promote equitable adoption of the circular economy is by involving the community early on in the design process for all planned development projects. In conversing with long-term residents, architects and their clients can better understand the needs of the community and the different ways they might use a space over time.

For this reason new building projects should be designed to be flexible (e.g. an open floor-plan that may be easily rearranged) and multipurpose or multifunctional, so that a structure may change and adapt to the community’s needs without necessitating additional resource extraction or the demolition and the construction of an entirely new building.

This concept applies to existing buildings as well—before deciding to build from the ground up, verify whether there isn’t an existing building that has since outlived its original purpose that could be adapted to the community’s or client’s present needs. Similar to reusing materials, reusing an entire structure (or its envelope and framework, at the very least) will always be better than constructing a new one, as it prevents a significant amount of waste from entering landfills and reduces demand for new material.

8. Take Full Advantage of Building Construction Technology & Software

3D BIM software can help architects prevent construction-site waste before it happens. Photo courtesy of Enscape

It’s one thing to talk about reducing waste on the job site, but it’s another thing entirely to actually achieve it. Fortunately, advancements in building construction technologies and software—specifically those relating to 3D printing, building information modeling (BIM), real time visualization, building performance simulations, and construction site monitoring—have made it easier for architects to minimize on-site waste production at the outset.

“These technologies deliver a new level of precision to the building process and can significantly reduce waste and rework,” Dustin Stephens, vice president of Sage’s construction and real estate practice, previously wrote for gb&dPRO.

This same line of thinking also applies to preconstruction and prefabrication technology, which offer increased levels of control and quality-assurance that ultimately reduce waste produced by the manufacturer as well as waste produced on the construction site.

9. Conduct a Life Cycle Assessment

DIRTT was the first interior construction provider to complete an LCA for one of their products. Photo courtesy of DIRTT

Another way architects, designers, and even product manufacturers can promote the circular economy is by conducting a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This particular tool utilizes scientific principles and methods to evaluate a product or built structure’s environmental impact over the course of its entire life-cycle.

LCAs can help identify potential weaknesses when it comes to a product or building’s waste and carbon production—but they can also help assess potential solutions or other options that may resolve those weak spots. Changing the input parameters of a project’s LCA can also provide insight into how certain factors may influence the performance and impact of the building or product over time.

DIRTT, for example, is a company that provides fully customizable interior environments for a variety of facilities—what makes them special, however, is that they were the first interior construction provider to complete LCAs for their products as a testament to their efforts at attaining circularity. “As a custom manufacturer we recognize that we will always have some waste. However, we work diligently to reduce waste production and responsibly manage what we do generate,” DIRTT previously told gb&dPRO.

When combined with circularity indicators—such as the Circular Transition Indicators developed by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development or the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Material Circularity Indicator (MCI)—an LCA can even more effectively measure the circularity of resources and material flows.

Keep in mind that LCAs are most useful and most reliable later in the design process, after there is a better understanding of how certain resources and materials will be implemented within the project.

10. Practice Efficient Communication & Encourage Shared Responsibility

Effective communication on (and off) the construction site can help prevent wasteful errors. Photo courtesy of Sage

Even when practicing the other nine strategies outlined above, construction-site waste can still come about through human error and miscommunication. This can be avoided in part by creating and utilizing effective communication networks that allow all involved parties—architects, developers, contractors, clients, etc.—to stay up-to-date on delays, project setbacks, design changes, and the like.

Cloud-based construction management systems, for example, can drastically improve communication by providing an easily-accessible, collaborative hub where all involved parties can access and relay information in real-time.

Another way to foster effective communication and collaboration is by using the Integrated Project Insurance (IPI) system, a contract between all key parties with conditions that incentivize shared responsibility by eliminating conflicting insurance concerns.

Under an IPI contract, architects can work more closely with material and product suppliers, engineers, and construction professionals to design out waste from the outset or make minor design adjustments as needed to reduce energy, material, time, and money wastage.

The post 10 Ways to Promote a Circular Economy appeared first on gb&d magazine.

