Sustainability Manifesto

We started with this technology.  Our original buildings reflected the local vernacular of where they stood, created with local materials and using the sun and earth to sustain temperatures that are comfortable for human beings.  We have come so far from those days.  Now, we create buildings that reach into the sky.  We have tunnels under oceans and bridges across mountains.  We have mis stepped somewhere.  Approximately 1/3 of what goes into our overflowing landfills is construction waste.  Our buildings drain energy, create waste and disregard the ground where they stand.  This does not have to be the way.

We are beyond capable of creating gorgeous, modern, sustainable, cost-effective buildings that are in symbiosis with the planet. We have tremendous amounts of technology that could make this possible.  As the consumers, we need to start demanding this.  We need to understand the cost of cheap building materials and inefficient buildings.  We need to understand how much less we would pay if we invested up front.

My commitment is to do the research, to understand what companies are genuinely committed to our future and green building, and who is green-washing, without the action to back it up.  This will be a constant practice.  I will study the processes and products that need to become the rule instead of the exception. 

Sustainable design encompasses multiple industries. In a new build, we can commit to understanding passive solar energy, water systems, and sustainable building materials.  For a remodel we can still commit to ethical and sustainable finishes and for furnishing, we can seek out companies that create beautiful and sustainable products.

Design is more beautiful, more fulfilling and more creative when it is created with heart and commitment to our future.