MEALSNotesSustainableDesign“TheMachinefortheLiving”LeCorbusieronbuildingsthatwereselfsufficientandindependentoftherenaturalsurroundingsEnergyisnotfree,globalclimateischanging,viabilityofnaturalecosystemsisdiminishingArchitectsmustbesensitivetothelocalenvironment–MarcusVitruviusHistoryofSustainableDesignEarlyonbuildersusednaturalmaterials(stone,wood,mud,adobebricks,andgrasses)Nomadictribes’builtenvironmentchangedbalancelittle,materialswoulddisintegrateandgobackintoecosystemHumanpopulationexpanded&moredemandingclimatespopulatednaturalmaterialsalteredtobecomemoredurable&lessnatural.(Firedclay,smeltedoreforjewelry,tools)Canbereprocessed(grinding,meltingorreworking)butnevernaturalagainSomecivilizationsoutgrewnaturalecosystem,overusedland,lessfertile,theywouldmovetoanewarealeavingtheecologicallyruinedhomesiteConservation–economicmanagementofnaturalresourcessuchasfish,timber,topsoil,mineralsandgame.1960’sDDTwasexposedfortheextremelyharmfulchemicalthatitwas.Sustainabledesignencouragesanew,moreenvironmentallysensitiveapproachtoarchitecturaldesignandconstruction.Architectsthatdesignedw/empathyofnatureandnaturalsystems–Vitruvius,Ruskin,Wright,Alexander)PrinciplesofSustainableDesignWhyisitnecessarytomaintainthedelicatebalanceofnaturalecosystems:Intheearth’secosystemtheareaoftheearth’scrustandatmosphereapprox.5mihighand5mideep)thereisafiniteamountofnaturalresources.Peoplehavebecomedependantoelementssuchasfreshwater,timber,plants,soladore,whichareprocessedintonecessarypiecesofthehumanenvironmentGiventhelawsofthermodynamics,energycannotbecreatedordestroyed.Theresourcesthathavebeenallottedtomanageexistencearecontainedintheecosystem.Allformsofenergytendstoseekequilibriumandthereforedisperse.Forexample,waterfallsfromthesky,settlesoplants,andthenpercolatesintothesoiltoreachsubterraneanaquifer.Toxicliquids,releasedbyhumansandexposedtothesoil,willequallydisperseandeventuallyreachthesamereservoir.Thefreshwateraquifer,nowcontaminated,isnolongerausefulnaturalresource