Courtesy of Oslo Innovation Week

Oslo Innovation Week is a time when some of the world’s most innovative leaders get together to present their latest ideas in Oslo, Norway. While this year’s conference is happening on couches and around coffee tables instead of in conference rooms or outside along the fjord, it’s set to stir up some of the most creative conversations yet. All are invited to attend this digital week of talks and workshops from September 21 to 25. Choose from more than 70 events across topics like sustainable energy and green tech, health innovation, and the future of work. Here are five highlights.

1. Financing the Energy Transition—How to Make It Happen

Photo by Gorme K Gaare

Kristin Aamodt is investment director at ArcTern Ventures and specialist in financing the energy transition. Based in Oslo, Kristin is responsible for sourcing investment opportunities in European Markets.

2. Oslo Freedom Forum

Courtesy of Oslo Innovation Week

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey will speak as part of the 2020 Oslo Freedom Forum alongside leaders and activists like Taiwan’s Digital Minister Audrey Tang, Uyghur journalist Gulchehra Hoja, and exiled Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Nathan Law.

3. Leveraging Different Ways of Working to Positively Impact Society

Espen Løberg, the senior director at Cisco and leader of Webex Rooms Product Management, is the global market leader in video conferencing and co-creation. The team is on a constant mission to transform workplaces across the globe, and Espen will share his insights.

4. Exploring Food Tech

Mette Lykke, cofounder of social fitness network Endomondo and CEO of Too Good To Go, leads a team of more than 600 in Copenhagen. The Too Good to Go app has more than 23 million users across 15 countries, who collectively have saved more than 43 million meals to date.

5. Autonomy for a Sustainable Future

Explore how continued innovations in tech are allowing for more sustainability in shipping and process automation. An important part of this transformational shift is autonomy, and you can hear from Kongsberg Maritime about just what the shipping solutions and safety and automation systems of the future may look like, in the marine industry and beyond.

Learn about more green news and products.

The post 5 Things to See During Oslo Innovation Week appeared first on gb&d magazine.

The 218,880-square-foot, LEED-NC certified Georgia Tech Engineered Biosystems Building includes expansive green space implemented by landscape architect Nelson Byrd Woltz. Photo courtesy of Cooper Carry

Earlier this year, like many families around the world, my family unexpectedly found ourselves working and schooling in our small home in Atlanta, Georgia. As we adjusted to our new routine, we had our expected share of disagreements, but we could all agree that by 6pm each evening we had to get outside. We started taking evening walks.

In May we discovered six Mulberry trees on our route, brimming with ripening fruit. We walked that same route every evening to pick fruit from the trees—just enough to snack on as we meandered along the path, leaving the bulk to remain for the birds, other neighborhood grazers, and our daily returns.

Plucking and eating fruit from trees on public and vacant land presented an opportunity to talk with my family about our food and where it comes from—specifically local food. As we battled a public health crisis that required us to remain within a certain local radius for the safety and well-being of ourselves and others, we recognized the significant gaps in the availability of locally grown food in our community.

According to a 2009 study by the US Department of Agriculture, 23.5 million Americans live in food deserts, geographic areas where access to affordable, healthy food options (including fresh fruits and veggies) is limited or nonexistent because grocery stores are too far away. Nearly half of these people are low-income.

Meanwhile, the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture (CUESA), a nonprofit focused on expanding access to local food, estimates most food in the US travels an average of 1,500 miles from its harvest location before ending up on our plates. Ill effects of climate stress aside, much of the fresh food transported across long distances is already locally grown and could be consumed by people living in those areas. While the high levels of importing and exporting may keep costs low, what are they really costing our society in the long run?

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You could say our food system is ripe for improvement; there is plenty of credible research and conscientious sources from within the last 10 years to validate that. We also have a wealth of information on how we can best shift our dining and shopping habits to better support locally grown food. Buying groceries at the local farmers market, cultivating a home garden, or participating in a community-supporting agriculture (CSA) program are all great examples, but there is still much work to do to increase accessibility and ensure sustainability of these models.

