What does "sustainable" really mean?
"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. "
-United Nations, Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future, 1987
Books at HIS
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Design Like You Give a Damn {{2}}
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Call Number: S 728.1 AARISBN: 9780810997028Publication Date: 2012Presents more than one hundred design projects for basic shelter, housing, education, health care, clean water, and renewable energy that demonstrates practical and sustainable designs from around the world. -
Design for Good
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Call Number: S 720.1 CARISBN: 9781610917926Publication Date: 2017The book reveals a new understanding of the ways that design shapes our lives and gives professionals and interested citizens the tools to seek out and demand designs that dignify. -
Building with Bamboo
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Call Number: S 691.9 MINISBN: 9783035610246Publication Date: 2016The applications of bamboo in architecture have become significantly wider and diversified, so that today, even structures with large spans - such as bridges - are built with this renewable material. -
Tools for the Design Revolution
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Call Number: S 745.2 GRUISBN: 9783721209037Publication Date: 2014-01-07The 'tools' are strategies for sustainable design informed by the challenges of social, cultural and ecological change. -
The Sustainable Design Book
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Call Number: S 745.2 PROISBN: 9781780674735Publication Date: 2015The Sustainable Design Book updates the reader on the latest products and developments in the field of green design and features 265 of the most exciting new products around.
Websites
These websites contain information about sustainable architecture:
Information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency about sustainability.
Information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency about using healthier and more resource-efficient models of building construction, renovation, operation, maintenance and demolition.
Weblog devoted to the future of design, tracking the innovations in technology, practices and materials that are pushing architecture and home design towards a smarter and more sustainable future.
Documents from University of Michigan's Sustainable Architecture Compendium.
Contains information on the council, its LEED rating system, and many other green building resources
A collaborative effort among federal agencies, private sector companies, non-profit organizations and educational institutions.
Powerhouse Museum Sustainable Design Database
The Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, Australia has over 130 years of design examples. This database shows some items in its collection that meet the criteria for design for the environment.
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Singapore Green Building CouncilThe Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC) is an enabler of sustainability in the built environment. Represented by a distinctive public-private partnership that spans across the real estate value chain, SGBC is the nexus for the advocacy of green buildings that are healthier and more resource-efficient.
SGBC shapes green buildings by working to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings and advancing responsible procurement, reinforced by SGBC’s product and services certification schemes that emphasise environmental sustainability.
SGBC is Singapore’s national representative to the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC), the only international body advocating for green building design and technology. As an Established Member, SGBC is also part of the WorldGBC’s Asia Pacific Regional Network, a powerful collaborative platform for regional GBCs.
What is LEED?
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. Available for virtually all building types, LEED provides a framework for healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green buildings. LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement and leadership.
LEED is for all building types and all building phases including new construction, interior fit outs, operations and maintenance and core and shell.
Vietnam Green Building Council (VGBC)
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VGBCVietnam's branch of the World Green Building Council (WGBC). This site includes details of the LOTUS certification and also many useful resources.
Databases
Search for information about sustainable housing, sustainable architecture, etc. in the following sources:
Gale databases (pw: empower)
Database of Open Access Journals
Materials for Sustainable Construction
Lim, Hyojin, et al. “Analysis of the Primary Building Materials in Support of G-SEED Life Cycle Assessment in South Korea.” Sustainability, vol. 10, no. 8, 9 Aug. 2018, p. 2820, www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/8/2820, 10.3390/su10082820. Accessed 19 Aug. 2020.
TED
William McDonough: The wisdom of designing Cradle to Cradle
Architect William McDonough believes that green design can prevent environmental disaster - while also driving economic growth. He champions “cradle to cradle” design that considers the full life cycle of a product, from its creation with sustainable materials to a recycled afterlife (20:05).