What Are the Environmental Concepts for Architectural Design?

Sustainable design is becoming more popular in architecture today, but what are the key concepts to consider? Sustainability can be achieved through passive and active design strategies, and renewable energy systems. It is important to choose green building materials and finishes from companies that practice responsible manufacturing. Architects can use sustainable design as a marketing tool and advocate for sustainable policies. Listed below are some of the key environmental concepts to consider when completing a building design project.

The first traceable concepts of environmental design involved solar heating. The Greeks, for example, exhausted wood to heat their homes. Because the position of the sun varies throughout the year, Greek architects incorporated solar heating systems into their designs. In summer, the sun rises at latitude 40 degrees; in winter, the sun is only 26 degrees. By incorporating these concepts, architects can produce buildings that are not only comfortable to live in, but also contribute to the sustainability of the environment.

The research also considered the list of indicators of sustainability in architectural design. It was conducted through an online survey of professional architects and architecture students. The results are presented in Appendix A–Table A1. The questions are both useful and sufficient. The survey asked questions on the methods used to incorporate sustainability into architecture and the sustainability issues they are faced with. Interestingly, most respondents did not consider systematic evaluation as part of their design process.