Despite this abundant knowledge, a divide exists in the information being directed to design professionals about how we can make a substantive difference in food production through physical spaces. As planners and designers, we have a responsibility to address inequity in the built environment, which includes determining how we grow and distribute food and eliminating barriers to participate in the process. Here are three ways we can start.

1. Consider food production as a critical component of every design plan.

Courtesy of Wylde Center

Designers arrive at every project with their intellectual toolkit, packed with proven techniques to address issues in our world, from activating streetscapes with a vibrant mix of restaurants and retail to amplifying the pedestrian experience with appealing plantings and site furnishings.

As local food and production are increasingly considered as part of the toolkit, we can then begin introducing these concepts at the design level, a point at which these solutions have a greater chance of remaining in the project and serving their intended purpose.

The sky is the limit when it comes to implementing a food-focused design strategy, whether it looks like planting fruit trees along public sidewalks, housing beehives within an office park, or allocating a space for a rooftop community garden in a multifamily development. For example, in Alexandria, Virginia, design firm Cooper Carry is working with the Alexandria Housing Development Corporation to redevelop the site of a homeless shelter into a mixed-use building with an affordable housing component known as “The Bloom.” A roof terrace and 2,000-square-foot community garden are key aspects of the design, where residents can participate in gardening activities and programs about healthy eating as well as supplement their diet with fresh produce.

As director of the landscape architecture studio at Cooper Carry, my goal is to lead our firm into the next evolution of sustainable, biophilic design, addressing the evolving needs of communities and driving success for our diverse clients—regardless of whether we’re designing a multifamily community, hotel, office park, school, or other environment.

By increasing the prevalence of locally grown food in urban settings through inventive design solutions, we stand to confirm the normalcy of sustainably grown produce, shifting the status quo from imports and exports to backyard-to-table dining.

2. Connect interested growers to available land.

Courtesy of Wylde Center

Whether a vacant lot adjacent to a current project or an underutilized right-of-way that is part of a larger design effort, we as design professionals are regularly exposed to properties that have the potential to become farms and gardens.

Where others see overgrown weeds, derelict buildings, and decaying infrastructure, we see possibility and the signs that a site is primed for rehabilitation. In other words, we have a unique ability to view those favorable sites as food production opportunities and support action to begin the conversion process. However, while we could sow the seeds, we need others to help us toil, tend, and benefit from the fruits of our collective efforts.

Just as our metaphorical toolkit should now include techniques for building food production into the design, we should also be staunch supporters outside of work to further the movement to localize growing whole foods within the towns and cities in which these products will be consumed. Getting involved and supporting local organizations that support growers is a great start.

As an Atlanta resident, Georgia Organics comes to my mind as a prime example of the outgrowth of a grower’s association established in the 1970s. In the past 50 years the member-supported, nonprofit organization has evolved with the times and has garnered national recognition for the solid work they do connecting organic food from Georgia farms to Georgia families.

Prior to joining Cooper Carry, I served as the green space director of the Wylde Center in Decatur, Georgia. In this role I saw firsthand how educating and engaging the community in environmental science, sustainable urban living, and organic gardening can positively reinforce ideas around local consumption and encourage action behind this newfound insight. For example, The Food Well Alliance funded a three-year project at Wylde Center called “Healthy Living by Healthy Growing,” where we used available land in the center’s gardens to grow food for a local CSA. This allowed us to hire a farmer who would have otherwise had financial difficulty acquiring land needed to grow food to sell in a local CSA. We used the profits from the CSA to support our food education programs at the Decatur Housing Authority, which primarily focuses on building housing for low-income households. Patrons of the CSA were aware that their food subscriptions were not only providing fresh food but also programming to their underserved neighbors.

Simply put, supplying the information needed to incorporate the practice to our communities is a critical step in reimagining our food system for a post-pandemic world and beyond. Designers are versed in the language needed to advocate for a community interested in transforming their neighborhoods into food production hubs. For those who want to grow but are limited in their understanding of how design and planning plays into it, we can become their champions.

3. Improve local food policy.

Courtesy of Wylde Center

As we come together to foster change, we also need the support of our government leaders, both on the local level and nationally.

