3 reasons why our network surpassed the USGBC on LinkedIn today
Sustainable Design Network
The most followed sustainable design channel on LinkedIn (160,000+ followers)
Everyone knows we are the fastest growing sustainable design channel on LinkedIn, growing at 3,000 followers per week. What we don't know is why this is happening, but we have some ideas:
1?? Certification is not design
While LEED certification is a valuable tool for promoting sustainable practices, it is important to remember that certification itself is not synonymous with design. LEED provides a framework for assessing the environmental performance of buildings, but it does not dictate the creative process of designing a space. Designers must integrate sustainability into their projects in a way that aligns with their vision and the specific needs of the project. This means going beyond the checklist of LEED credits to create spaces that are not only environmentally responsible but also aesthetically pleasing and functional.
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2?? Credits do not offer formgiving guidance
LEED credit requirements are often prescriptive, focusing on specific actions or technologies that contribute to sustainability. However, they do not provide much guidance on how to shape the form and aesthetics of a building. Designers are left to interpret how best to meet these requirements within the context of their overall design vision. This can be both a challenge and an opportunity, as it requires designers to think creatively about how to integrate sustainable practices without compromising the artistic and functional aspects of their work.
3?? Engineering is rewarded more than Architecture
The LEED certification process tends to place a greater emphasis on the engineering and construction aspects of a project rather than the architectural design. Points are often awarded for technical solutions such as energy-efficient systems, water-saving technologies, and sustainable materials. While these are crucial components of a sustainable building, the architectural design, which encompasses the spatial and aesthetic qualities of the project, may not receive as much recognition. This can sometimes lead to a disconnect between the technical achievements of a project and its overall design quality.
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Co-Founder at Streamline Green Inc., Technical Advisor at Harvest Thermal
5 个月"The [point system] certification process tends to place a greater emphasis on the engineering and construction aspects of a project rather than the architectural design."? The erasure of incentives for climate-responsive architecture is widespread. The California Energy Code is set up to "zero-out" the form of a building so that only materials and systems are evaluated. Because of this, efficient water heaters count more than climate-adapted massing. It's true that window shading like overhangs and verandas are credited in Title 24—design more of these! Look at old town Folsom, Old Sac, and Eugene O'Neill's house in Danville!—and now we're trying to get exterior operable shading into Title 24. First for credit, then prescriptively.? Victor Olgyay published Design with Climate in 1963, sixty years ago, and most days I feel like this thread of practice has had zero impact on the mainstream. We're just keeping a small ember lit and passing it to the next generation. Maybe that's what we do, until the storm has passed.
Full time professor + PhD candidate in Architecture : Incorporating Inuit perceptions, vernacular and biomimetic principles for architectural sustainability
6 个月"Sustainability is easy to comprehend but challenging to put into action". It is a complex social, evolving concept that influences and moulds technique and technology through layers of trial, error, and success."