Archive for September, 2011
Structural Technologies Aiding Green Building
Article by: Alan Bernstein AIA, ASLA, LEED AP
Jonathan Wirthlin, Structural Engineer, AIA Member, Structural Engineering Association of Southern California Sustainable Design Committee, and LEED AP with Coffman Engineers did an outstanding job presenting at the AIA COTE Committee Meeting of September 3, 2009.
Wirthlin focused on commercial buildings. The Engineers role creates a substantial cost impact on all projects and there are very few LEED points associated with structural engineering. By savings on materials, additional engineering calculations and changes to the building code, the engineering for buildings can become greener. Wirthlin promotes the Green Globes approach rather then the LEEDS, because it is more comprehensive in its approach.
Tags: alan bernstein, ash content, fly ash, green globes, shrinkage cracks
Development is thus an appropriate goal that should be created through sustainable methods
As defined by the Brundtland Commission (Potter 2002) pg. 117, sustainable development is the “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. We all should seek to sustain the development of the nations, the equity between social classes and the end of poverty. Development is thus an appropriate goal that should be created through sustainable methods, in order to bring growth and the involvement of people in their own development.
The economy is based on its primary source, the environment-nature which provides animals, plants, air, water, land and so on. If we do not protect our primary source of life, sooner or later it is going to affect our health, quality of life. Social equity is gained through a strong economy and fulfilling other types of needs, beyond the basic ones. These three conform an interconnected cycle that provides us of almost all our necessities.
Spangenberg (Spangenberg 2004), pg 12 points out four issues we should address:
•The environmental challenge, the degradation of the natural basis of human life
•The first social challenge, the increasingly unequal distribution of income and assets,
•The second social challenge, the high number of people living in poverty
•The institutional challenge, the resulting threats to peace and security.