Sustainable Building and Ecological Intelligence

Recently in class we have been focusing on sustainable building. Sustainability is not just about energy efficiency, it involves the conversation of our many resources and preserving healthy lives and a healthy planet. Maurice Strong, well renowned global environmentalist and previously Executive Director of the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) once stated:  

            “After all, sustainability means running the global environment - Earth Inc. - like a corporation: with depreciation, amortization and maintenance accounts. In other words, keeping the asset whole, rather than undermining your natural capital.” (Strong) http://www.betterworldheroes.com/pages-s/strong-quotes.htm

Today there is an ever more global movement towards the sustainability of our planet and living green. Although green is many times abused as a marketing strategy for companies, I feel as though there is great importance in becoming a more sustainable planet. Being sustainable involves everything from the air we breathe to the amount of utilities we use, and the conscious efforts we make to allocate our natural resources to provide for most efficient use. Although we have seen this green movement affect every aspect of our lives down to the marketing of the products we buy, one industry making a major impact in the sustainability of our planet is the housing and construction industry. They are implementing many innovations including:

• Passive solar heat through energy efficient windows
• Compact fluorescent and LED light bulbs which are far more efficient 
• The use of grey water
• Using recycled materials 
• Better insulation
• More efficiency building materials including "earthpack"
• The use of not only efficient HVAC systems, but the additional use of air ventilation systems. There is a lot of indoor air pollution in our homes.
• The use of building materials which are "low in off gases" and and other dangerous air pollutants such as Volatile Organic Compounds.

Daniel Goleman, Industrial Ecologist and author of "Ecological Intelligence", stated that there needs to be a mass movement to utilize these practices and work toward 100% sustainability throughout the entire supply chain, because although these products allow for more sustainability, any product that has had a long chain of supply through manufacturers is not in fact 100% sustainable. Goleman, Daniel. Ecological Intelligence: the Hidden Impacts of What We Buy. New York: Broadway, 2010. Print. Goleman stated that even to make t shirts of "100% organic cotton", dangerous pesticides are used which consist of chlorinated hydrocarbons. He explains that we need a mass movement toward sustainability for all manufacturers and work toward developing a sustainable globe. I agree with Daniel Goleman in that we should be working toward a sustainable planet. Although his vision is ideal, I do not think that it is easily feasible in a timely manner. I think that we should implement more sustainable practices in our manufacturing industry just as the construction industry has been doing. So that one day we can all work toward a more sustainable planet.