Post Graduate Diploma in Architecture in progression to Master of

Architecture (MArch) Specialisation in Sustainable Design (MASD) and PhD. University of Auckland 22nd June 2007 ARCHTEC 770 Steve Hart ID 8713080 Supervisor: Dr Brenda Vale

WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY ? What are the origins of the concept of sustainability and from where, why and how have they evolved to offer the world of design a basis for a true investigation of its prescribed inheritance? Through the sectors of society and the various disciplines of design what contextual notions lead to sustainable design through the worlds of architecture, yesterday, today and for tomorrow.

PREFACE: My PGDipArch is in the specialisation of Sustainable Design, which will flow on to both my Masters and PhD with the same specialisation. With 33 years in the professional arena of design of the built environment plus most of my childhood in which I explored the burgeoning worlds I like many, today 2007, recognise the simple reality of where “sustainability” could be the only key to preventing the extinction of yet another species. The major difference is, will this species commonly known as homosapien, or more correctly, man, recognise its plight. This PGDipArch comprises of five subjects, three of which are elective studies or dissertations and one a research report. These four subjects will develop and build on the topic “What is Sustainability” This dissertation essay (ARCHTEC 770 of 30 points) will focus on an assessment and review of the literature of the use of, the term and fields of sustainability throughout society, in academia and the viewpoints of commentators. The intention is to explore the derivation and meaning of the word sustainability, its beginning or founding, its use, abuse and its context in the world of design of the built environment, and explore the inherent links of the meaning of the word suggesting an ethic that builds the true essence of sustainability for the world of architecture. As a prologue to the body of this dissertation I will express my own position and place and describe the journey I have been on and intend continuing. Following this exercise it will be possible to construct and layout a framework or the skeletal body of the connections around the idea of sustainability. From this I will develop these connections to explore further its integral components throughout society today, 2007. This particular work will be followed up with the exploration in ARCHDES 770 of where and how these findings can be assessed and developed in applying this viewpoint to the practices behind the design of the built environment. Steve Hart 12/3/7

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION

PREFACE

PROLOGUE

FOUNDATIONS

THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABILITY

THE PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABILITY

FRAMEWORKS Institutional Solutions Ideological Solutions

Academic Solutions Spiritual Transformation

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN and demands for education

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN in agriculture

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN in architecture

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN in development

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN in economics

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN in governance

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN in ecosystems

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN in infrastructure

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN in law

SUMMARY

BIBLIOGRAPHY

RESOURCE REFERENCES

PROLOGUE: I grew up in the rural fringe of South Auckland where as a child I spent many long hours and many nights exploring the wonders of our neighbouring native bush of some 200 acres and the burgeoning interwoven and interlinking worlds it contained, with the rain, the waterfalls, the flora, the fauna, the humus layers, the berries the seeds and seedlings. There were puriri, tarairei, karaka and kohekohe, the ponga, totara, tanekaha and putaputawheta with the koura and the yellow bellies, the morepork and the tui. Along side this wonderment were the trenches of an American second world war training camp, beef roaming the paddocks, gorse, blackberry, flannel weed and remnants of New Zealand’s first and once thriving ostrich farm. This was on Ostrich Farm Rd Helvitia, 5 km NW of Pukekohe. The name Helvitia derived from the original Swiss pioneers. Our nearest neighbours were seven families of Maori, my extended whanau. We grew up with them, they with us. It was a conditioning that developed within me a strong empathy with all things indigenous. I often wondered how rich this environment was in my grandfathers childhood and how it might be in my grandson’s. It was an unusual and strange mix of environmental factors, social and global being unique and benign. It was a very rich beginning that has lead me on a path to be part of building an environment for the future of humankind where people can share and experience the delight and pleasure amongst the abundance and wealth that can be generated from things in harmony with the natural world. I have chosen to follow and develop a career in a field I have termed Ecology Architecture. The true meaning of this term was then (1970) not in common useage and its true meaning has required drawn out discussion to articulate it. This journey was and has been personally rewarding, challenging, and at times very frustrating from many points of view. I have always been just on the fringe or just inside the world of education and of teaching, having spoken to many and varied groups in as many and varied facilities from conference lecturns to university theatres to maraes to cowsheds and the farm paddock. I have also facilitated and convened many events in this industry in as many places. But, I have maintained an active existence in the world of design combining the disciplines, which included planning, and urban design. With a forte in concept design I have also undertaken extensive research and policy writing and extended these passions through community, local, regional and national politics. With the growth of Environmental Education into the New Zealand school curricula I had the fortune to be part of the Agriculture Faculty and Academy of Te Awamutu College after completing a postgraduate diploma in teaching. Agriculture, to me, is the pinnacle of where environmental education needs to be and is where sustainability holds a key position. All civilisations rise and fall on its agriculture. (Kirkpatrick Sale Bioregionalism

39; After the Warming10, James Burke). Sustainable Design in the context of the worlds of architecture is also a vital key. Architecture today, or the use of the word architect, has been borrowed by many institutions and professionals as their palette, for the design they do. So today the architecture profession now absorbs

every many parts of the commercial worlds of society. Jared Diamond's book, “Collapse: : How societies Choose to Fail or Succeed” 14 says societies' fates are tied to their treatment of the environment. It is said that those who do not learn from the past are doomed to re-elect, or, repeat it. In "Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed," Jared Diamond digs deep into this truism, reviewing the history of societies ranging from Easter Islanders to the Inuit of Greenland to present-day Montana. His conclusion? “It's best not to doo-doo where you eat -- or deforest, or deplete fisheries, or generally make a mess. But we knew that, didn't we? Right? People ?, just, Collapse Dance.” One challenge I place in front of myself is to bring organic farming, ecological practices, natural farming and all those terms that exist under the one umbrella and say the same thing, together in a curriculum that will drive this country to a wealthy abundance. This same initiative I have seeded in Romania through the introduction of Permaculture . “Permanent –Culture or Permanent-Agriculture”34. A curriculum for agriculture that supports the recent report and series of workshops that have been generated from the New Zealand office of The Commissioner for the Environment, Dr J. Morgan Williams “Growing for Good, Intensive Farming, Sustainability and

New Zealand’s Environment 51” which has further developed this move. However it is possible this will sit on the shelf and collect dust like many great and valuable initiatives. My networks are very strong and quite extensive and are growing by the minute, as is the world of environmental consciousness. But, Teddy Goldsmith 18 and EF Schumacher say, it is already too late. “We have already fallen into the precipice. To the point of no return. But hey, don’t we humans love a challenge” . It alarmed me and has since resonated loudly in my consciousness to find that Teddy has “given-up”. Teddy, who is well known to the School of Architecture and Planning of Auckland University where he has given many a guest lecture, is recognised as the leader of the ecologist movement. He says he has lectured for over 40 years to all sectors of the world and “nobody has done a darn thing, so I give up, and am now comfortable watching olives grow in Tuscany 19”. This realisation has hit home as I now see from Teddy’s attitude and Al Gore’s movie “The Inconvenient Truth

20” and a 1987 movie “After the Warming 10” by James Burke that in fact sustainability as we expect it, is all just far too little, far too late. In this realisation on a recent trip to Melbourne December 2006 I commented on this view to a peers and professionals suggesting that we would be better running workshops on “How to Bend Over and Kiss Our A… Goodbye”(H2BO&KYAG) The Chinese are reafforesting an area in their northwest that is many times greater than the size of New Zealand. The great analogy is “we don’t put traffic lights on an intersection until someone dies”, so how far into the catastrophic collapse of our very own environment do we go till we start doing something about it. ? What thresholds do we reach? Or is this an evolutionary principle in practice? Bill Mollison in his “Permaculture Design Manual

