Sensibly Green

   Green, LEED, eco-friendly, sustainable...Many people are eager to be environmentally conscious when building or renovating, but are unsure about what steps to take. Does it make sense to spend money on “green” products without understanding how they contribute to the project’s design and energy profile?
   A Sensibly Green approach places a priority on energy efficiency.   Thoughtful architectural design and the integration of energy-efficient building systems can save energy, dramatically reduce a building’s operating costs, and protect the environment.
   There are four key components of a Sensibly Green approach - Architectural Design that focuses the building program and incorporates adaptable use of space; Building Orientation that takes advantage of solar gain, daylighting, and natural ventilation; a Building Envelope that reduces energy use; and Energy-Efficient Systems for heating and cooling.

Sensibly Green Architecture

Building Orientation should take into account the site’s relationship to the sun and the prevailing winds. For example, a local mixed-use commercial / residential development on a road running north - south has all of the buildings built parallel to the road with only the windowless ends of the buildings facing south. Had the buildings been turned 90 degrees and the windows and overhangs designed to take advantage of the sun, the owners would have enjoyed winter days with sun-filled interiors and cost-free passive solar heating.

Sensibly Green Building Envelope

   Energy-Efficient Systems, both mechanical and electrical, are key components of a Sensibly Green approach. Solar panels, wind turbines, and geothermal systems are the headliners of the green building movement. Other systems that use conventional fuels (for example, high-efficiency condensing gas boilers), may make more sense for specific applications.
   In choosing what kind of system to use, it is important to understand the heating and cooling loads, the efficiency of the building envelope, the building orientation, and the intention of the architectural design. For example, a home on a south facing slope would not necessarily use the same system as a commercial building with heavy customer traffic and a controlled indoor environment.
   A Sensibly Green approach estimates the cost of different building systems, the operating cost of proposed heating and mechanical systems, and looks for a return on investment through measurable energy savings.

Swans in Flight

Sensibly Green

Sensibly Green House

   The Architectural Design process should begin with a detailed examination of intended uses and create rooms that are appropriately sized, flexible, and adaptable.
   Too often owners, architects, and builders embrace the “bigger is better” philosophy, with bigger buildings conveying status (and larger commissions.) While the average family size has shrunk, the average size of a new house has grown from 1400 square feet in 1970 to more that 2900 square feet in 2009 and there has been an explosion of rooms designed for specific purposes (media rooms, guest bathrooms, etc.) Bigger is not always better; often not sensible; and definitely not green.
   Thorough planning and thoughtful design can turn this trend around. In a house, this might mean designing a home office that easily converts into a guest bedroom or designing a child’s room with built-in storage that also serves as a bed for sleepovers. In a corporate headquarters, this might mean eliminating private offices in favor of open-floor plans with designated meeting rooms.

Sensibly Green Building Orientation

   The Building Envelope (primarily the walls and roof) moderates a building’s heat gain/loss and controls the amount of light and ventilation that enter the building. Tighter, better insulated buildings are more efficient to heat and cool, and more comfortable to live and work in.
   At one end of the spectrum are super-insulated buildings, built to exacting standards, that don’t use conventional heating systems, and require active ventilation systems to bring fresh air into the building.   At the other end of the spectrum are houses that conform to building codes without specific attention to the details of heat transfer and thermal conductivity.
   It is important to construct an appropriate building envelope. It may not make sense to super-insulate a house that will be primarily used for a summer residence.   On the other hand, a commercial building that requires year-round climate control will immediately benefit from a well-insulated envelope, and provide a positive return on investment through lower operating costs.

Sensibly Green Energy Efficient Systems

For much of the past 50 years builders and developers embraced a “build it and it will sell” philosophy and buyers assumed their properties would appreciate in value. The collapse in the real estate market and the instability of energy costs has forced us to radically rethink how we design and build.
By prioritizing energy efficiency, a Sensibly Green approach lowers operating costs, produces a measurable return on investment, protects the environment, and contributes to beautiful and thoughtful architecture.