Forget eco bling
"Blue" is the new "green" — and other intriguing sustainable trends
A Kirksey LEED project, Life Science Plaza, in the Texas Medical Center.Architect John Kirksey recommends looking beyond mere LEED certification to whatwill be the next high standard in building.
Peak oil prices got you spooked? Rather than guzzle, Kirksey suggests we "sip"petroleum as if it were in a fragile teacup and aggressively develop sustainableforms of energy.
John Kirksey, founder of Kirksey Architecture, rubbed the magic ball to determine the future of sustainability in Houston at a LEED and Energy Star awards ceremony hosted by the Institute of Real Estate Management Tuesday. What he revealed were some intriguing trends in green living and building. Here's what to watch:
"Green bling is out," says Kirksey, referring to the already dated trend of imposing flashy green technology onto buildings that simply gives lip service to sustainability. (His firm's portfolio includes more than 50 LEED-certified buildings and was recently ranked the greenest architecture company by Houston Business Journal.)
As part of the "sea change" needed in green thinking, he recommends looking beyond mere LEED certification to what will be the next high standard in building: Positive net environmental impact. Rather than simply deterring environmental damage, these structures will be built to have a positive effect on the quality of their surroundings. For instance, in the future, a roof might be developed to grow vegetables, rather than simply collect and recycle rainwater.
Currently, only 3 percent of the United States' energy derives from renewable sources. Our investment in renewable energy is only 15 percent of that which China is allocating. No doubt, there's money to be made in the sustainability sector. Kirksey predicts that the market for green construction will double in the next two years alone, burgeoning to a $36 - $49 billion industry by 2013.
The gross domestic product is always greener, and Houston is already at the forefront of staking a claim on green terrain. Explained City of Houston Director of Sustainability Laura Spanjian at Tuesday's event, of all major metropolitan areas, the city is the top purchaser of renewable energy. Houston ranks No. 6 in the nation in the number of LEED-certified buildings.
Spanjian has overseen such milestones as the construction of the city's first LEED-certified fire station, a fully subsidized home weatherization program and the wildly successful "Green Office Challenge," in which offices competed to be the most environmentally sustainable.
Up next: the city will consolidate the Central Permitting Center and Green Building Resource Center in a century-old Washington Avenue rice warehouse. The property is being re-conceived by Studio Red Architects. In the revamped LEED-certified building, everyday citizens can have their building plans reviewed for opportunities to implement green strategies.
Among other predictions:
- "Blue," or awareness of the planet's precious water supplies, will become the new "green,"
- LEED-Gold certification will become standard for all federal projects,
- Environmental impact performance disclosures to building tenants and buyers will become mandatory,
- Green schools will set a precedent — currently, 40-percent of new LEED buildings are for education,
- Green building mandates will be enforced by municipal authorities,
- Increasingly, the majority of LEED certificates will be granted to upgraded preexisting buildings rather than plateauing new construction.
Ready to get in on the green-minded action? Register for LightsOut Houston on April 21, when the "Energy Capital of the World" will stand up against wasting energy. Submit the pledge here.