34” says that species die out either by over populating or under populating and our current ecological footprint proves this will happen to mankind beyond doubt. To date the agricultural industry in New Zealand, and world wide, is driven and dictated to by the large agricultural companies who are owned by the money changers that rely on their commercially interwoven mechanical, chemical

and pharmaceutical practices to support their rather narrow economic strategies. They also dictate the terms of education. This is primarily through their support structures. As we have had clearly pointed out to us through the movie “The Future of Food”. 28 More recently also where British Petroleum who now market themselves as Beyond Petroleum have granted the Agroforestry faculty of UCBerkley M$500 to research biodiesel. Miguel Altieri who heads this faculty told me in person “They now own us”. The networks of the environmental and organic movement are now very strong. These are the networks that I will be relying on to assist me in my challenge. Rather than following the directions proposed by Nicholas Stern “The Stern Report” 44 who talks widely about adaptation and how traditional engineering, and chemical science can take advantage of this pending situation to save communities by all along self perpetuating their control, dictatorship and rampant consumerism through further entrapping slaved systems. Morgan Williams suggests that the shape of agriculture in New Zealand has to undergo a dramatic change. His report 51 raises concerns about many current trends and the serious risks to the quality of the environment and the sustainability of farming in this country. This therefore highlights a need to redesign existing systems to achieve better environmental, social and economic outcomes. A new paradigm is emerging. It comes from the realisation that we European immigrants have bought with them an inherited, conditioned pattern of land use that was alien to the natural ecology of New Zealand. It has had dramatic and detrimental effect. We have abused the nature that we expect to nurture us and sustain us for generations to come. This paradigm shift must be driven through education that will show a new attitude to and action for and with our environment, an environment that is predominantly agricultural. Agriculture is our landscape. We are highly dependent on this natural capital. As Burke10 pointed out, civilisations rise and fall on their agriculture. If we were to respect this we could see agriculture of forests and birds, or turkeys and eels as Mollison told an impetuous news reporter on his visit in 1989. We must respect our natural ecology that is our natural capital. A subject that has been developed further by Hunter and Amory Lovins and Paul Hawken in their excellent book titled “Natural Capitalism,”25 , and Paul Hawken’s “The Ecology of

Commerce”24

Is it possible to learn from these messages to evolve a new architecture that recognises the same principled roots of sustainability, our natural ecology? Or is a need for a renaissance of 30% of the worlds housing stock that is made of earth and has many true sustainable elements. Long established models do exist widely throughout the world, from the earth architecture of Toureg and Timbuktu to Atalhyuk, Catal Hoyuck and countless other examples. A new school is now emerging that forges this ideal. It is being driven in part by people such as Janine Benyus, a biologist, whose book “Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature”

6 and Yoseph Bar-Cohen’s book “Biomimetics: Biologically Inspired Technologies”

4 further develops this emerging path. Adding to this is now a plethora of books from many sectors of society and emerging topics, however the roots may venture back to works by Olaf Alexandersson1 and Viktor Schauberger 40 whom where inspired by the works of Rudolf Steiner 43 but now evolved considerably by Glen Atkinson in “The Gyroscopic Periodic Table” 20072. Architectural context, is very thin on the ground but examples such as those of Sim Van Der Ryn and Stuart Cowan’s

“Ecological Design” 50 and “Sustainable Architecture White Papers” (Earth Pledge Foundation Series on Sustainable Development) by David E. Brown (Editor) et al, 7

“Construction Ecology: Nature as a Basis for Green Buildings” by Charles Kiber. 27

are all helping the emergence in the industry. We wait for the redesign of our cities and miles of suburbia, like we wait for the redesign of our factory farms and imposed monocultural pastoral and cropping regimes. How far and where will the challenge take me? How valid and appropriate is my personal viewpoint? It is one, rooted firmly in holistic principles and the experiences of Design Ecology, but is it just one man’s ideology? It is, in my opinion that the design disciplines will have a valuable part in the play. Architecture is the design and construction of the built environment. As architects we impact with all the disciplines. It is design that must develop a truer meaning as the identity and model of sustainability. But what derivation or form of sustainability are we accepting? Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland founded the World Commission on Environment and Development in 1983. In 1987, it produced its groundbreaking report, Our Common Future, often simply called "The Brundtland Report" 9. The evolution of the word sustainability since has finally absorbed the term ecological as a principle in the meanings. This is clearly acknowledged in the 20-year anniversary document titled “Then and Now” 15. But this then opens up the inference for a further series of layers of abuse. One point in question is the development of the international organization known as “Ecological Engineers.” By tying these two words together we see an obvious oxymoron and an exercise in greed, manipulation, dictatorship and control for selfish vested interest that will self perpetuate their own wealth, but for how long. This branch of the engineering fraternity sees a continuation of the policy of the global networks of consulting engineers to position themselves to gain in the development of any sector. An example in case was their very active participation at the first conference on Environmental Education Massey University 1982. Where the president of the institute of engineers promoted their Bachelor of Engineering to be renamed Bachelor of Environmental Engineering. When questioned “what structure had changed to incorporate environmental education?”, the answer was “none what so ever, we have simply changed the title.” This policy then became commonplace and was very evident again at the International Conference of Ecological Engineers at Lincoln 2001.

FOUNDATIONS: The derivation and meaning of the word sustainability, it’s beginning, founding, its use, abuse and its context in the worlds of design of the built environment like anything that is expected to endure has a foundation. The phrase “sustainable design” has not yet, found a true and meaningful place nor is it absolutely stable and hence it does not have a true context in society in order to be accepted as a basis from which to grow. In all forms and derivation of the word sustainable there has been abuse and distortion from every sector of society. There have been a number of key events, trends, issues, debates and publications that have stimulated the development of Sustainable Design over the last 40 years. The growth over this period is seen on a graph that has rapidly climbed through the vertical in the last five years. Today, a google search, will find in excess of 60 million sites pertaining to “Sustainable Design”. The strongest events being one, The Tbilisi Declaration (Unesco 1978)47, two, The Brundtland Report (WCED 1987) 9 and three, Agenda 21 of the Rio Earth Summit (Unesco 1992). 48

In 1987, The World Commission on Environment and Development chaired by the Prime Minister of Norway, Mrs. Gro Harlem Brundtland, published a report Our

Common Future (The Brundtland Report) 9 which brought the concept of sustainable development onto the international agenda. It also provided the most commonly used definition of sustainable development describing it as "Development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" 9 Clearly this definition supports the “business as usual” attitude for it describes how sustainability should work rather than how to achieve it. This therefore sets one of the greatest paradoxes in the sustainability debate; sustainability that supports continued growth is in itself a contradiction. Despite its acclaimed vagueness and ambiguity, this definition has been highly instrumental in developing a global view with respect to our planet’s future. This influence has increased significantly in international, national and local policy development, making it the core element of policy to all sectors. This has lead to a widening of the discourse on the concept, resulting in a wide variety of definitions and interpretations that are skewed towards institutional and group prerogatives that fail to capture the whole spectrum, rather than, compounding the true essence of the concept, which has been inherent in traditional beliefs and practices. The Brundtland principle has been incorporated in the Maastricht and Amsterdam Treaties on European Union 17, as well as in the Rio Declaration and Agenda 2148, adopted by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), meeting in Rio de Janeiro 3 to 14 June 1992. The European Community and its Member States subscribed to the Rio Declaration and Agenda 2148 and committed themselves to the rapid implementation of the principal measures agreed at UNCED. We now see every manner of mission statement in every corner of the world using this statement. But, the true essence of this work has been conveniently ignored and exposes the term “Greenwash”. A weak cover in an attempt to disguise the shallow motives inherent to action.

The Brundtland report described seven strategic imperatives for sustainable development:

Reviving growth; Changing the quality of growth; Meeting essential needs for jobs, food, energy, water and sanitation; Ensuring a sustainable level of population; Conserving and enhancing the resource base; Reorienting technology and managing risk; Merging environment and economics in decision-making. It also emphasized that the state of our technology and social organization, particularly a lack of integrated social planning, limits the world's ability to meet human needs now and in the future. The Tbilisi Declaration’s goals were to: Foster awareness of, concern about, economic, social, political, and ecological interdependence in urban and rural areas; Provide every person with opportunities to acquire knowledge, values, attitudes, commitment, and skills needed to protect and improve the environment; Create new patterns of behaviour of individuals, groups, and society as a whole towards the environment.47

