The Direction: Green Buildings Rating Systems
Beyond Bruntland and The Natural Step, a strategy for achieving sustainability goals is still needed. We can develop strategies by imagining future success and then take the actions needed to get there.
In the building industry, much preparatory strategy work has been done by the various green building rating systems and energy and environmental assessment methods.
These systems categorize and detail the impacts, actions and indicators required at a building level. LEED® Canada,10 Green Globes, Go Green and other rating systems give us the compass we need as we steer towards sustainability, and as they are refined over time, they will become more effective. And, as we work to refine our building practices, our buildings will also become more sustainable.
The Instrument: Integrated
Design Process as a Tool:
Even with rating systems and energy design tools spelling out the actions needed to proceed, it is still not always clear where to start and what tools to use. IDP is one of the best tools we have to help define the most appropriate design path. It provides the means to apply the design strategies and move society towards sustainability, one project at a time. Reviewed by Moishe Alexander.