Adrian Leaman

What does a sustainable approach really mean for the design process?

1

Drawing on material disseminated and developed by the Usable Buildings Trust

This is … ?

- Thinking out loud about some of the consequences of ‘sustainable’ design, especially for the design process.

- Further material may be found in the accompanying conference paper, and on …

- www.usablebuildings.co.uk

Better briefing

Targ

eted

brie

f mai

n he

adin

gs

Context

1. Goals

2. Site and local

3. Environmental

4. Technical change

5. The wider future

Qualities

1. Space requirements

2. Image

3. Operational

4. Building performance

5. Cost

Implications

1. Users

2. Organisational effectiveness

3. Management

4. Investment

5. Strategy

Assumptions Needs Expectations Outcomes

Are assumptions properly thought through and in the open at the

outset?

Are all points of interest properly

represented and resolved?

Are strategic implications and consequences

thought through?

Are user needs made crystal clear?

Are risks and potential

downsides realistically

mapped out?

Are value propositions

clear?

Is usability and manageability

for the occupier properly

resourced?

Are expectations

managed appropriately

and realistically?

Are likely outcomes monitored

against effects of

change and potential

volatility, e.g. for future

adaptability?

Are likely and actual

outcomes evaluated against the

brief requirements?

Are targets met?

Does the building work as intended?

Are user needs met?

What are the lessons for the future?

Brief taking, reality checking, communicating design intent, making sure things work properly, making sure needs are met.

© Building Use Studies 2008

Educational, health, business etc

including sustainability

More attention to basics

Homeowner’s Friendly Society, Harrogate, Yorkshire, Probe study #7, 1996

CO2 comparisons from Probe surveys

CO2 comparisons from Probe surveys

More attention to reality and less to good intentions

More emphasis on context

Rivergreen Centre, Durham, UK

Better commissioning

More emphasis on users’ needs

“People are the best measuring instruments. They are just harder to calibrate.” Gary Raw

UK dataset 2007 for perceived productivity and overall comfort

AC: air conditioned; MM: mixed mode; ANV: advanced natural ventilation; NV: natural ventilation

… including better usability and manageability

Better reporting of feedback

Council House 2 (CH2), Melbourne

Better management of technology

More modesty, less pretentiousness

"I still would prefer straight to slanted walls, so as to put up bookshelves and a blackboard." Noam Chomsky, who has an office in the Stata Center.

"The building (MIT Building #20) allowed researchers to fail without making them feel humiliated," Singh Intrachooto

http://www.eecs.mit.edu/building/20/

MIT Stata Center

MIT Building #20

Management input

Technological complexityTechnological complexity

Management input

More Less

Management input

MoreType A

Effective but often costly

Type D

Can be thoughtful and imaginative, but rarely user-friendlyManagement

input

Less

Type C

Risky with performance

penalties

Type B

Effective but often small scale

So …

• Better briefing. Identify constraints realistically in the brief. Set goals. Learn from outcomes. Targeted briefing. Honest, open feedback.

• More attention to basics. Air tightness, density, reduced demand.

• More emphasis on context. Do a few things very well, suited to the situation.

• Better commissioning. Soft Landings. Widen professional boundaries. A less adversarial approach.

• More attention to reality and less to good intentions.

• More emphasis on users’ needs. Understand dissatisfaction.

• More modesty. less pretentiousness. How buildings learn over time.

• Better management of technology. Where needed but beware of unmanageable complexity and silly performance assumptions.

www.usablebuildings.co.uk

For more …

adrian.leaman@arup.com