The Rio Earth Summit in Agenda 21 called for a reorientation of environmental education to integrate development and environment, ensuring a multidisciplinary approach. Environment and development issues were to be linked with their socio-cultural and demographic aspects, with due respect given to community-defined needs and diverse knowledge systems, including science, cultural, and social sensitivities. It also called for governments to affirm the rights of indigenous peoples, by legislation if necessary, and for their experience and understanding of sustainable development to play a part in education and training. These are all very powerful and probably honest intentions, however, the fact remains that the colonial powers and influences operating in the world still have a very different worldview from the indigenous peoples of the world. The former is rooted in the understanding that mankind is above nature and that nature is to be controlled whereas the indigenous view is that we are part of nature and will always work in harmony with her. Our very own indigenous connections tell us that Papatuanuku (which was the key subject of a recent NZIA annual conference wholly supported by SAPUofA) the earth mother is our nurturer and that we must respect her or we will perish. So there is still a conflict of thought and philosophy and perhaps of principle and practice. How long will this conflict go on for? This conflict is no more evident than in agriculture, fishing and forestry where traditional forms of land use are being destroyed, the food systems of the world contaminated and society has become slaves to the oligarchy that dictates the terms. This is clearly portrayed in the documentary “The Future of Food”28. These same organisations have infested the education resource banks. As is seen in the manipulation and control of New Zealand’s agriculture education by Fonterra, Dexcel and Wrightsons, all from the same mother company. We will quickly see the same debate with water and air. We are now building hundreds of desalination plants to take potable water out of the oceans. Will we soon be building similar plants to take oxygen out too? If we are to recognise the Tbilisi objectives for environmental education, which form

the basis and cornerstone of the New Zealand Ministry Of Education Guidelines, then we do have a very challenging program ahead of us. These objectives speak of: Awareness: to help social groups and individuals acquire an awareness and sensitivity towards the total environment and its allied problems. Knowledge: to help social groups and individuals gain a variety of experience, and acquire a basic understanding of the environment and it’s associated problems. Attitudes: to help social groups and individuals acquire a set of values and feelings of concern for the environment and the motivation for actively participating in environmental improvement and protection. Skills: to help social groups and individuals acquire the skills for identifying and solving environmental problems. Participation: to provide social groups and individuals with an opportunity to be actively involved at all levels in working toward resolution of environmental problems. If we recognise the machinations of society today and how many sectors of government, business, industry and academia operate we recognise there is obvious discrepancy, difference of view point, difference of philosophical belief, difference of principle and practice and therefore tension and conflict. Although the scientific, academic and environmental world sees the priority, those responsible for determining policy and curriculum, do not. Other beginnings, perhaps less notable were the formation of the Club of Rome. The great work of E.F. Schumacher (1911-1977) and his best seller “Small is Beautiful” 197341 was another very important catalyst, as was the work he did as chief economic advisor to the UK. This position is now, 2007, held by Nicholas Stern. Perhaps from a sociological perspective the formation of the Mont Pelerin Society and its evolution had a tremendous impact on NZ. But no actions are more important than the coming of Maori to NZ and the position that the biculture finds itself immersed in today. With the wealth of Lore, Tikanga, Myth, and Rongoa we connect to the very essence of our natural ecology of which we are very much inherently a part. The Treaty of Waitangi holds us accountable to these values. The NZMOE EE curriculum provides a context for learning about the partnership established by the Treaty for managing natural resources, for the special position of the Maori people in relation to the natural resources, the cultural heritage of New Zealand and the significance of this heritage to present and future generations which is embodied in our Resource Management Act. New Zealand is also a signatory to the Convention on Global Biodiversity 1992 and our own Environment 2010 Strategy reflects this commitment. The many research studies and following proposals coming from the Commissioner for the Environment further enhance this desire. But how do we implement these? How do we keep these vehicles honest and derive any significant level of integrity? Teddy Goldsmith tells us this is not happening it has not happened and it is very unlikely to happen.18 He suggests all these organizations are corrupt and are devices to control and manipulate resource wealth into the hands of a select few. Can we suggest that a number of other elements that show up in our immediate history are events of evolution moving toward a new threshold of a greater paradigm shift and we are but one grain of sand in that storm? In this mix is of course the evolution of the greatest political grouping the world has ever seen, The Green Party, which is now firmly established in over 50 countries of the world. This political

movement established itself with the founding ethic of Ecological Wisdom. Before this there were countless individuals who forged the beginnings of thinking and campaigning for the world environment, people like EF Schumacher, Teddy Goldsmith, Vandana Sheeva, Rachael Carson, Bill Mollison, Mansonobu Fukuoka, Wendell Berry, J.Baldwin, Robert Rodale, Arne Ness, Lloyd Geering, Paul Hawkin, Amory Lovins, Robert Suzuki, Stuart Hill et al......... These people are just a small sample of the pioneers of this movement. Sadly they remain in a small club. Where did it begin in NZ? Was it with the hippie movement of the sixties? which was a world wide trend, with its music of the period that sang the message for change ? Or was it the growth of the Ohu scheme? their communes and the formation of the Values party of the seventies ? Was it all the remnants of these that emerged through society later? Some involved became lecturers, some politicians and some; bureaucrats, some architects and some who still aspire and participate in their own little way. In agriculture we can safely say the agent for change was all these people and others like Rudolf Steiner of the 1920s and one of his disciples today, Glen Atkinson, who is a personal friend and mentor, with his re-writing of Steiner Science and its applications to agriculture in his book “The Gyroscopic Periodic Table” 2007.2

Who are the mentors in sustainable design in the worlds of architecture? Are they the notaries on the stage of our academic lecturns and libraries or are they the countless millions who use earth, sod and thatch as their only sustainable medium? In education, the first environmental education conference held at Massey University in 1992 stimulated demands from the environmental communities for an official environmental education curriculum guideline document. Growth of the subject into our schooling grew from the enviro-schools projects of 1993 and the guidelines document “New Zealand Curriculum Framework”33 was born in that same year. The Guidelines suggest a whole school approach to integrate environmental issues across essential learning areas. Although many aspects of education about the environment have been taught in schools for years, only since 1993 has specific attention been given to this education into the box labelled environmental education. This formalisation sees education in different focii. These include: In the environment: where students participate hands on with issues either in their school environment or their community; About the environment: where students focus is on gaining an enhanced awareness of, an increased understanding of, or knowledge about the school or local environment; Attitudes and values towards the environment: where students gain a heightened responsibility and respect through attitudinal change; Strategies for the environment: where students learn how to become caretakers for their environment; Action for the environment: when students take on physical tasks and actively engage in stewardship, construction, maintenance or activism; Integration with other curricula areas: to develop a relative holism to environmental education.

Today there is an emphasis on the student knowledge about, and developing an awareness of, the environment, and the issues that surround this in today’s world and in the future. All other fields from most other sectors of society are languishing, needing considerable support, in these we see little action, poor attitude and a considerable lack of values, respect, consciousness or fortitude. The Stern Report 44 presents the issues in terms of economics, as E.F.Schumacher did 35 years previously. From this report sectors of the Australian and New Zealand governments are arguing for economic gain from this dilemma, like hyenas to the carcass and the corporates of Britain are terming “first move advantage” to gain massive new global markets to generate unprecedented opportunity. All lack the integrity or the basic moral value to recognise the very essence and meaning of the word sustainability that comes from the word to sustain, which means to continue living. What is happening is the perilous continuation of a blinding pathway to extinction through the shallows of greed and avarice, and a continuation of the recently evolved, consumerist culture, only to be consumed by the animal we created. In his book The Nature of Design, ecology, culture and human intention:35 David Orr states “our sense of proportion and depth of purpose have not kept pace with our mere technical abilities. Our institutions and organisations still reflect their origins, in another time and in very different conditions. The philosophy must connect us to life, to each other’s, and to generations to come. It must help us to rise above sectarianism of all kinds and the puffery that puts human interests at a particular time, at the centre of all value and meaning. When we get it right, that larger, ecologically informed enlightenment will upset comfortable philosophies that underlie the modern world in the same way that the enlightenment of the 18th century upset medieval hierarchies of church and monarchy.” From New Zealand the Presbyterian minister, learned heretic, theological trailblazer and lecturer, Lloyd Geering suggests there is a new god, of eco-humanism. In his acclaimed book “Tomorrows God”, 199435 Geering suggests from the roots of Judaism, Christianity and the Muslim worlds through Copernicus Galileo and Darwin we now have a new emerging world and tomorrows god will see a focus and urgency on caring for the earth that will lead to a new world of meaning. Tomorrow’s God. He observes that we have come not only to the end of the millennium, but to the end of Christendom, the dissolution of Christian orthodoxy, the failure of modernism, and the end of old mythic certainties. We are entering a new era, the global era, which is post-Christian. We must find some way to end humanity's war with itself and with the planet. In The World to Come,21 2001 Geering sketches his vision of a new global spirituality that incorporates the best of our legacy from the past and promotes care for all living creatures and the earth itself. The most important trend influencing the future of the world is globalization. Geering contends that we are slowly becoming aware of the fact that we all share a common destiny even though our actions do not yet show any widespread consciousness of this fact as we continue to battle each other and treat the earth with disregard. In order to save ourselves from several possible devastating scenarios, Geering suggests we adopt a new spirituality, which will serve the whole of humankind in much the same way that the great traditional religions have served their own cultures in the past.