Participation in local agriculture should not be cost prohibitive, and city governments are able to enact initiatives that mitigate the cost of entry to urban farming. Introducing programs that are directly supportive of urban agriculture is one method, such as creating community composts or decreasing expenses associated with water and electricity usage to support personal gardens.

Many large cities like Philadelphia and Minneapolis have led the way on implementing policies, however there is still incredible opportunity for smaller, more rural populations to benefit from changes to local legislation.

In our roles as cultivators of cities and the built environment, designers and planners must continue to back strong public policy for improving predominance of sustainable food growth in urban societies, particularly in those most acutely affected by lack of access. Imagine if more cities provided services to community growers to reduce their costs, such as providing free compost to growers from municipal compost programs or providing access to municipal water at a reduced rate for growers?

Designers are intricately tied to this process, as we can direct cities to usable parcels of public land and craft a blueprint for the ideal design of these landscapes. We have an important role to play in beautifying these gardens and farms, creating a comfortable and inviting place for the community to gather to cultivate, harvest and share meals.

Where Do We Go From Here? 

Acting as shepherds and stewards of this movement, designers and planners are uniquely positioned to improve the viability and enhance the extent of functional, sustainable local food systems. Our jobs do not end at constructing built environments; rather, we must become leaders in the way forward, illuminating the potential of cities and seeing our ideals come to fruition. We must engage in the work now that we know will have a lasting effect on communities for generations ahead.

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Courtesy of Cooper Carry

Josh Daniel is the director of the Landscape Architecture Studio at design firm Cooper Carry. With a strong passion for ecological planning, resilient design and urban greenspaces, Daniel is an expert in understanding the role of the holistic site planning and systems-thinking in the design process. Daniel is a former Fellow of Atlanta’s Center for Civic Innovation as well as is a certified LEED Accredited Professional, a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects and the Council of Landscape Architects Registration Board.

The post Designing Local Food Systems: 3 Ways to Make a Difference appeared first on gb&d magazine.

Gensler teamed with Mahan Rykiel Associates, Landscape Architects, to design a new park bridging a disinvested neighborhood and the Johns Hopkins Medical campus in East Baltimore. The community outreach process included multiple community-focused vision sessions, which informed programmatic elements in the park that include a pavilion providing shade and a water feature, offering publicly accessible spaces of respite during a heatwave. Photo by Harry Connolly

Recent events related to longstanding systemic racism and the current pandemic have caused architects and designers to consider issues of social justice and equity in the built environment with greater commitment and urgency. The first step in this effort is to recognize and understand how climate change disproportionately impacts communities of color, especially in our cities. Coordinated design and policy solutions are necessary to combat this worsening public health threat.

While the intersection of race and environmental impact has a long history, in the early 1980s national recognition emerged around what’s known as environmental racism—or the pattern of disproportionate exposure to environmental hazards experienced by people of color throughout urban, subrurban, and rural communities. At this time, awareness grew after civil rights leaders such as Dr. Benjamin Chavis joined community members in protesting the dumping of harmful toxic waste in the low-income black community of Afton, North Carolina.

Protestors block the delivery of toxic PCB waste to a landfill in Afton, North Carolina, 1982. Courtesy of Ricky Stilley

Over the 20 years that followed, awareness increased around the link between fossil fuels, unsustainable production processes, and climate changes as the concept of climate justice simultaneously took hold at both global and local scales. The idea was to draw attention to the disparities in exposure to environmental hazards like poor air and water qualities experienced by people of color and do something about it. The Bali Principles of Climate Justice in 2002 specifically called these disparities out. More recently, the NAACP founded the Climate Justice Initiative in 2010.

Now equity is a topic in all reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), with the latest report, “Global Warming of 1.5C,” stating that “climate change and climate variability worsen existing poverty and exacerbate inequalities, especially for those disadvantaged by gender, age, race, class, caste, indigeneity, and (dis)ability issues of sustainable development (SD) and equity.” While it is significant progress that this topic is part of IPCC findings, community activism is still a driving force in the climate justice movement to create change at the neighborhood level.

As designers we have a collective responsibility to address the threats of climate change in the built environment, while simultaneously promoting equity by working to protect our most severely impacted communities.

