Abstract:
Housing today has become in a sense a social requirement for architects, forcing them not to design but adhere to a conventional and traditional style home, which in turn ignores the changing needs and concerns of society. Considering that the "typical home in the United States produces more air pollution than a car," then the home can no longer afford not to change. While the traditional approach to our resources has provided us with a multitude of material goods, it is at the same time destroying the world's environmental support system. A lack of sustainability has become increasingly apparent in the methods by which we build, and the way we live our lives. At this point it is important to recognize what is really implied by the term "sustainable design." Since it can be defined several different ways, here it will be defined as a means of striving to live within the limits that the environment imposes on us, and preserve these resources for future generations. This means, for example, creating a more conscious design in relation to climatic conditions and existing landscape. Houses today take little advantage of passive solar techniques which can greatly impact the consumption of the earth's resources. The majority of houses are designed generally to fit on any plot of land in any orientation. This is not only bad on an ecological level but it also denies its relationship with the site on an aesthetic level. A home should be oriented in such a way that takes full advantage of passive solar techniques. Another concern facing traditional homes is the materials that are used. Many of them are harmful to the environment due to the fact that they are not able to be reused or recycled. Also many common materials are not locally available, but are shipped a great distance. Thus more effort should be devoted to the selection of building materials that have less embodied energy. The home should also attempt to reduce the use of water and energies by the incorporation of technologies and practices consistent with sustainable goals. The question is, at what capacity does the traditional home need to adapt to be capable of responding to new ecological, social, and technological challenges. Perhaps society needs to rethink the traditional dwelling, in order to incorporate an ecologically responsible alternative to the current housing condition.