Schools of Landscape Architecture are slowly going back to recognising an ecological perspective that should form a strong and solid basis to education that should have a greater dimension and depth of not only meaning but being, and of, the future. In their book “Ecology and Design, frameworks for learning”

26 Kristina Hill, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture at Washington University and Bart Johnson Associate Professor Landscape Architecture University of Oregon et al, suggest that a dialectic, reciprocal approach is needed to understand the relationships between cultural and natural processes. They suggest that it is necessary to help students sort out the difference between knowledge produced using scientific method and ideologies that sometimes pass as knowledge because they promote particular truisms. Also they see the need to include ecology as both a life philosophy and a science. However there is still little movement from the schools of landscape architecture to develop this evolving awareness and social demand. There seems a fixation on the cosmetic aesthetic rather than deeper ecological realism to offer solutions for remediation and mitigation to the growing problems of abuse of the environment through much development, while at the same time offering a high level of aesthetic. The subject of health has a similar dichotomy where human health can be discussed in the context of ecological relationships or an ecological condition that can be measured in the environment. Authors Peter Tomkins and Christopher Bird in their books “Secrets of the Soil” 45 and “The Secret Life of Plants”

46 reinforce quite graphically the concerns of this generation and those highlighted by Rachael Carson decades ago in her ground breaking book “Silent Spring”.11 “The more civilisation progresses, the further it gets from a natural diet. Our present diet consists of adulterated and denatured foods, from which, colouring, bleaching, heating, and preserving have removed the most precious essential factors. Pasteurising milk kills the enzymes vital to nutrition.” “No creature, not even the swine, befouls its nest with such abandon as does Homo sapiens.” Jared Diamond 14. Bill Mollison has suggested the theory of the “Bruce Effect”, where he states simply “The further you move away from nature the further you move away from nature.” In this he is saying that if you disobey or work against nature you will perish. Mollison’s philosophy of “Permaculture” is a living encyclopaedia of design principle based on working with, not against nature. What of the global economy that dictates, compounds and self perpetuates negative resource abuse. At the vanguard Paul Hawken, and Amory and Hunter Lovins have opened the till on a new economic philosophy in their books, Natural Capitalism

25 and The Ecology of Commerce

24 suggesting that “biologically inspired design can radically reduce human impact where conventional wisdom is mistaken in seeing priorities in economic, environmental, and social policy as competing. The best solutions are based on not tradeoffs or balance between these objectives but on design integration achieving all of them together - at every level.” The world, it seems, is truly on a new threshold of acceptance of the wider dimensions of understanding for interconnectedness through the philosophies of ecology and it may well be the design disciplines lead by the academic institutions that borrow from their junior partners that will assist us most of all in this, through the journey into Sustainable Design.

THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABILITY

The concept of sustainable design has come to the forefront in the last 20 years. It is a concept that recognizes that human civilization is an integral part of the natural world and that nature must be preserved and perpetuated if the human community itself is to survive. Sustainable design articulates this idea through developments that exemplify the principles of conservation and encourage the application of those principles in daily living. Smith and Scott in “Living Cities An Urban Myth”

42 2006 say, “ humanity is part of the natural biological world, not separate from it. We cannot control or replicate the complex biological systems that underlie biodiversity. These systems are integral to the wider natural ecological system. Humans are fundamentally interrelated and interdependent with them.”

A corollary, and one that supports sustainable design, is that of bioregionalism, accentuated by author Kirkpatrick Sale then further developed through Mollison (see above) and Holmgren’s Permaculture - the idea that all life is established and maintained on a functional community basis and that all of these distinctive communities (bioregions) have mutually supporting life systems that are generally self-sustaining. The concept of sustainable design holds that future technologies must function primarily within bioregional patterns and scales. They must maintain biological diversity and environmental integrity contribute to the health of air, water, and soils, incorporate design and construction that reflect bioregional conditions, and reduce the impacts of human use.

Sustainable design, sustainable development, design with nature, environmentally sensitive design, holistic resource management, are all part of "sustainability," as the capability of natural and cultural systems being continued over time, is key. Only when there is full understanding of the complex science of integrated ecology and using this firstly as an exercise in concentrated observation then extrapolation, to even begins to, then create a palette from which to paint with. If it is possible to begin to understand the biology of a tree and then its ecology, it is possible to comprehend then understand the ecology of the forest and then the catchments that the forest ecology belongs to. Then must begin the understanding of where man fits into this ecology and how humanity can mutually grow and sustain it. This the world has yet to do, as Jeremy Rifkin clearly outlines in his book “Entropy”.38 Outside of this, the Gaia philosophy metaphorically espoused by James Lovelock and William Golding in 1967 can be welcomed and then the realms that Rudolf Steiner 1861-1925 and Nikola Tesla 1856-1943 have introduced to the world. Steiner and Tesla opened up new dimensions of energy existing in nature that were largely unknown to man that have proved to be an extremely powerful medium in many arenas especially agriculture. They continue their positive development today in many sectors.

THE PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability does not require a loss in the quality of life, but does require a change in mind-set, and a change in values toward less consumptive lifestyles. These changes must embrace global interdependence, environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic viability. This change will be the biggest humankind has seen. Sustainable design must use an alternative approach to traditional design that incorporates these changes in mind-set. The new design approach must recognize the impacts of every design choice on the natural and cultural resources of the local, regional, and global environments.

A model of the new design principles necessary for sustainability is exemplified by the "Hanover Principles" or "Bill of Rights for the Planet," 30 developed by William McDonough Architects for EXPO 2000. These insist on the right of humanity and nature to co-exist in a healthy, supportive, diverse, and sustainable condition. These are summarized below:

Recognize Interdependence. The elements of human design interact with and depend on the natural world, with broad and diverse implications at every scale. Expand, design considerations to recognizing even distant effects. Respect relationships between spirit and matter. Consider all aspects of human settlement including community, dwelling, industry, and trade in terms of existing and evolving connections between spiritual and material consciousness. Accept responsibility for the consequences of design decisions upon human well-being, the viability of natural systems, and their right to co-exist. Create safe objectives with regards to long-term value. Do not burden future generations with requirements for maintenance or vigilant administration of potential danger due to the careless creations of products, processes, or standards. Eliminate the concept of waste. Evaluate and optimize the full life cycle of products and processes, to approach the state of natural systems in which there is no waste. Rely on natural energy flows. Human designs should, like the living world, derive their creative forces from perpetual solar income. Incorporate this energy efficiently and safely for responsible use. Understand the limitations of design. No human creation lasts forever and design does not solve all problems. Those who create and plan should practice humility in the face of nature. Treat nature as a model and mentor, not an inconvenience to be evaded or controlled. Seek constant improvements by sharing knowledge. Encourage direct and open communication between colleagues, patrons, manufacturers, and users to link long-term sustainable considerations with ethical responsibility, and reestablish the integral relationship between natural processes and human activity. These principles were adopted by the World Congress of the International Union of Architects (UIA) in June 1993 at the American Institute of Architect's (AIA) Expo 93 in Chicago. Further, the AIA and UIA signed a "Declaration of Interdependence for a Sustainable Future."30 In summary, the declaration states that today's society is

degrading its environment and that the AIA, UIA, and their members are committed to the following:

Placing environmental and social sustainability at the core of practices and professional responsibilities. Developing and continually improving practices, procedures, products, services, and standards for sustainable design. Educating the building industry, clients, and the general public about the importance of sustainable design. Working to change policies, regulations, and standards in government and business so that sustainable design will become the fully supported standard practice. Bringing the existing built environment up to sustainable design standards. In addition, the Interprofessional Council on Environmental Design (ICED), a coalition of architectural, landscape architectural, and engineering organizations, developed a vision statement in an attempt to foster a team approach to sustainable design. ICED states: The ethics, education and practices of our professions will be directed to shape a sustainable future . . . . To achieve this vision we will join . . . as a multidisciplinary partnership."

These activities show an indication that the concept of sustainable design is being supported on a global and inter-professional scale and that the ultimate goal is to become more environmentally responsive. However since its inception 15 years ago what has been achieved? The challenge to adapt as Nicholas Stern says is very much with us right here right now. Others like Sterns predecessor E.F.Schumacher have stated more than 30 years ago that “its too late”. Teddy Goldsmith has “given up” and Jason Alexandra CEO of Earthwatch, says, like many, of us “its all too little, far too late.” Is the world of man, the species, now looking into the evolution of extinction? However it is possible to see a phenomenal growth in positive response right across the globe, coming primarily from grassroots activists. Community Supported Agriculture, Farmers’ Markets, Community Climate Change, and Affordable Housing are just a few examples sprouting up. But Stern13 warns that the catastrophic realism will be far greater than mankind has yet experienced, "our actions over the coming few decades could create risks of major disruption to economic and social activity, later in this century and in the next, on a scale similar to those associated with the great wars and the economic depression of the first half of the 20th century."