How Architects and Designers Can Deliberately Shape the Built Environment to Further Climate Justice

Earth Day Rally in Oakland, California. Courtesy of Creative Commons

1. Improve air quality to lift the inequitable health burden of air pollution.

According to a 2017 report by the NAACP and the Clean Air Task Force Black Americans are exposed to 38% more polluted air than non-Latino white people and they are 75% more likely than the average American to live in fenceline communities, or places bordering a polluting facility like a factory or refinery.

In fact, more than 1 million Black people in the US live within a half-mile of an oil and gas facility and are subject to potential health impacts from toxic air pollution and cancer risks that exceed levels of concern established by the EPA. Many of these areas violate air quality standards for ozone smog.

As a result, asthma rates are relatively high in Black communities. According to the NAACP report, Black children suffer 138,000 asthma attacks and 101,000 lost school days each year as a result of ozone increases due to natural gas emissions during the summer. In 2014 Black people were almost three times more likely to die from asthma-related causes than the white population, according to the US Department of Health and Services Office of Minority Health.

Regenerative Design Trends Should Guide the Future of Sustainability in Architecture

Designing Coworking Spaces for Entrepreneurs

A 2008 study shows that even higher incomes do not insulate Black Americans from harmful pollution levels. Black households with annual incomes between $50,000 and $60,000 live in neighborhoods that are more polluted than the average white neighborhood, with incomes below $10,000.

To improve air quality, we can start looking at the estimated air quality impacts of different energy conservation measures during the design process. While it is common to look at the percentage of energy reduction of these measures, we can expand metrics that estimate their reduction on air quality and prioritize strategies that have the greatest savings for both air pollution and carbon.

We can also avoid combustion in the design of our heating, cooling, and cooking systems by using electricity rather than natural gas. Architects and designers can advocate for state building codes to require all electric buildings, particularly in jurisdictions that have made large commitments to clean electricity.

In Berkeley, for example, the first building ordinance requiring all-electric consumption was established. Meanwhile in Brookline, a ban on new gas connections was implemented, and in New York state a commitment has been set to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2040.

2. Mitigate the impact of extreme heat by introducing resiliency strategies in heat-vulnerable neighborhoods.

Throughout the US formerly redlined areas are consistently hotter than non-redlined areas, with land surface temperatures as much as 7°C hotter than adjacent non-redlined areas. The distribution of vegetation, building typologies, surface materials, income, and health all factor in. Courtesy of Gensler

Global warming is no longer a looming threat impacting our future climate; it’s a present-day killer. Today extreme heat is one of the leading causes of weather-related deaths in the US. On average extreme heat is the most fatal of all extreme weather events in New York City.

Extreme heat also disproportionately impacts communities of color. A look at New York City’s Heat Vulnerability Index shows the neighborhoods that rank highest are low-income neighborhoods with residents who are predominantly people of color. Throughout the country formerly redlined areas are consistently hotter than non-redlined areas, with land surface temperatures as much as 7°C hotter than adjacent non-redlined areas. Factors driving this risk at the neighborhood level include the distribution of vegetation, building typologies, surface materials, income, and health.

The Urban Design Forum recently released a report, “Turning the Heat,” which offers 30 distinct design, policy, financial, and community resiliency strategies to protect New Yorkers from the threat of extreme heat and rising temperatures due to climate change. Design strategies that can help address the issue include increasing insulation values and reducing leakage in building envelopes, designing exterior solar control devices tailored to the solar orientation of each facade, maximizing vegetation on roofs and throughout sites, using materials with high solar reflectance, and incorporating shaded exterior spaces.

Designers can also partner with community-based organizations to design low-carbon pop-up shade structures in heat vulnerable neighborhoods. These structures could be developed through a participatory design process that involves local stakeholders, and they could feature the artwork of local artists, and be used to host public arts and collaborative programs.

We can also initiate conversations with our mechanical engineering consultants about heat rejection to explore opportunities for heat recovery and encourage systems with lower heat recovery.

