Shades of Green

Whether we like it or not, we have entered a period of climate change which combined with global market forces has made the need to conserve energy and natural resources a high priority.In some ways, rising energy bills and escalating material costs make that goal easier since the alternative will adversely impact our wallet as well as the environment. I spent a portion of the 1970's in architectural school, where energy conservation and the use of new technologies for that purpose were second nature in our designs.During the 1980's I saw many of those new products and systems fail to live up to their promise.

The failure of new architectural products is not limited to energy conserving or Green products, everything from peeling paints to deteriorating plywood and composite materials gone wrong dot the building landscape.When designing homes to last decades if not centuries, I am skeptical of 'new' and 'better than the old' ways of building that have not stood the test of time. Having said that, we have used solar masses in floors to augment heating systems, clients have applied photovoltaic panels to barn roofs we designed, and currently we are installing geo-thermal systems for heating and cooling homes.

In our practice we have used many devices to improve energy efficiency and minimize the impact on the environment.Often those choices were not consciously made for energy conservation, but were the natural choices of traditional design practices.For instance, porches shade doors and windows from summer sun, cutting down on heat gain and providing outdoor living space.The use of recycled materials creates a connection to the past and an ambiance not possible with new materials while minimizing the acquisition of scarce resources.

Cedar, as an example, has been a favorite for exterior siding, roofing and trim because of it's rot resistance (although acid rain and early harvesting has diminished the longevity of cedar shingles). Recently there has been a large increase in the price of clear cedar boards with some supply houses predicting shortages.We have been researching and using alternate building materials for many years, and this trend I'm sure, will accelerate that process.

My point is that we will be using new materials and technologies whether we like it or not, it will be good for our homes, our pocketbooks, and the environment if we make those choices carefully.

http://www.crisparchitects.com/ James M. Crisp, AIA is an architect working in New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts.