Architect Magazine: Eco

Sustainability Is More Than 'Design-Speak'

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:49:36 EST

For architects to discuss green as though it's confined to construction alone hampers their ability to find the broadest avenues to innovation.

Some Man-Made Landscapes Are Surreal—and Not in a Good Way

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 01:42:20 EST

An insidious brand of surrealism can be found in the way commercial development—golf courses, for instance—treats the environment.

How Does Architecture Perform?

Wed, 2 Jun 2010 12:32:08 EST

A new buzzword—"performalism"—has entered the architectural lexicon. But in the context of sustainability, what does it mean?

What Could the Next Decade Hold for Architecture?

Tue, 18 May 2010 10:20:05 EST

Ten ideas—from technology to culture—about changes that could (or should) occur in green building.

The 'Moral Emotions' of Architecture's Energy Consumption

Tue, 6 Apr 2010 11:28:03 EST

If the environmental impact of buildings were more obvious, would people feel outraged enough to demand greater change?

Green Design Doesn't Have to Be Monochromatic

Wed, 7 Apr 2010 01:23:31 EST

A smart palette in buildings can benefit the entire triple bottom line: people, planet, and profit. So why does most sustainable architecture stick to a limited color range?

By Consuming Less Energy, Architecture Can Help Promote Peace

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:57:09 EST

Building is an optimistic act, says Lance Hosey, but since it accounts for 40 percent of U.S. energy use, it’s also a potential accomplice to global conflict.

Sustainable Design Is More Than Bells and Whistles

Wed, 3 Feb 2010 12:56:01 EST

Too often, green construction is about how smart a building's gadgets are. Instead, it should be about smart architecture.

In the World of Green, Women Rule

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 09:59:19 EST

When it comes to learning about sustainability and supporting green issues, the gender gap is clear—and it favors women.

Using Local Materials Is No Joke

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:34:47 EST

LEED may encourage the use of building materials sourced within a 500-mile radius, but that still results in a lot of unnecessary—and wasteful—transportation. What if architects collapsed that radius?

Architects Need to Be More Collaborative

Tue, 6 Oct 2009 04:12:11 EST

For the building profession, collaboration is the key to innovation.

Cities of Tomorrow

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 01:05:43 EST

Slums and squatter villages show many of the earmarks associated with sustainable development and could point the way to create the cities of tomorrow.

Eco-Disaster Films Don't Have to Become Reality

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:02:39 EST

Hollywood sells tickets by showing cities as a source of environmental shame, but designers can envision a brighter dream in which cities are an integral part of nature.

Adapting Older Architecture to New Purposes Is Green, Too

Thu, 1 Oct 2009 04:42:32 EST

Sustainability in architecture isn't just about new construction. The preservation and reuse of existing buildings will play an increasingly imortant role, too.

Supersize Us: The Toll of American Freeways

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:56:51 EST

As freeways become wider and wider, Americans are becoming more unhealthy.

Federal Stimulus Plan for Highways Fails an Already Failed System

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:46:41 EST

The billions in the stimulus package earmarked for roads is the largest investment in the federal highway system since its creation. But it merely paves over a problem instead of solving it.

We Don't Need More Housing, We Need Smarter Housing

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:40:47 EST

The NAHB says the best way to kick-start the economy is to build more housing. But we've already got enough right now. Instead, let's make development a smarter, more-sustainable business.

On the Surface

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:24:58 EST

A new generation of eco-friendly paints can absorb pollution, offer insulation, and even collect solar energy.

Into the Wild

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 09:32:51 EST

To understand sustainability, designers need to explore the outdoors.

Tear Down This Wall

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 09:40:03 EST

There are many reasons why building a wall to separate the U.S. and Mexico won't work.