Finally, we can discuss cooling set-points in the summer with our clients to ensure we are not unnecessarily over-cooling our spaces since more than 15% of heat in a heat wave is produced by air conditioning.

3. Clean energy and the clean economy must be accessible to all.

In June 2020 the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy published a fact sheet stating “historically, many marginalized groups have been underserved, overlooked, and underrepresented in local clean energy planning and policymaking.”

Policies that reduce high energy burdens and provide job opportunities for women and African-Americans in the energy efficiency and clean energy workforce can provide economic opportunity and foster equity.

California Senate Bill 535 is a good example. The law requires at least 25% of funds from the state’s cap-and-trade program in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund be allocated to benefit disadvantaged communities, with at least 10% of the funds dedicated to projects within those communities.

New York City has also taken policy steps. There, more than $10 million in grants was made available this summer to help underserved New Yorkers access clean, affordable and reliable solar, representing the first step in implementing New York’s Social Energy Equity Framework.

Creating an inclusive, clean economy also involves creating access to jobs. Organizations like the South Bronx’s HOPE program are a good example. This group is focused on developing a local workforce trained in solar installation.

As designers we can partner with minority and women-owned businesses and can consciously identify opportunities to bolster local economies when selecting or advising on consultant team and materials selection.

A Call to Action

The issue of environmental racism is complex and dimensional; there’s no singular or easy solution, but as designers we can make a difference. We must understand and acknowledge that the carbon emissions from the built environment have consequences beyond contributing to climate change. And we must look for opportunities to directly and proactively address climate justice in our design work and make time to listen to community members about their most pressing challenges.

The post 3 Ways Architects and Designers Can Shape the Built Environment to Further Climate Justice appeared first on gb&d magazine.

Natural light fills Vancouver’s Langara Science & Technology building, from a massive light well to large windows in classrooms. [Photo by Andrew Latreille]

Simple design solutions can have big impact on our physical and mental health. [Photo: Courtesy of Kilroy Realty Corporation]

A daycare center requires durable, low-maintenance materials and an air-filtration system to reduce airborne containments and odors that could impact children’s health. [Photo: Pixabay]

Buildings bring life to our connection to nature by using nature-inspired forms like in VanDusen Botanical Gardens Visitor Center [Photo: Courtesy of VanDusen]

An emphasis on natural lighting helps make the Sobrato Pavilion one of the least energy- and water-consumptive facilities of its kind. It also reflects a conscious decision to provide a sense of welcome through design. [Photo: David Wakely]

Smart lighting solutions transform Seattle’s Atlas Workbase. [Photo: Courtesy of Gensler]

Tree-table designs enable occupants to gather in sun-lit areas, experiencing the shade of the tree in a more casual and productive environment. [Photo: Courtesy of M Moser Associates]

National Business Furniture transformed Sizmek with colorful, comfortable spaces. [Courtesy of NBF]

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DeepStream’s planter-within- a-planter design keeps plants from overheating. Photo courtesy of Cushman & Wakefield

Recycling is one of the best ways to help the environment and economy simultaneously, but it’s overlooked by too many as tedious and unnecessary. But of all the plastic that’s ever been made, only roughly 9% has likely been recycled, according to a 2018 report by Great Britain’s Royal Statistical Society (RSS). The RSS named it their statistic of the year.

On top of that, recent investigations in multiple cities across the country have found that even recyclables that have been properly disposed of may not be getting recycled. In Chicago, some recycling bins have been marked “contaminated” and hauled off to landfills when not contaminated at all.

But even though recycling worldwide has a ways to go, many green companies are paving the road to a more sustainable future. Here are 11 green companies working hard to change the way their industries perceive waste.

TerraCycle keeps hard-to-recycle items out of landfills and turns trash into treasure. Even the company’s New Jersey office is made of reused and recycled materials [Photo: Dean Innocenzi]

Milk jugs and plastic lumber get attractive, functional second lives with POLYWOOD’s outdoor furniture. [Photo: Courtesy of POLYWOOD]

Scranton Products recycles old partitions into new products. [Photo: Courtesy of Scranton Products]

3. Scranton Products Offer Recycled and Recyclable Products

As an industry leader in plastic bathroom partitions and lockers, Scranton Products knows a lot about waste—mostly, about expelling it. The company offers customers the option of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) materials for their products, which help to reduce environmental impact and improve indoor air quality over time. All HDPE products are made from recycled material and are 100% recyclable.

