ECO-LIVING & GREEN BUILDINGS

Integrated concepts for sustainable cities, eco-houses and eco-living. Activate the powers of renewable energy, natural technologies, sustainable materials and dynamic human habitat design.

As the built environment makes up a dominant share of our energy and material consumption, the path to sustainable futures is intrinsically linked with how we design, construct and use our cities, houses and commercial buildings.

The good news is that room for improvement is tremendous. Sustainable architecture, green material choices and renewable energy systems are overflowing the market for new developments these years in all possible forms and variations. Similarily, a vast array of technical and architectural solutions are available that can significantly improve existing buiding structures.

It should, howevever, be clear that we are still in an emerging market, with strong cultural and often conservative roots, meaning that additional solutions and supportive actions are needed to realise the full potential for green buildings.

Pioneer Projects

While the pioneers of the ecological and green building movement have experimented and demonstrated sustainable alternatives for the last fifty years, it is not untill the last decade that the environmentally consciouss building principles have entered and become acknowledged in the general public and among decision-makers.

And still we are seeing only a gradual process towards implementing truly environmental building practices in an industry that is mainly driven by legislative changes and short-term economic incentives.

Often real estate developers go for the "safe" investments meaning already established practices, which again is influenced by the preferences of end-users, who also tend to be conservative in their choice of housing (investments).

For this reason the market is highly in need of the demonstration sites we experience for the moment, which make the benefits and advantages of green buildings clear and concrete to the public. It is both a question of economy and practicality - but also of image and emotions, as there is as much feeling and question of identity put into the choice of housing as there is use of rational arguments.

Lifestyles, Living & Buildings

At some point in the future green building practice will have become a standard. But for the moment we are in the midst of a process of introducing a new mindset with many dimensions.

This calls for educative and communicative initiatives to diffuse the new ideas and establish strong and positive images around the green buildings. And preferably it is accompanied by positive lifestyle examples, that hold a broader appeal to more than just technical enthusiasts or the ecological avantgarde. Buildings are spaces of living and so the best ambassadors are humans that actually lead a happy and fullfilling life in green structures.

With this perspective in mind, it's important to recognise that we are dealing just as much with human and cultural inventions as with technical inventions when planning green architecture and ecological settlements.

Eco-City Planning

The human factor also leads to the question of city planning, where the sustainable dimension cannot be viewed as an isolated issue about bricks and mortar.

With the eco-city a holistic perspective is applied that focus both on constructions, but also on neighborhood design with integration of workspaces, shared facilities, local shops, transportation infrastructure and leisure activities.

Even the local production of (renewable) energy and food production can become part of a smart and sustainable city plan that takes into account the many aspects of green human habitats.

From an innovation perspective this particularily calls for strategic innovations that support sustainable living.

Lots of opportunities exist for social innovations with regard to new forms of family life across generations, or the possibility of more flexible buildings that can accomodate shiftings needs across a person or family's lifetime.

Also, whereas many efforts are concentrated on how to make super-efficient mega-cities, new solutions are also needed to transform life in rural zones and suburban neighborhoods to become sustainable.

Finally, lots of inspiration can be gained from the myriad of ecological villages across the globe where people have fused their ideals and living conditions into real sustainable and experimental settlements making sustainable living a wholehearted mission. Many of these ideals can with success be transformed into a series of mainstream solutions that provide a golden middle way.

Economic Perspectives & DIY

While traditional and cultural barriers need to be overcome, another challenge seems to be one of financing. This is especially true with regards to the costs of energy renovating the existing building structures. Even though investments often will pay back themselves within 5-10 years, it does not necesarily provide the money to finance it in the short term.

The same issue applies for renewable energy systems that still account for a significant investment amount. Adding to that insecurity about future energy prices, different technological developments and the possible introduction of new public regulations, means that many green building initiatives are put on a stand by.

This indicates that there are lots of room for innovations that either lower cost or provide a business models that make it attractive even in the short term to make green renovations or renewable energy investments.

Addressing the economic issue another interesting way to go, would be to offer product packages or service solutions that make it more widely accessible as do-it-yourself projects for houseowners to implement themselves. This can both reduce total economic costs substantially as well as create a higher degree of "ownership" and subsequent word-of-mouth effect among house-keepers that have installed their own equipment or done a renovation independently.

Beyond Green Buildings

Most issues regarding sustainable architecture adress how to green existing buildings - as opposed to challenging the basic assumptions on how our physical structures for living and working could be like.

A suggestion is to simply rethink what a house could look and functionlike. One example is the micro-living initiatives that are demonstrating how a very high quality of life can be realised within a minimum of space.

Another challenge would be to focus on space allocation for workplaces, shops and public buildings. Many buildings are only in use for 1/3 of the day, and most are only using a smaller part of the capacity leaving room for a more efficient and environmental use.

So both on the private and working arean buildings could benefit from a sustainable rethinking in search for more flexible building solutions to unfold our lives within.

Take Action

Co·Creative offers strategic consulting services and assistance on the development and communication of eco-living and green building solutions.

We also run creative workshops and camps for people-driven innovation activities.

Please contact Project Developer & Director, Søren Femmer Jensen for more info: +45 30 279 111 / soren@cocreative.com

 

Ancient Sustainable Architecture: water reservoirs with natural windcatcher cooling in the desert city of Naeen in Iran.

 

 

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