FRAMEWORKS What has happened is the complete assimilation of this paradigm “Sustainable Design” along with many other classifications and uses of the word sustainable, into all sectors of community in every corner of the globe. However even communities who have preferred to isolate themselves from other civilizations, have become affected. These affects will never be mitigated. Andres Edwards in his book “The Sustainability Revolution: Portrait of a Paradigm

Shift” 16 says sustainability has become a buzzword in the last decade, but its full

meaning is complex, emerging from a range of different sectors. In practice it has become the springboard for millions of individuals throughout the world who are forging the fastest and most profound social transformation of our time, the sustainability revolution. It paints a picture of an unrecognized phenomenon from a point of view of five major sectors of society.

Community (government and international institutions) Commerce (business) Resource extraction (forestry, farming, fishing) Ecological design (architecture, technology) Biosphere (conservation, biodiversity)

It is possible to start derivation of terms through dictionary meaning. The Oxford40 dictionary suggests Sustainable • adjective 1. able to be sustained. 2. (of industry, development, or agriculture) avoiding depletion of natural resources.

able to be maintained at a certain rate or level: sustainable fusion reactions. • Ecology (esp. of development, exploitation, or agriculture) conserving an ecological balance by avoiding depletion of natural resources. • able to be upheld or defended: sustainable definitions of good educational practice. Sustain • verb 1. strengthen or support physically or mentally. 2. bear (the weight of an object). 3. suffer (something unpleasant). 4. keep (something) going over time or continuously. 5. confirm that (something) is just or valid. Derivatives: sustainer noun sustainment noun.

Origin: Latin sustinere, from tenere ‘hold’.

1.the balcony might not sustain the weight bear, support, carry, stand, keep up, prop up, shore up, underpin. 2 her memories sustained her comfort, help, assist, encourage, succor, support, give strength to, buoy up, carry, cheer up, hearten; informal buck up. 3 they were unable to sustain a coalition continue, carry on, keep up, keep alive,

maintain, preserve, conserve, perpetuate, retain. 4 she had bread and cheese to sustain her nourish, feed, nurture; maintain, preserve, keep alive, keep going, provide for. 5 she sustained slight injuries undergo, experience, suffer, endure. 6 the allegation was not sustained uphold, validate, ratify, vindicate, confirm, endorse; verify, corroborate, substantiate, bear out, prove, authenticate, back up, evidence, justify. In the context of this manuscript with its direct association to Architecture by sustainable Design we look into definitions of “Design” from the well respected practitioner and academic Victor Papanek in his book “. Design for the Real World:

Human Ecology and Social Change.”36 “Design is the conscious and intuitive effort to impose meaningful order. Consciousness implies intellectualization, celebration, research and analysis. Through intuitive insight we bring into play impressions, ideas and thoughts we have knowingly collected on a subconscious, unconscious, or preconscious level. There are underlying biological systems to which we respond on levels that are often unconscious or subconscious. The reason we enjoy things in nature is that we see an economy of means, simplicity, elegance and an essential rightness there. These natural templates, rich in pattern, order, and beauty, are not the result of decision making of mankind and therefore lie beyond our definition. The beauty we see in nature is something we ascribe to processes we often don’t understand.” The Oxford dictionary suggests: Design:

• noun

1 a plan or drawing produced to show the look and function or workings of something before it is built or made.

2 the art or action of producing such a plan or drawing.

3 underlying purpose or planning: the appearance of design in the universe.

4 a decorative pattern.

• verb

1 conceive and produce a design for.

2 plan or intend for a purpose.

— PHRASES by design intentionally. have designs on aim to obtain, especially in an underhand way.

— ORIGIN from Latin designare ‘mark out, designate’.

Acknowledging the lack of an agreed definition of sustainable development, Mebratu in his paper “Sustainability and Sustainable Development: Historical and conceptual

Review” 32 (1998) proposed that there were three main “versions” of sustainability: institutional, ideological, and academic. Mebratu’s typology of versions of sustainable development is shown in Tables 1-3. “It is the nature of current society that there is validity in all of these versions, and none has a full claim on the truth regarding causes and solutions to the environmental crisis. Therefore, it is reasonable to suppose that a global society that has achieved sustainable development will embody elements of the solutions advanced by each of them.” Table 1: Institutional Versions of sustainability (Mebratu, 1998) Institution Drivers Solution

epicentre Solution platform

Instruments

(Leadership)

WCED Political consensus Sustainable growth Nation-state Governments and

international

organisations

IIED Rural development Primary

environmental care

Communities National and

international

NGOs

WBCSD Business interest Eco-efficiency Business and

industry

Corporate

leadership

WCED, World Commission on Environment and Development. IIED International Institute for Environment and Development. WBCSD, World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

Table 2: Ideological versions of sustainability (Mebratu, 1998) Ideology Liberation

theory

Source of environmental crisis

Solution epicentre

Leadership centre

Eco-theology Liberation

theology Disrespect to divine providence

Spiritual revival Churches and congregations

Eco-femininism

Radical feminism

Male-centred epistemology

Gynocentric value hierarchy

Women’s movement

Eco-socialism Marxism Capitalism Social

egalitarianism Labour movement

Table 3: Academic versions of sustainability (Mebratu, 1998)

Academic

discipline Drivers

(epistemological

orientation)

Source of

environmental

crisis

Solution

epicentre Instruments

(mechanism of

solutions)

Environmental economics

Economic reductionism

Undervaluing of ecological goods

Internalisation of externalities

Market instrument

Deep ecology Ecological reductionism

Human domination over nature

Reverence and respect for nature

Biocentric egalitarianism

Social ecology Reductionist- holistic

Domination of people and nature

Co-evolution of nature and humanity

Rethinking of the social hierarchy

“Institutional” solutions

Leading the conventional institutional view, are the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), which tends to focus on empowering people to take charge of their development, and rural development in developing countries; the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), which believes that economic growth and environmental protection are inextricably linked; and the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) which advocates that economic growth in all parts of the world is essential for improving the livelihood of the poor, for sustaining growing populations, and eventually for stabilising population. New technologies are needed for growth and to increase resource use efficiency to produce less pollution. These groups might therefore recognise sustainable development in rural areas by emergence of locally led industries aligned to the needs of local cultures and environments, and that are not unduly vulnerable to the economic power of multinationals. In turn, major corporations would have come to see their own futures as interwoven with the success of these more locally-based industries, and the relationships would be supportive rather than exploitative, with technologies provided by these companies used to develop locally appropriate solutions, rather than as an instrument of economic domination. Markets, including those for investment, would be much better informed of the social and environmental responsibility of business, through mechanisms such as certification programmes and sustainability reporting, and through re-alignment of the products and services towards those which address genuine human needs, rather than needs that are contrived by advertising and cultivation of materialistic values. Urban populations would be much more aware of the impact of their lifestyles on communities and environments, both within and beyond the cities themselves. There would be greater empathy for communities in developing countries, and purchasing, design, and lifestyle choices would all be much better attuned to the needs of communities and ecosystems. Eco-friendly design would become the norm in cities,

which would evolve into systems much more benign in terms of their impacts on surrounding systems. (Mebratu, 1998)

“Ideological” solutions Among the ideological viewpoints are eco-feminism, which is concerned with ending the domination of women, and the analogous domination of nature. Eco-socialism desires ecologically oriented socialist development that recognises human spirituality. This group would expect to see more collective control over society’s relationship with nature. They would anticipate a more interventionist, planning approach to assure environmental outcomes using technology more in harmony with nature. Eco-theologists argue for giving greater prominence to caring and conservation among the beliefs, morals and ethics of religions that currently do not emphasise this, and for greater respect to be given to spiritualities of indigenous peoples who have lived in greater harmony with the natural environment. They also promote a more sensitive and appreciative approach to managing resources. Among the changes that these groups would recognise as sustainable development would be far greater preponderance of the caring, nurturing ethic, and more equal representation of women in positions of responsibility in business and public life. Rather than allowing uninformed local and international markets to undermine the rights of communities and ecosystems, sensitive, caring interventions in the interests of the public good would more consistently assure sustainable outcomes, and reinforce sustainability values within society. People would be much more involved in civic affairs, empowered by much better access to information, and decision-making would be increasingly democratised. Communities would be much more involved in the strategic choices and governance of businesses, which would see themselves more as social and environmental, rather than simply economic entities. Community groups devoted to ecological restoration, and providing social services, would be robust and rewarded by appropriate financial support from governments and businesses. Empowered by material support and availability of information, they would be increasingly ambitious in terms of their objectives for landscape and community rehabilitation. Boundaries between religions would become increasingly blurred, as all converged on fundamental values that supported sustainable development. Indigenous people would have far greater respect from the “developed” world than they do now, and notions of “development” would involve greater awareness of the importance of spirituality. (Mebratu, 1998)