Planter-system providers DeepStream Designs use recycled materials wherever possible. [Photo: Matrix Hotel Edmonton]

4. Lack of Sustainable Planters Inspired DeepStream Designs

DeepStream Designs was born one day when Tom and Sheila Boyce were sitting at a cafe surrounded by rotting wooden planters. They were looking for sustainable planters for their own condominium project at the time and came to realize that there just weren’t that many options out there—so Tom created a new option. DeepStream Designs’ Audubon and Mariner modular wood planter systems are made from recycled plastic milk bottles and can be paired with recycling and trash bins, wall systems, and fixtures for hotels and restaurants. In 2017, their products created from this material made up 62% of the company’s sales. In addition to recycling waste, they’re also giving back to the planet in another form: for each product the green company produces, a tree is planted in honor of their sustainable customers through nonprofit Trees for the Future.

Sunbrella Renaissance fabrics combine up to 50% post-industrial recycled Sunbrella fiber with virgin Sunbrella fiber. [Photo: Courtesy of Sunbrella]

TRUEGRID permeable pavers create 100% permeable surfaces and detain water. [Photo: Courtesy of TRUEGRID]

Jaime Covert, who uses reclaimed wood in his Coterie studio, had extensive training in Amish furniture-making and several apprenticeships in his youth. [Photo: Courtesy of Coterie]

FabriTRAK offers acoustical systems that are 100% recyclable and built from sustainable materials [Photo: Courtesy of FabriTRAK]

Plastic from more than 1,300 milk jugs is used to make one Bright Idea Shops hexagonal picnic table. Photo courtesy of Bright Idea Shops

Centennial Woods helps transform Wyoming’s weathered wooden snow fences into stunning interiors. Photo courtesy of The Centennial Woods

Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams continues to work with the Sustainable Furnishings Council to give customers better products. Photos courtesy of Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams

The post 11 Green Companies That Take Recycling Seriously appeared first on gb&d magazine.

[Photo: Via Pexels]

[Photo: Jeff’s Tiny House on Wheels via Facebook]

Tiny Houses on Wheels

At first blush, the strongest selling point of a tiny house on wheels seems obvious enough: Wheels equal mobility. Indeed, the movability afforded by a mobile home—but far more durable, better built, and infinitely more eye-catching than the traditional mobile home—is a major feature. But the wheels also offer a creative end around against some municipal restrictions. Owners can register their homes through the recreational vehicle code, which doesn’t have the same rigorous rules—particularly in terms of square footage—that traditional building codes and zoning regulations often do.

And unlike your conventional RV or trailer, tiny homes on wheels offer high-quality insulation with comparatively low thermal costs, they incorporate more resilient materials into their design, and they make a good long-term investment. They also look much better, providing a deeper sense of home, and, with some even sporting two levels, a far better approximation of true home design.

[Photo: Wind River Tiny Homes via Facebook]

Tiny Houses on a Foundation

While a home on wheels can sometimes be a great way to skirt residential codes, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. The fact is that, depending on where you decide to plant your diminutive domicile, a recreational-vehicle code could backfire; some rules prevent homeowners from taking up permanent residence in a mobile home/vehicle. If that’s the case where you live—or plan to live—you might want to go with the foundation option. (That option comes with its own bureaucracy to navigate, of course, namely having to determine if your tiny home needs to be registered as an accessory dwelling unit—or ADU—to a larger existing unit, but several more forward-thinking cities and states are taking steps to mitigate such red tape.)

A foundation-based house generally offers a wider design option than a wheels house, since builders don’t have to conform to a specific base. You’ll find everything from tiny houses on stilts, to protect from floods, to the famous Hut on Sleds by Crosson Clarke Carnachan Architects in New Zealand, which incorporates a sled foundation that allows the structure to be towed back in accordance with erosion-zone requirements. Other options include:

Prefabricated Tiny Homes: Shipped directly to the purchaser and made to assemble, prefab homes, by manufacturers like Kanga Rooms, are a popular option.

