What is sustainable architectural design?

Sustainable design seeks to reduce negative impacts on the environment and the health and comfort of building occupants, thus improving building performance. The basic objectives of sustainability are to reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources, minimize waste and create healthy and productive environments.

sustainable architecture

is a general term that refers to buildings designed to limit the impact of humanity on the environment. An ecological approach to modern construction encompasses all aspects of the planning and construction process, including the choice of building materials; the design and implementation of heating, cooling, plumbing, waste and ventilation systems; and the integration of the built environment into the natural landscape.

Sustainable architecture is the use of design strategies that reduce the negative environmental impact of a built environment. Architects consider the site's landscape, energy and stormwater management when planning, and then use environmentally friendly building systems and materials during construction. It is said that sustainable architecture (also called green architecture or environmental architecture) as a modern vision, emerged in the 1960s with the increase in ecological awareness. An experienced architectural firm will listen carefully to your needs and concerns and offer you the sustainable architecture strategies that best suit your goals and budget.

This represents an important step beyond the basic principles of sustainable construction to help alleviate social problems while also addressing environmental challenges. The Frontier Project obtained LEED Platinum certification and is one of the most sustainable facilities in California. The Makoko floating school in Lagos, Nigeria, by Nlè Architects represents an innovative approach to architectural planning in which the community and the problems created by climate change are at the center. Any object that is considered sustainable must show ecological awareness, so its functionality must be linked to its relationship with the environment through its appearance.

Wood may be an old building material, but cross-laminated wood, made by gluing layers of wood together, has become a sustainable alternative for city towers and prefabricated houses in Europe and the United States. Sustainable architecture consists of designing structures that create healthy environments in which to live and minimize negative environmental impact, energy consumption and human resources. Modern awareness of the need for sustainable architecture dates back more than 50 years, to the anniversary of the first Earth Day, the international environmental movement and the subsequent legislation it promoted around the world. Sustainable architecture and environmental issues are now part of the agenda of companies, as well as of local and international communities.

The sustainable image risks becoming trivialized and becoming a typical wooden house with a vaguely comforting shape that fits the common image of respect for the environment. When strategically planned with the right materials, the initial costs of a sustainable design can reflect or exceed the costs of a traditional building. Sustainable design is no longer the path of the future, it is of utmost importance today and will reward communities that adopt it.