“Academic” solutions. The centerpiece of environmental economics is valuing the environment consistent with the benefits that society derives from it. Environmental services previously obtained for minimal or zero cost should come at a more realistic cost, which would lead to more conserving behaviour. Taxes and subsidies should encourage sustainable practices, and markets should be created to allow environmental goods and services to be traded at prices that reflect their value to society. Ecologists require reduction in culturally based domination of nature, and for human society to evolve in ways that are in harmony with natural systems, valuing biological, social and cultural diversity. The survival of the earth as a holistic living system is the central focus of decision-making, and these people require science to

balance reductionist and whole systems approaches, and give greater attention to understanding interactions and interdependencies, to underpin ethical decision-making. These academic groups would recognise sustainable development through greater alignment of scientific and research efforts to sustainability. Sustainability values would be prevalent within society, demanding not only appropriate knowledge and pricing, but also delivery mechanisms that revealed the altered power balance between tertiary and research institutions, and communities. Science would be less self-serving, and driven by clearly articulated community and business goals that carried the moral weight of their basis in visions for sustainable futures. Scientists would be far more involved with assuring the health and wellbeing of local communities and ecosystems, both in terms of developing appropriate technologies, understandings and management systems, including monitoring systems, and in terms of the direct involvement of people from communities in this research, blurring the boundaries of the institutions and creating communities much more imbued with the values of learning, understanding, innovation, and responding to change. Learning systems, reflecting advances in information and communications technologies, would be much more global and collaborative, reflecting real global emergence of values of peace and harmony. (Mebratu, 1998)

Sustainable development and spiritual transformation Truncated though this glimpse of sustainable development is, it is clear, that it is vastly different from the world as it is today. Thus, if sustainable development is to be achieved on a meaningful timeframe, it must involve a major and global transformation of society. It is also very likely that this transformation will be accompanied by a spiritual transformation, either as cause or effect, or a combination of the two. The Bahá’í have stated, “Unless spiritual issues become central to the development process, the establishment of a sustainable global civilization will prove impossible. For the vast majority of the world’s people the idea that human nature is fundamentally spiritual is an incontrovertible truth. Indeed, this perception of reality is the defining cultural experience for most of the world’s people and is inseparable from how they perceive themselves and the world around them.” The role of spirituality is that achieving change requires such commitment and belief as to require a spiritual foundation. Such a foundation may already exist in some countries, but in many societies spirituality is largely suppressed. Achieving sustainable development in these societies therefore requires rediscovery of human spirituality. Once spirituality is rediscovered, or becomes aligned to sustainable development, transformative change becomes possible. Alternatively, involvement in sustainable development processes may lead to this “awakening” and subsequent spiritual growth, (Mebratu, 1998) similar to what Lloyd Geering speaks of in “Tomorrow’s God” 21

The entire framework of society shows many uses and various contexts through their disciplines. The evolutionary wheel turns but what biological clock determines extinction?

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN and demand for education. Throughout time can be seen revolutionaries who espouse thought and drive schools. But the oligarchic regimes and industrialist corporates have manipulated knowledge and fact to support their own doctrines. However, once again, it is possible to see the strength of people power, the power of the masses, and the religious fervor of the grass roots relentlessly striving for survival. Many of the ideologies of these grass roots are now forming active and central ingredients in mainstream education. One of the most prominent of these has been Permaculture. It has a very diverse membership with a wealth of academic resources. In its short 30-year history it is the leading educational field championing the world of education for Sustainable Design. In 2005 it entered the government structures of recognition as an accredited and approved series of courses that now extend through to Masters and Doctorate levels inside Gaia University. (www.gaiauniversity.org) The schools of Permaculture, have seen thousands of graduates worldwide, attracting many existing professionals from the design fraternity, especially architects. Although it has had many informal links with mainstream architectural academic institutions it still fails to be officially recognized or accepted to become integral in their structures. However conventional institutions have developed many of the specific topics that Permaculture has evolved. The University of Western Sydney has a focus on Social Ecology. There are many more having similar aspects. But no school explores the true depth of ecological philosophy as a design precept, concept or discipline. Schumacher College has also lead the way in not only opening public debate but bringing in practice on a very broad range of topics

"I believe now there is no school worth its existence except as it's a form of nature study — true nature study — dedicated to that first, foremost, and all the time. Man is a phase of nature, and only as he is related to nature does he really matter, ..."

Frank Lloyd Wright. "Education and Art on Behalf of Life", !University of

Wisconsin, June, 1958. ! 52

San Francisco Institute of Architecture (SFIA) a tertiary institution of architecture not to be confused with the conventional institutes of architecture is creating one of the first and most comprehensive programs in Ecological Design in the U.S. SFIA are developing curricula and textbooks in cooperation with other schools in an emerging Ecological Design.

SFIA espouse experiencing great architecture is like enjoying the finest of natural environments. It rewards the senses. It sparks imagination and emotions. It inspires. It enhances consciousness. The mission of SFIA is to provide that kind of experience in the process of architectural education.

Hundreds of architects, artists, and technologists are working on this level. These are the ones we study and learn from at SFIA. These architects work in ways that are called "Organic," "Evolutionary," "Ecological," and even "Extropian" or "Futurist."

ORGANIC ARCHITECTURE is integrated with environmental and human needs to a degree never seen in conventional buildings or known to most schools of architecture. The depth and impact of this integration is similar to that found in great music and the natural world. The results, at their best, are a synthesis of function and form, poetry and technology, humanity and nature . . . and extraordinarily uplifting to those fortunate enough to experience it.

EVOLUTIONARY and ECOLOGICAL architectures combine organic integration with natural process, environmental sensitivity, health awareness, and economical simplicity.

"EXTROPIAN" and "FUTURIST" architectures suggest that life and human consciousness can be raised to higher plateaus through visionary applications of advanced technology.

One overall term that describes all of the above is "NATURE-BASED."

"NATURE-BASED ARCHITECTURE" well represents in a single phrase, the architecture that is emerging from SFIA, its teachers, and its students.

SFIA offers low-cost optional courses in affiliation with Ecological Design Program courses at Merritt College in Oakland. This allows some students to earn academic credit with SFIA while paying very low community college fees. SFIA offers dozens of technical and management continuing education programs in San Francisco, through national workshops, and by distance learning. SFIA is an enthusiastic supporter of, and a provider for the American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System. SFIA will offer work exchange in special circumstances, to allow students to support school facilities and activities while reducing their educational expenses. This new program will be modeled after the historic practices of the Frank Lloyd Wright School and the Bauhaus.

This direction by SFIA may or may not assist to forge and cement a following from other schools into true Sustainable Design. However the danger of focus on the philosophical aspects may not offer the true sustainable outcomes it purports to be steering. Schools will fall in behind aid and support the demands of society for change and guidance that are clearly being seen in the proliferation of branches of established organizations of the building engineering and construction industry. The greatest growth is in the development of concepts, meaning and relevance through such topics labeled as Green Building, Ecological Footprint, Embodied Energy, Cradle to Grave to Cradle, No Bills. Topics that have emerged and now accepted are Passive Design, Solar Design, Water Sensitive Urban Design, and Energy Efficiency. Clearly it is an evolutionary process where we have the organic successionary structures of society expressing itself. The visionaries, the learned academics, the pioneers, the policy makers, public concern and debate and the builders.