(Not So) Tiny Homes: Companies like Maximus Extreme Living are part of a growing subset of tiny homes built with larger and taller occupants in mind.

Multi-Story Houses: Tiny isn’t synonymous with ranch or single story. Perhaps the most awe-inspiring example of this concept is TiltCabin’s two-story vertical tilt.

[Photo: Via Custom Container Living]

[Photo: Pacific Yurts]

Yurts

Probably more readily associated in North America with the glamping trend or temporary homeshare rentals, the yurt has nonetheless slowly established itself as a permanent housing option for the adventurous. A staple of nomadic cultures in Central Asia for centuries, yurts—or gers in Mongolia—are round, tent-like structures made of wood or steel beams that are covered in canvas.

Yurts landed in the Western imagination in the late 1960s courtesy of William Coperthwaite after the simplicity-minded entrepreneur read a feature about Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas’s travel in Mongolia. Styles include the traditional Mongolian, bell tents, and large occupancy.

[Photo: Big Bertha Extreme Makeover]

Bus Conversion

A source-specific and charming twist on the Tiny House on Wheels, more and more small-home advocates are getting on board, as it were, with the bus conversion option. There are a few reasons for the trend’s popularity. For one, they look fantastic. The familiarity of the exterior with the homey-vibe rehabbed interior makes for a striking juxtaposition.

Another reason is cost; used buses generally cost a couple thousand dollars, according to those who have written about their experiences, and a bus redo boasts a degree of magnitude more personality than, say, an off-the-lot RV or conversion van. When approached with the proper amounts of inspiration and investment—perhaps most famously seen in Midwest Wanderers’ cozy, design-forward retrofit—the results are stunning.

[Photo: A cob house in the Pacific Northwest via Wikipedia]

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Transform spaces and regenerate life

VanDusen Botanical Gardens [Photo: Courtesy of VanDusen]

I became an architect because of biophilic design. I developed a deep love of life while backpacking around Australia in my early 20s. The sheer beauty of the country, its unique flora and fauna, and the vast quantities of wild land that had not been changed beyond their natural ecological state was life changing—it was a stark contrast to the landscapes of England where I grew up.

I entered architecture with the commitment to connect people and nature through the buildings we spend 90% of our time in. We’ve all experienced buildings where the movement of the sun through the sky creates shadows and pools of light that connect us to the time of day, season, and our sense of inner rhythm. Realtors know buyers will pay more to have a view, and we eagerly make early reservations at a favorite restaurant to get a table by windows rather than sit in the middle of the room. As building occupants, we’re drawn to spaces that interact with nature. But often we’re left with spaces that don’t give us that choice, ones with no windows, no fresh air or views of anything other than a wall or parking lot.

The conscious discipline of biophilic design has emerged to intentionally reconnect us with nature through buildings and is core to the framework of our organization’s Living Building Challenge. Some project teams add plants and trees or a fountain in their buildings as a nod to nature, but that misses the power of this discipline to revolutionize the way we create and design our places.

Biophilic design has been practiced for thousands of years, but since the industrial age we’ve used our buildings as an expression of our domination of nature and our separation from it. Once electricity was widespread, naturally ventilated and lit buildings became a thing of the past. Energy seemed plentiful and so it was wasted, people relied on automated air and became passive observers—no longer manually opening windows or pulling down shutters. The air conditioner kept us cool no matter what it felt like outside. Now that the effects of global climate change require urgent solutions, buildings and their more than 40% share of energy consumed are an essential influencer.

With biophilic design, we have an opportunity to connect to a particular ecology of a place—to its culture, history, and beauty—and to create a building that will bring life to the relationship between people and nature. For broad adoption of biophilic design to happen we need to shift our current systems-based design approach. We must change the way we train architects and designers so they can think and act systematically and develop the tools to communicate with building owners and developers. With today’s increased focus on the health and wellness of buildings, now is the time to achieve biophilic design.

Read more from past WSLA alums here.

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