think green - change the world

Sustainable, Re‐usable, Recyclable, Renewable.  These are the buzzwords of our time and will very likely set the course for the next generation.  We’ve seen the movies, the news reports and the documentaries – but where does all of this come from and what does it mean?

For a few decades, as science and technology has improved, we have been able to improve our diagnostics and projections for strategic environmental planning and impact.  This has had a ripple effect on manufacturing, engineering and design, which has in turn infiltrated almost every other industry.

Passive Design Principles

Passive Design Principles

In Architecture, Green Design has been an industry changing approach that has broadened, and focused, the creative minds in one green stroke.   So much so that at EXPO 2000, which was held in Hanover, Germany, a Bill of Rights for the Planet was developed by a group of architects.

As members of the Green Building Council of South Africa, Krige Falconer Partnership Architects is committed to reducing the impact that our designs have on the environment.  In order to do this, there are many factors that we need to consider when we approach a project.  Some of the common principles that we strive to adhere to are:

• Energy efficiency – our initial design approach is to look at the climatic context in which the building exists in order to inform an appropriate architectural response.  We consider the path of the sun throughout the year, the prevailing wind directions, rainfall patterns and other climatic and contextual aspects to maximize the potential for energy savings through optimal orientation, natural ventilation, light and control of heat gain and loss.
• Once we complete the passive design process, we then look at solar water heating, energy efficient lighting, heating and ventilation systems to further reduce the energy consumption and carbon footprint of the building.
• Bio‐Mimicry ‐ this is a concept that considers the eco system in which a structure is built and learns from the way the natural world responds to the context in order to inform us how to respond to our natural world.
• The selection of materials also has a big impact on the sustainability of a building, there are many factors to look at when choosing a material.
• Embodied Energy – This is the energy used to manufacture and transport the materials from raw materials to the finished product delivered to site.  The selection of local materials dramatically reduces the embodied energy of the material and the footprint of the building as a whole.
• Indoor air quality is another important aspect to consider when selecting material and finishes in a building. For example, the use of paint that does not emit VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) improves the indoor air quality and the health and wellbeing of the occupants.
• Life Cycle Costing ‐ Quality and durability: materials, and designs, that are long‐‐‐lasting and functionally optimal will have to be replaced less frequently, which reduces the impact of producing replacements and reduces long term costs to the environment and our clients.

(click here for more of our views on green design)

Thinking green means considering the long term effects that our decisions and actions will have on our environment for future generations.  There is no single solution that can be applied to every building project to make it a “green project.”  We need to look at each project individually to tailor a strategy to meet the objectives that we set out to achieve.