Care & Sustainability in Architecture 1.0: Green Washing

Is nature-orientated or 'environmentally friendly' architecture the new aesthetic of 2022?

This is a question that has been on my mind, and significantly as global warming becomes a bigger issue. Flagged by Al Gore in his documentary, ‘An Inconvenient Truth.' For those who haven't come across this enlightening documentary. Al Gore was an American politician who discussed areas of the earth’s atmosphere.

In my opinion, his main points in the documentary:

1. Old Habits of overcompensation and a lack of consciousness in response to the environment + New Technology (larger consumption of fossil fuels) = Detrimental Consequences to the environment and our atmosphere.

2. 'Global Warming is a moral issue, it would be unethical if we neglect it.' (Gore, A, 2006)

3. 'There is no need to choose between the economy and politics in comparison to the environment, as one is clearly more detrimental than the other.' (Gore, A, 2006)

The fact these issues were raised in the early 21st century, shows the significance of global warming in our lifestyles and demands for change. This change I think has already begun. Apparent through people taking action from our natural warnings expressed by Al Gore. Even in architecture, the creation of eco-friendly buildings in 2010, with the Indian Tower alone advocates a significant change in mentality.

But my question, now in 2022 is, do people really care about the ethicalities of how a nature-orientated building is built, or do we just value the aesthetic appearance of a nature-orientated building?

I say this because appearances are vital in our buildings, but so are the constructional ethics behind them. Over the past three years of Lockdown and staying indoors, I've noticed that the population has adopted an increased desire for nature. I think this is understandable due to our depravity in the wilderness. But for this reason, I also worry whether this sudden wave could tint our view of the actual purpose of nature-orientated structures.

It seems I'm not the only one. In research from the School of Architecture, at the Technical University of Catalonia et al. People have voiced that, 'The sustainability concept has been transformed in a stereotype language about a theme which is more than designing bioclimatic architecture and saving energy.'

So to avoid confusion, I searched up the definition of ' nature-orientation,' because I think this is what's been lost over time as an aesthetic instead of being

'The friendly behavior between human beings, and the natural environment because of the love and...the passion to protect it.'

'Protect.' Are we really protecting the environment if we only focus on how something looks and not how its process affects the atmosphere?

Let's test your view:

Here are two images of nature-orientated structures, one uses the façade to replicate an environmentally friendly structure, whilst the other is environmentally friendly through its overall consideration of the function and construction techniques of the structure.

Pick & comment on the one which you think is truly 'environmentally friendly and we'll test whether or not you are here for the trend or the globe?

I recognize that aesthetic appearances and construction methods can come hand in hand. My only concern is that sometimes an aesthetic can overshadow the purpose of a building. If we think about it one is temporary whilst the other is permanent. Trends come and go, whilst habits remain.

Word of the blog: *Green Washing

Claiming and advocating a false environmentally responsible public image of your building Is the opposite of a sustainable building, just because you plaster timber cladding or add plants to the exterior of a building does not make it sustainable. The thought process and balanced consideration of materials make up the sustainability of a building*

References

Guggenheim, D. (Director). (2006). An Inconvienient Truth. [Documentary; Online Release]. Amazon Prime. Available at: https://www.amazon.com/Inconvenient-Truth-Al-Gore/dp/B000KZ3BWE

Gupta, S. (2019, June 4). #WorldEnvironmentDay: 9 Leading Green Buildings In The World. Proptiger. Retrieved April 25, 2022, from https://www.proptiger.com/guide/post/9-leading-green-buildings-in-the-world#:%7E:text=Operational%20since%202010%2C%20India%20Tower%20was%20country%27s%20first,set%20a%20number%20of%20records%20for%20its%20features.

Mahdavinejad, M., Samadzadeh, S., Bostani, S., Rafiei, S., Mousavi, K., & Samadzadeh, S. (2014, May). Nature-oriented Architectural Learning in Contemporary Educating Environment Paradigms (Pages 432–435). Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.04.143

School of Architecture, Technical University of Catalonia, Vefago, L. H. M., & Avellaneda, J. (n.d). The Unsustainability of Sustainable Architecture (Page 1). Technical University of Catalonia. https://www.irbnet.de/daten/iconda/CIB18874.pdf

What is Man-Nature Orientation | IGI Global. (n.d.). IGI Global. Retrieved April 25, 2022, from https://www.igi-global.com/dictionary/the-impact-of-human-values-and-knowledge-on-green-products-purchase-intention/55147#:%7E:text=1.%20Man-nature%20orientation%20is%20referred%20as%20the%20friendly,Values%20and%20Knowledge%20on%20Green%20Products%20Purchase%20Intention

No.1 Angel SQ. (n.d.). One Angel Square, Manchester [Photograph]. No.1 Angel SQ. https://1angelsquare.co.uk/

Restored Rice Warehouse. (n.d.). [Photogragph]. Glamping Hub. https://media.glampinghub.com/CACHE/images/accommodations/uniquely-restored-rice-warehouse-rentals-for-vacation-getaways-in-1532519720149/791e049c178a5aee9d1784c02b01d5e1.JPG

Greenwashing. (2022, March 22). Investopedia. Retrieved April 25, 2022, from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/greenwashing.asp#:%7E:text=Greenwashing%20is%20the%20process%20of%20conveying%20a%20false,believing%20that%20a%20company%27s%20products%20are%20environmentally%20friendly.