Page 034 - move more fully toward sustainability in an integrated way.
Source section: Section 2 - Sustainable Thinking PDF page: 34 Guide page: 27 OCR quality: high (479 words)
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When designing aspects of the built environment, consider the systems in which the project will be located and the systems the project will create. Learn about the relationships between the elements, the flows of resources and information, and the leverage points that can lead to dramatic changes. Before starting any project, the team can explore these systems by asking questions. Whether working in the planning, design, construction, or operations phase, these questions may provide insight into the systems context and ways to move more fully toward sustainability in an integrated way. QUESTIONS A PROJECT TEAM NEEDS TO EXPLORE AS MEMBERS BEGIN WORKING TOGETHER, INCLUDE: « Where is the project located, and who are its neighbors—locally, regionally, and beyond? What is the local watershed? The bioregion? What are the characteristics of these systems? « How do resources, such as energy, water, and materials, flow into the project? Where do they come from, and from how far away? What other purposes or projects do those flows serve? « What natural processes are at work on the site? How do resources, such as rainwater, wastewater, and solid waste, flow out of the system? Where do they go? Are there places on site where these flows can be captured, stored, or reused? « What are the goals of the owner? What is the function or purpose of the project? How will the project meet those goals? « What is the community within the project? Who are the people who come here, and where do they come from? Where do they go? What brings them together, and what might keep them apart? How will the project change their interactions? « How does the project community interact with other, overlapping communities? What are the interrelationships? Are there sources of conflicts? What is the economic system within the project? How does it fit into larger or overlapping economic systems? « What are the leverage points within the system? Are there places where small changes can produce big results? Ina linear design process, the solutions to one problem may cause other problems elsewhere in the system. When problems are solved through a systems-based approach, multiple problems can often be solved at the same time. This synergy is possible when we take the time to explore the interconnections and approach a project in a holistic manner. In the context of the built environment, systems thinking allows us to explore and support the rich interactions that make healthy, thriving, and sustainable communities. LIFE-CYCLE APPROACH Green building takes a life-cycle approach, looking at the entire life of a project, product, or service, rather than a single snapshot of a system. The dimension of longevity distinguishes green building from conventional building practice, which may fail to think across time, and helps create communities and buildings that are meant to last. For a building, a life-cycle approach begins with the initial predesign : decisions that set goals and a program to follow. It continues through location selection, then design, 2 a nw a7