December 10, 2008

Time to shift focus to economic security and environmental sustainability

Architects Corner

Kiyoshi Matsuzaki, PP/FRAIC

As we witness the financial downturn worldwide with every country searching how to rectify this crisis and panic, one must wonder why this collapse happened in the first place and what lies ahead in the economy. Listening to the financial experts, we hear that the warning signs were evident, but the lack of care and responsibility, and maybe even some greed, led the financial institutions to stay on thin ice, to proceed with ill-advised policies.

Perhaps this reflection on the financial crisis can awaken our attitude on another serious dilemma – global warming. We already know our planet is fragile. We know our planet won’t be able to sustain a healthy environment if we keep polluting the air, clear-cutting forests, and using water and energy wastefully. As architects, engineers, and builders, we cannot keep designing and constructing buildings that are energy inefficient and are wasteful in their use of materials. We cannot waste any time in changing our own crisis. Wishful thinking that somebody else will look after the problems will quickly lead our planet to reach its saturation point. Our future generations will inherit the equivalent of an environmental depression.

These two concerns – economic security and environmental consideration – have often been portrayed as mutually exclusive goals. It’s time to shift the discourse and focus about how they can work together. We should be talking more about smart investment in green technologies. If architects, clients and policy-makers take a more long-term approach focussed on sustainable building practices, they can help, rather than hinder, future economic security. More varied jobs will be created by an increased demand for new technologies, and a sustainable building, if well-designed, requires less operating and maintenance costs.

As we all know, buildings are the biggest source of emissions and energy consumption in Canada. They will consume energy in the form of electricity and generate greenhouse gases by burning fuel oil, natural gas or liquid propane in boilers, furnaces and hot-water heaters.

The 2030 Challenge – a global initiative which the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) is a part of – calls for an immediate 50 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption in all new buildings and major renovations. The goal is that by 2030 all new buildings be carbon-neutral – generating as much energy as they consume.

We architects know how to achieve carbon-neutral buildings. Engineers and the construction industry will work with architects to achieve this. But we need participation by others. Just as the governments of major countries are stepping in to rescue financial crisis, we need our three levels of government to step in and make commitment to deal with global warming. Some cities and municipalities in Canada have already made commitments to only allowing LEED Silver or higher for all new buildings to be constructed. We need each and every city and municipality to declare the same. We need all provincial governments to exercise their greening strategies. And we need our federal government to become the world leader in spearheading the greening of our planet.

Developers of all buildings, public and private, and financial institutions have a huge role to play in creating a healthy and sustainable environment. By requiring all buildings to have highest sustainable design principles, they will lower operating costs due to low energy and maintenance costs and longevity of buildings will be extended. They will have the least impact on to the planet; it’s a win-win endeavour. Never has the architect’s skill and expertise been more needed. Architects know how to bring it all together to ensure the life span of today’s buildings regenerate the environment rather than take away.

We must all exercise care and responsibility of what we do to keep our living environment green and healthy. This is not just our collective duty and investment for our future generations; it is survival of our planet earth.

Kiyoshi Matsuzaki, PP/FRAIC, is past president of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC).

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