Let us LEED the Way!

      Through our conversations and readings on LEED buildings and communities, I've been struck with how systemic and holistic LEED is. Prior to studying it, I'd always perceived LEED as a system focused only on environmental preservation. Now, however, I see it as a system that yes, champions the environment, but also champions human health, community vibrancy, and equity. It's extremely impressive. I went through the link from the Green Building Council and picked out several criteria that resonated with me. For each criteria, I've detailed the widespread effects which follow, to demonstrate the holistic nature of LEED.


-"Many small parts working together can have big impacts."- Green Building Council


1. Building Near Public Transit
-Saves residents money on purchasing a car, gas, and vehicle repairs.
-Allows residents consistent, easy access to employment, healthcare appointments, and social events.
-Contributes to clean air via lower fossil fuel emissions from carpooling reducing the amount of individual drivers.

2. Preserving Biotic Communities (Wetlands, Imperiled Species, etc.)
-Contributes to the health of non-human species as their habitats remain intact.
-Creates a space of discovery and education for community members.
-Increased biodiversity creates more resilient ecosystems. More resilient ecosystems result in more reliable food production and disaster mitigation.

3. Preserving Agricultural Land
-Saving farm land creates much needed jobs for farmers.
-Nearby food production eliminates the need for hefty transportation emissions and costs.
-A greater familiarity with food creates a strong sense of place for citizens.
-Nearby food production eliminates non-seasonal growing which demands greater pesticide use.

4. Floodplain Avoidance
-Enhances water quality
-Preserves habitats for humans and non-humans.
-Protects human and non human lives through flood mitigation
-Promotes open space, a valuable and oft overlooked resource

5. Bicycle Facilities
-Bike resources promote biking, which increases public health through physical activity.
-Reduction of emissions through human-powered transit.
-Support for local industries like bike shops, rather than massive corporations like oil and gas.
-Support for the economy as bikers are more apt to stop and spend money at shops than those speeding by in cars.


I'm all for LEED certification to become a requirement for all new buildings, and potentially even for retrofitting old buildings. And I do believe that even as a requirement, LEED could still be popular with the populace. I think that the way to sell LEED communities is to frame it not as controlling regulation, but as an opportunity for citizens to demand the rights they deserve-- affordable, healthy, vibrant communities. I think if it's framed as a program that provides rather than deprives,  it would have more success, especially in today's political climate. Let's market LEED as a program which champions greater freedom-- freedom to commute easily, to breathe clean air, to save much needed money, and to experience beauty around us.

Filters not Interruptions

First off, I must say I was initially put-off by the title of this assignment-- "High-Performance Placemaking." In class, we discussed the connotations associated with "high performance" and "green," and how different demographics respond to these. It's official, I'm in the demographic that responds favorably to latter and negatively to former. Something about "high performance" ignites skepticism within me that the proposed solution is exploitive under the guise of efficiency. This isn't really accurate though, since high-performance as defined in class certainly doesn't fit that pessimistic definition... 

I was inspired by the idea shared in Tuesday's video that buildings can act as filters for the environment, rather than blockages. I liked this image-- structures allowing flow of natural processes, rather than interrupting them. Typically buildings have a sense of otherness from that of nature, but this type of them creates a cohesion between the two seemingly polar categories. I've identified several components that buildings like these should possess:

1. Structures should harvest natural capital like the sun and the wind. Not only does this allow continuity from outdoor processes to indoor processes, but it also honors the planet by creating less pollution compared to the alternative (electricity through fossil fuel combustion). Additionally, it reduces our dependence on the finite, non-renewable resource of fossil fuels. Luckily, solar is becoming more available and affordable. Wind energy is another option, although it's less prevalent than solar for what appears to be climate and cost reasons. Another example of harvesting natural capital is building structures which work in harmony with the natural wind patterns and geographic features of an area. In one of the videos we watched in class, I remember seeing a lovely community which planned its buildings in such a way that the wind flow reduced heating and cooling costs.

2. Buildings should also use non-toxic materials within the building, so as not to harm their residents. We talk a lot about outdoor air quality (which is crucial, don't get me wrong!), but indoor quality deserves some attention too. Some of the materials which we build with like paint, caulks, carpet, flooring, and upholstery have chemicals in them called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Short-term exposure to these can cause irritation, headaches, nausea, and dizziness. With long-term exposure, however, comes chronic effects like cancer, liver and kidney damage, and central nervous system damage (http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/indoorair/voc/). 

3. Finally, buildings should esthetically harmonize with the outside world. They ought to feature plenty of windows that creates openness and fluidity, not to mention all the benefits of natural light. They should have incorporation of plants within, namely regional plants that provide a sense of history and place for those indoors. Their architecture should honor the area's geographic features by complimenting them, not overshadowing them. (i.e don't block out nearby businesses' views of the mountains with your huge ass skyscraper).

To close, I've included photos of the Queens Botanical Garden. I was really curious after watching the video as to what this garden looks like. (Especially since I work at a botanic garden, myself.) Enjoy!

If Fish Can Do It, So Can We

Chris Jordan's Ted Talk made my heart pound. His art, his words, and his aura was powerful and deeply thoughtful. One of the things which resonated most with me was the collective impact of tiny habits. One individual truly has so much power. I shared a parable about this in class, but I think it's relevant here too. The parable says: does one coin make a man rich? No, not on its own. But eventually, that one coin combined with many others does. The same is true for actions. Does one action make a big impact? No, not on its own. But eventually, that one action combined with many others does. The thing is, though, it can go the other way too. Just like one coin, added upon by others, makes someone rich, one coin removed, subtracted upon by others, makes someone poor. And obviously the same with actions, a bad action followed by another and another creates a collectively negative impact. There's something motivating and terrifying to realize that the tiny decisions we make every day have huge results. (Like one paper cup from 40 million people daily...)

I was also impressed with his ability to think outside of the box and give meaning to something otherwise overlooked-- massive statistics. Take it from someone who's currently struggling in her stats class-- statistics are overwhelming and an open invitation to tune out the conversation as soon as they're mentioned. But by taking those numbers and translating them to a different medium, one that's much more native to many, is such a powerful way to communicate change. Chris Jordan is, as Stephen would say, making the invisible visible.

Feeling deeply is a gift. Being a living, breathing human who feels a wide spectrum of emotion is such a rich way to experience life. But Chris is right, we're numbing ourselves. We're failing to have the potent outrage, anger, and grief that are required for change. In his own words, "If we can feel these issues, they'll matter to us more... then we'll be able to find in each one of us how to face the big question: how do we change?"

As far as how I make a change, the High Performance Infrastructure gives a pretty holistic outline for how to make the invisible visible in built environments. It's rewarding and encouraging to be in a field that feels so relevant and critical to today's heartaches and frustrations. I feel hopeful, knowing that I'm seeking avenues rather than apathy.

To conclude, I've attached a video that feels appropriate for this blog post. It shows a fish, who through tiny, seemingly mundane, "invisible" action, creates a massive masterpiece. If fish can do it, we can too. Watch it here.