Ecologically sustainable design challenge for architects in the 21st century is to develop optimal processes that involve design, construction and operation. This involves developing integrated design approaches with far fewer resources (materials and energy) and less waste, without restricting creative innovation. Despite attempts to meet these challenges, some critics suggest that most green buildings are simply an outcome of performance-driven agendas of environmental policies, green benchmarks and rating systems, and operate as an accumulation of eco technologies such as photovoltaic or solar panels and eco materials (Yeang, 2006, p. 23).
This shows lack of knowledge of a systematic design thinking process, based on ecology, which emphasises the importance of holistic integration and synthesis. What is needed, some authors suggest, is a revolution in the ecologically sustainable design approaches of many disciplines that study the relationship of flora and fauna to their environment (Van der Ryn & Cowan,
Chapter 1: Barriers to Ecologically Sustainable Design
Exploring a Biomimicry Approach to Enhance Ecological Sustainability in Architecture 1‐8 1996). This would encourage the development of a set of principles based on ecology. It is widely accepted that, for a built environment to function in an ecological design sense, natural systems need to be considered as ideal models (Kay, Regier, Boyle & Francis, 1999; Orr, 1992).
Could the process of understanding ecosystem functioning be adopted in a design process that recognises this deep understanding of ecology to integrate between physical attributes, microclimate and ‘eco efficiency’ imperatives in buildings?
As Head (2008) has proposed, “we must find a way to live more harmoniously with the natural world” (p. 41). To do so requires a framework that can tackle two of the objectives that he identifies for a more sustainable future: a reduction in the production of carbon dioxide, and a reduction in the scale of human ecological footprints (Head, 2008, p. 41). An ecological footprint is a measure of the load imposed by a given population on nature. It assesses the land area (Figure 1 3) needed to sustain current levels of resource consumption and waste discharge by the population (Wackernagel & Rees, 1996). It helps measure the earth’s bio capacity in productive land to meet human needs and encourages growth and development while achieving a balance with nature (Head, 2008). According to Head, if an ‘ecological age’ is to be achieved by 2050, it is estimated that 80% of carbon reduction and an ecological footprint of 1.44gha/capita will need to be maintained (2008, p. 5).
Figure 1.3: Ecological footprint and land type uses (Head, 2008, p. 16)
Buildings account for nearly half of all greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption (Mazria, 2010, p. 1), which amounts to 50% of the targeted value. ‘Ecological age’ is depicted as a futuristic vision to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community (Sehn 2015) by means of a close loop system with zero waste for development of sustainable cities within environmental limits (Head, 2008). In this context, ecological sustainability is seen as an approach to conservation (Callicott & Mumford 1997) that aims to preserve ecological integrity
Chapter 1: Barriers to Ecologically Sustainable Design
Exploring a Biomimicry Approach to Enhance Ecological Sustainability in Architecture 1‐9 (Angermeier & Karr 1994; Noss 1995) and biodiversity (Noss 1990). The built environment is vast in scale, occupying a significant proportion of the earth’s surface (Kibert, Sendzimir &
Guy, 2002a, p. 1), and has a lifespan of 50 to 100 years (Mazria, 2010, p. 1). The American Institute of Architects AIA has initiated a plan to reduce emissions in new buildings and to retrofit existing building stock by enacting building sector initiatives, targeting a greenhouse gas reduction of 40% to 60% below 1990 levels (Figure 1.4) by 2050 (Mazria, 2010, p. 2).
Architecture 2030, a non-profit organisation established in response to the climate change crisis by architect Edward Mazria in 2002, proposes achievable and affordable targets to dramatically reduce the energy consumption of the building sector by reducing the targets to 2030-Figure 1.5 (Architecture 2030, 2011).
Figure 1.4: Building sector initiatives
(Mazria, 2010) Figure 1.5: Fossil fuel reduction standards (Architecture 2030, 2011)
The fossil fuel reduction standard for buildings is planned to increase to 70% in 2015, 80% in 2020, 90% in 2025 and to be carbon-neutral in 2030 (that is, using no fossil fuel GHG emitting energy).To achieve these targets, innovative sustainable design strategies will need to be implemented, such as generating on-site renewable power and/or purchasing (20% maximum) renewable energy. This was followed by the Environment Policy of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (now the Australian Institute of Architects), which adopted ecologically sustainable development as an environmental design guide under key principles that encourage the development of new design strategies for ecological sustainability (The Royal Australian Institute of Architects, 2010). This highlights the importance of incorporating an ecological perspective in our understanding of sustainability. There is a need “ to develop a unifying ecologically [sustainable] design philosophy that can guild design decisions in order to ensure that new artefacts combine materials and resources in an environmentally conscious way while,
Chapter 1: Barriers to Ecologically Sustainable Design
Exploring a Biomimicry Approach to Enhance Ecological Sustainability in Architecture 1‐10 ensuring the values and lifestyles” (Stegall, 2006, p. 58) to promote an ecologically sustainable society (Orr, 1992).
Further, Simon Guy and Graham Farmer observe the connections between varied technical design approaches and challenging beginnings of ecological place making which frame a social constructivist perspective on the advance of sustainable architecture. They recognise that the socially challenged nature of environmental design might begin to involve a very diverse treatise about sustainable architecture and disclose that, “environmental concerns are both time and space specific and are governed by a specific modelling of nature”. (2001, p. 146).