Green is the new mantra of the age. Sometimes green ideas are wise while others are just passing fads. It is important to get the widest context possible and don't believe the hype unless they can prove it to you. Passion and philosophy will always work better than adhering to the green inventory checklist.
About 2 years ago, I was in Napa Valley sampling the local finery (vinery) while attending a trade show in San Francisco. Whenever I visit California, I am always amazed, how new ideas resonate with the public there. I always get the sense that they are less discriminating while more eager to embrace the "new." This stands in stark contrast to the reserved design ethos of Vancouver.
The group of architects that had joined me in Yountville, were all drawn to a new building that turned out to be a hotel called "Bardessono."(www.bardessono.com) We strolled in checking out all the newest in design. The idea behind the hotel was that it was energy neutral and LEED platinum (wow!). One of the things that interested me were the living walls. Not only did they minimize heat gain but provided a certain amount of air quality enhancement and were appealing to look at.
Small example of the Bardessono Living Wall
Solar heated pool at Bardessono
(image credits - www.bardessono.com)
The firm I worked with at the time, Synthesis Design, had recently completed a green roof installation on our office in North Vancouver with NATS Nursery . We were all amazed with the effect this had in cooling our office without the aid of air conditioning. It was a logical solution to a dilemma and made for a really nice place to hang out in the summer . Seeing this reinterpretation on the walls of the hotel was interesting and the unending list of both green ideas and design were heartening.
Having returned to San Francisco the following day, the group attended a tour of green houses. We were picked up in Downtown San Francisco and drove for 1 hour to tract housing suburbia (my first clue). Many of the green amenities included such items as low VOC paints (o.k), bamboo floors (o.k), and double paned windows (so) and recycling bins (huh!). When recycling bins become a green feature, you have to scratch your head. It was clear that green in this development meant an itemized checklist of saleable features that you could repackage and put on a brochure.
Moral of the story: Do it right or don't do it at all.( I am sure the emissions of the one hour commute each day would far outweigh the benefit of the recycling bins)
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