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN in agriculture again has been lead by

institutions evolving from grass roots ideologies. Permaculture has its philosophical roots in Agriculture as “Permanent-Agriculture” which evolved to include “Permanent-Culture”, evolving the social ecologies into the principles and practices. It recognized that conventional agriculture that society had evolved was not permanent as Jeremy Rifkin described in “Entropy” 38. Other similar schools have come from Rudolf Steiner, Wendall Berry, Masanobu Fukuoka and Robert Rodale. Similarly the acceptance of these teachings has yet to be taken up and adopted by the mainstream institutions. We must ask why. By the year 2050, nearly 80% of the earth's population will reside in urban centers. Applying the most conservative estimates to current demographic trends, the human population will increase by about 3 billion people during the interim. An estimated 109 hectares of new land (about 20% more land than is represented by the country of Brazil) will be needed to grow enough food to feed them, if traditional farming practices continue as they are practiced today. At present, throughout the world, over 80% of the land that is suitable for raising crops is in use (sources: FAO and NASA). Historically, some 15% of that has been laid waste by poor management practices. What can be done to avoid this impending disaster? Clearly new philosophies, principles and methodologies are demanded.

It took humans 10,000 years to learn how to grow most of the crops we now take for granted. Along the way, we despoiled most of the land we worked, often turning verdant, natural ecozones into semi-arid deserts. Within that same time frame, we evolved into an urban species, in which 50% of the human population now lives vertically in cities. This means that, for the majority, we humans are protected against the elements, yet we subject our food-bearing plants to the rigors of the “great outdoors” and can do no more than hope for a good weather year. However, more often than not now, due to a rapidly changing climate regime, that is not what follows. Massive floods, protracted droughts, class 4-5 hurricanes, and severe monsoons take their toll each year, destroying millions of tons of valuable crops. Don’t our harvestable plants deserve the same level of “comfort” and protection that we now enjoy? The time is at hand for us to learn how to safely grow our food inside environmentally controlled multistory buildings within urban centers. If we do not, then in just another 50 years, the next 3 billion people will surely go hungry, and the world will become a much more unpleasant place in which to live. Adding to the abusive entropic practices has been the control and manipulation of the agriculture industry by corporate collectives. This reality was exposed in the film “The Future of Food” 28. The response to this has seen an unprecedented growth in organic agriculture with associated farmers markets and “community supported agriculture” regimes that support the diverse community needs inherent.

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN in architecture is sadly lacking and has a

long way to catch up to its rhetoric. There has for many decades been a focus on the philosophical etheric dimensions of design that result in very vague connections to sustainability and many of the principles inherent in it. These are no more obvious than in the designs of the acclaimed great Frank Lloyd Wright where he and commentators verbosely describe his design to growing out of nature, but in any critical assessment taking the principles today it would fail to be recognized as a model of sustainable design, similarly the award winning buildings of the architecture faculty of Harvard University in Boston. Others that could have received more correct

support are the works of Paolo Soleri in Arcosanti, 110 km north of Phoenix using a concept he calls arcology a portmanteau of architecture and ecology, Soleri designed the town to demonstrate ways urban conditions could be improved while

minimizing the destructive impact on the earth. Malcolm Wells (1926- ) is

sometimes regarded as "the father of modern earth-sheltered architecture.". Wells lives on Cape Cod, practicing what he preaches by living and working in a modern earth-sheltered building. Wells is also a painter, author, illustrator, and publisher. The principles previously mentioned mark the evolution of sustainable design in architecture, these being; ecological footprint, embodied energy, no bills, cradle to grave to cradle, carbon neutral and the principles of Permaculture where established systems grow energy rather than consume it. Schools of landscape architecture have reinvented ecological principles in their design teaching as a necessary outcome in landscapes. They are beginning to leave behind the predominance of the cosmetic, consumerist aesthetic to accept and build in true ecological recognition. The landscape architects driving this through their business plans are heavily involved in many major ecological and environmental reparation projects and developments. However the premise of living in and being sensitive to and being part of nature is still the dominant design ethic. The insistence to protect nature often disguises the true meanings of sustainability from the abovementioned principles. A recent housing estate design applauded by the Global Ecovillage Network as a leading example, reflects this. It can be viewed and heard through audio marketing on www.theecovillage.com.au In the book “Buildings, culture and the Environment: Informing Local and global Practices” 12 Cole and Lorch talk of an “environmental imperative” where we have greater scientific understanding of human-induced stresses on natural systems and unprecedented individual and collective access to information about these issues. Evidence traces the roots of current environmental problems to the fact that industrialized societies operate within a social and economic system that implicitly considers human activity dominant over, and essentially independent of, the ecosystems. The built environment can be characterized as the embodiment of human values and ingenuity, as represented by the knowledge and priorities of its creators. It is important to distinguish between the notions of information and knowledge in the development and acquisition of new ideas and skills to improve the environmental performance of buildings. Knowledge is not easily transferable and is attached to an individual or group. Unlike information it is context dependent. Knowledge is a deeper understanding of a subject and also entails capabilities of assessment to form judgment, interpretation and understanding. By contrast, information is simply data, which can be stored and distributed. By itself information does not provide any

significant or deep understanding and limits the users who act upon it. Absorption of relocated information into knowledge could be slow, evolving and adapting to incumbent social and physical surroundings or fast in response to political will or unforeseen disaster. Cole and Lorch go on to suggest that the scale and complexity of global environmental problems require an unprecedented degree of international cooperation and the sharing of sound environmental knowledge and practices. This may stimulate the creation of new abilities to understand and interpret data, case studies and other information from foreign sources. The result of enhanced communication is often not cultural convergence, but deepening incomprehension and an increasing failure of buildings to perform as intended. Understanding the local culture is an important key to creating buildings, which have good fit, function and durability. Local culture embraces values, symbols, meaning and understandings, climate, resources and history with their convergence as a way of life. Scientific and technological development also has a direct bearing on environmental progress. For the vast majority of the world’s population, day-to-day survival dominates human activity. Scarcity worsens, some poor societies will face a widening ingenuity gap further compromising their abilities to respond, adapt creatively to changing conditions and eventually chart a path to recovery. Building design therefore will require the resolution and synthesis of a broad range of human and technical issues. The professional barriers have been breached through increased commitment to more integrated approaches to design. This must be supported by setting performance targets, developing a shared view of the project, improving the quality of communications and information to guide design and ensuring an appropriate cultural/social fit central to creating quality buildings within economic and time constraints. If sustainable design and environmental concepts are to be successful then the specific interpretation and manifestation in design should reflect local context coupled with local climatic conditions, materials and conditions with whole-systems appraisal, which includes all aspects of the natural ecology. Or will a new evolution of architectural thought emerge satisfying many of the mechanical engineering solutions but still lacking the integral plant world like that of work from David Fisher and his “Dynamic Architecture” www.dynamicarchitecture.net . His projects presently under construction suggest that the Dynamic Architecture building, which will be constantly in motion changing its shape, will be able to generate electric energy for itself as well as for other buildings. Forty-eight wind turbines fitted between each rotating floors as well as the solar panels positioned on the roof of the building will produce energy from wind and the sunlight, with no risk of pollution. The total energy produced by this inbuilt ‘powerhouse' every year will be worth approximately seven million dollars. Each turbine can produce 0.3 megawatt of electricity, compared to 1-1.5 megawatt generated by a normal vertical turbine (windmill). Considering that Dubai gets 4,000 wind hours annually, the turbines incorporated into the building can generate 1,200,000 kilowatt-hour of energy. As average annual power consumption of a family is estimated to be 24,000 kilowatt-hour, each turbine can supply energy for about 50 families. The Dynamic Architecture tower in Dubai will incorporate 200 apartments, hence four turbines can take care of their energy needs. The surplus clean energy produced by the remaining 44 turbines can light up the neighborhood of the building.

However, taking into consideration that the average wind speed in Dubai is of only 16 km/h the architects may need to double the number of turbines to light up the building to eight. Still there will be 40 free turbines, good enough to supply power for five skyscrapers of the same size. The horizontal turbines of the Dynamic Architecture building are simply inserted between the floors, practically invisible. They neither need a pole nor a concrete foundation. In addition, they are at zero distance from the consumer, which makes maintenance easier. The modern design of the building and the carbon fiber special shape of the wings take care of the acoustics issues. Producing that much electric energy without any implication on the aesthetic aspect of the building is a revolutionary step in tapping alternative energy sources. Furthermore, this energy will have a positive impact on the environment and economy. The next evolution will be for these spaces to generate their own food, involve living natural gardens, absorb and utilize all their wastes converting these to resources, creating habitats of vitality that have positive quotients rather than being negative entropic sinks. New buildings will emerge that demonstrate this and similarly existing buildings will be retrofitted with new energy systems and bioconservatories. Huge expansive establishments will be diverted into towers incorporating these technologies to allow conversion of the open horizontal spaces at ground level back into green space. As a theoretical scenario let’s look at the sprawling ad hoc complex of the University of Auckland and its adjacent Auckland University of Technology. This academic development is very typical throughout the world. These two Auckland facilities could be accommodated in two connected towers with all the “Dynamic Architecture” technology and all the biotecture technologies rendering a great extension to the adjacent park and far higher levels of inner city vitality. The only existing building preserved would be the historic “Clock Tower”.

