Sustainability 101 with Jennifer Collins
Welcome to the first episode in our Sustainability Series. I am first to admit that Sustainability is not something I know a lot about. It’s something I’ve been aware of my entire life, but as a design practice is not a specialty I’ve done beyond the basics (reusing existing materials from site, or choosing options that produce less carbon or can be recycled). As I began brainstorming for the Deep Dive Series one of the first things I knew I had to discuss, was Sustainability.
So I asked my friend Jennifer Collins, to come along with me as I explore this topic. She is the founder of OneRejen a sustainable consulting firm, and the perfect person to get us going on the topic of Regenerative Design. Enjoy!
OneRejen.com email: jen@onerejen.com
Timestamps:
Welcome and Intro to Format: 0:25
Discussing the term ‘Sustainable’: 4:23
Tragedy of the Commons and why we need ‘Sustainable’ Thinking: 15:13
History of the Sustainable movement: 22:33
Measuring the impact humans on the planet: 28:58
Environmental Pillar/ 9 Planetary Boundaries: 49:41
Social Pillar/Emotionally Durable Design and the Economic Pillar/Triple Bottom Line: 1:05:42
Frameworks we use to measure Sustainability Goals: 1:19:23
Hurdles Sustainable Designers face: 1:31:59
Greenwashing: 1:44:43
Aesthetics of Sustainable Design & Easy First Steps: 1:55:30
Big Takeaways: 2:13:52
Outro: 2:19:19
Shownotes:
Mindful Materials /Common Materials Framework
Visuals of the Three Sustainable Pillars By Purvis, B., Mao, Y. & Robinson, D. Three pillars of sustainability: in search of conceptual origins. Sustain Sci 14, 681–695 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-018-0627-5 - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11625-018-0627-5, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=114609473
Saving Us by Katherine Hayhoe
Correction: 10:37 - meant to say solar panels to heat our showers/water
UNESCO Definition of Sustainable Development
UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs 17 Goals
SDG - Sustainable Development Goals
1992: Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil led to SDGs
1993: Bill of Rights for the Planet adopted by AIA (can’t find a list- but please send my way if you have it!)
Sept 2015: 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with 17 SDGs adopted at UN Sustainable Development Summit
Nov 2015: Paris Agreement on Climate Change
United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties
COP 29 - Baku, Azerbaijan 2024
Nine Planetary Boundaries - Everything we talk about in this section can be found on this website
Graph of the tipping points of the 9 planetary boundaries and their status by the Stockholm Resilience Centre
Synthetic chemicals (trying be removed from production)
Correction: 39:22 - meant it has a high melting point
What if We Get It Right by Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson
ODS - Ozone Depletion Substances
LCA - Life Cycle Assessment/ Cradle to Grave
piece dyed vs. solution dyed fabric
Emotionally Durable Design by Jonathan Chapman
Triple Bottom Line: People, Planet, Profit
Circular Economy & Waste Hierarchy
Circular Economy of Construction and Demolition Waste
ESG - Environmental Social Governance
AIA Material Pledge translates to the Mindful Materials, Common Materials Framework (CMF)
TACO - Transparency Assessment Commitment Optimization
Living Building Challenge (LBC)
BREEAM - Building Research Establishment's Environmental Assessment Method
GBI- Green Building Initiative
Passive House that survived LA fire
HPD - Health Product Declaration
FSC - The Forest Stewardship Council
CDPH -California Department of Public Health
SCAQMD - South Coast Air Quality Management District
Brightworks Basic Better Best (BBB) - BBB program is not out yet, but there is some mention of it the AIA24 Conference.
Design For Deconstruction how we plan for building material end-of-life and minimize consumption of raw materials
Solid Waste Master Plan | Mass.gov
Material Bank - Sustainability Page
CSI - Construction Specifications Institute MasterFormat
Shape of Green: Aesthetics Ecology and Design (2012) by Lance Hosey
New Frameworks Straw Bale Insulated Panels
AIA 2030 goals are different from the Materials Pledge
Other Links for further reading/research:
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Produced and Edited by Kendra Shea and Simon Shea
Season 3 Graphics and Cover Art by Tano Design
Season 3 Music is by Qreepz
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