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN in development has seen a proliferation of

organizations evolve throughout the world driven primarily by business enterprise. As Teddy Goldsmith has proven, these organization need to be regarded with contempt and a high level of skepticism for their integrity is lacking and the proof of their value and worth is seen in their manipulative tactics to control and dictate many initiatives at all levels. Their level of corruption is exceedingly high at every level. However, many of their resources can be utilized for the creation of projects of merit if one does not allow oneself to be locked into their bureaucracies. The following websites are some examples of the resources available.

World Business Council for Sustainable Development | United Nations

Environment Program | | Global Reporting Initiative | Worldwatch Institute |

Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes | | International Council for Local

Environmental Initiatives |

The WBCSD is typical of an organization that focuses on economic wealth and ignores the ecological and social imperatives.

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN in economics

Dow Jones considers that increasingly, investors are diversifying their portfolios by investing in companies that set industry-wide best practices with regard to sustainability. Two factors drive this development. First, the concept of corporate sustainability is attractive to investors because it aims to increase long-term shareholder value. Since corporate sustainability performance can now be financially quantified, they now have an investable corporate sustainability concept. Second, sustainability leaders are increasingly expected to show superior performance and favourable risk/return profiles. A growing number of investors are convinced that sustainability is a catalyst for enlightened and disciplined management, and, thus, a crucial success factor. Corporate Sustainability

Corporate Sustainability is a business approach that creates long-term shareholder value by embracing opportunities and managing risks deriving from economic, environmental and social developments. Corporate sustainability leaders achieve long-term shareholder value by gearing their strategies and management to harness the market's potential for sustainability products and services while at the same time successfully reducing and avoiding sustainability costs and risks. The quality of a company's strategy and management and its performance in dealing with opportunities and risks deriving from economic, environmental and social developments can be quantified and used to identify and select leading companies for investment purposes. However all these strategies need to be supported by sustainable systems of economic banking and legal structures. Such systems are emerging where a high level of protection from controlling organizations are the key inducement. Some examples of these are:

w w w.nordicsavings.com www.DesignerTrust.com - Protect Your Assets. www.Traddox.com - Secure Fund Administration. www.Pecunix.com - Private, Secure Digital Gold Currency. http://www.slogold.net/trusts.html Many organizations at all levels including financial institutions like ABN Amro use the rhetoric to attract members but still have not shown any true examples. It is a slow growth in understanding and time tells us of the evolution. The result now is complementary money systems and banks that clearly support and also drive the rhetoric. The greatest example was the monetary system of all of Argentina through 1994 to 2000 where more than fifteen alternative localized community currencies emerged when the Wall St. merchants collapsed the national currency. One of these currencies had a membership of over 6 million or 25% of the country. The same merchants or their father entity scuttled these again.

For the species to evolve any sense of true Sustainable Design we must first recognize who is holding the world to ransom and then design our way out of their controls with the alternatives. Primarily it is the moneychangers who have also designed the legal structures ably supported by the religious institutions who are all part of the same network. These alternatives are all available, proven, tested and modeled. We have LETS, Local Enterprise Trading Systems conceived in Canada, complimentary currencies operating in many countries but very active in more than 12 regions throughout Germany modeled on the Argentine experience and we have Credit Unions conceived in Germany by farmer co-operatives. The new phase of this is the “relocalisation” campaign generated out of England and growing rapidly through Australia. An old model similar to this is the many small-scale voluntary food co-ops. It is time now for these to grow exponentially throughout the world. There are signs of this.

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN in governance. The character of

governance at all levels of society be it international, national, regional or local has in the past focused more on control of power rather than on leadership or any humanitarian need. Consequently this lack of visionary leadership has created a world of reactionary repair rather than creation and innovation. Examples at this level are rare, however Curitiba in Brazil is one, where visionary urban design planner Jaime Lerner retrofitted the city centre, creating a livable city node. Revolutionising the transport systems, expanding city gardens from one civic park to thirty six, using the power of children as social architects and evolving new disciplines of architecture and planning within the city administration. This model is being further developed in Bogotá, Columbia with many other cities of the world beginning the same revolution. Lerner suggests that cities are not the problem they are in fact the solution. Again the bulk of successful models of Sustainable Design come about through grass-roots activists or local community action, which have the determination to evolve innovative projects through the levels and systems of governance to successful creation. The examples are numerous; one such is the affordable housing of the San Juan Islands off the coast of Seattle/Vancouver. Perhaps the most successful model is Village Homes in Davis California by Michael Corbett. In his book that describes the entire process and philosophy of this development “ A Better Place To Live: New Designs for Tomorrow’s Communities” 1975

13

Corbett suggests that in order to meet tomorrow’s housing needs we can increase suburban sprawl and further congest our cities, without giving much thought to the tolls such growth will take upon the quality of our air and water, our land, energy, and other precious resources and the well being of those whom live there. Or we can build an exciting variety of settlements that are economically stable and environmentally secure, that are aesthetically pleasing, and that sensitively respond to human needs. If we choose the latter says Corbett the future will bring many choices of healthful living environments, ranging from rural homesteads to a multitude of different village type communities; some larger, some smaller, some more isolated, others clustered, many perhaps born out of the rehabilitation of our sprawling suburbs and deteriorating metropolitan centers. Corbett shows how we can make the right choices and how we all can work toward providing a better place to live for ourselves and for

those who come after us. Where successful policy and implementation has developed all too frequently it is scuttled by other influences of power over politics. This is no more evident than Australia’s Brisbane City Council where revolutionary policy has lead the way for many cities of the world. Some of which have been picked up and developed further as is recognized in New Zealand’s Waitakere City and North Shore City. This growth has been highlighted through the Aalborg Charter54 27th May 2004 and the Sustainable Cities and Towns Campaign formed under the frameworks of Agenda 21. Criticism of Local Government is highlighted in the book “Living cities An Urban

Myth” 2006 by Garry Smith and Jennifer Scott 42

An organization grown out of initiatives developed in Europe in the late 1980s offers widespread support for local government to evolve whole systems or singular elements of ecological sustainability is “Ecocities” 37 an organisation with a mission to transform our cities from being burdens on the planet into contributors to the solution of global sustainability. The biggest issue that we face today concerns the achievement of realistic goals for sustainability – an issue that is troubling the minds of our foremost thinkers and of governments across the world. Most urgent, and equally challenging, is how to put in place the means of successfully generating sustainable solutions. Ecocities is driving that challenge by creating new cities that are planned holistically, embracing and meeting environmental, economic and demographic needs. Their innovative approach combines holistic master-planning, integrated infrastructure, innovative financial solutions, leading-edge building processes and ultra-low emission levels with ongoing systemic and technical research that continually informs the development of better sustainable solutions. In response to the challenge of sustainability, ecocities has developed a unique model of design, build, finance and continuous operation (DBFO) of cities – a model that is innovative but entirely based upon proven technologies. The ecocities financial success model is not based upon quick exploitation of land value uplift, but rather upon the long-term success and sustainability of cities and communities; a solution that is delivered through the adoption of innovative financing structures using long term revenue streams to drive value and returns to investors. This process enables the creation of high quality environments and excellent accommodation to be built anywhere in the world. Further to this is the evolving development primarily from the social sector of “Sustainable Communities” Loomis 29 suggests sustainable development integrates the aims of social development and economic development, where there is a similarity between this integrated perspective and the way many indigenous peoples understand life processes and wellbeing. They speak of the unity of all things, of the need for harmony and balance, and of the notion of development being holistic. But a future socio-ecocentric view of Albert Bates 3 which opens the

debate further suggests the triple whammy of peak oil, climate change, and the

population bomb will give birth to an incendiary meme, sparked by dedicated

individuals with eco-community living skills and fueled by the growing necessity of

changing the way in which human communities relate to natural resources. The growth

and expansion meme of the past two centuries, fueled by the one-time-only

exploitation of fossil fuels and the natural resources and habitable climates of Africa,

Asia and the Americas, is rapidly drawing to a close. Capitalism, which requires

continuous economic expansion, will simply be an inapt ap in the coming epoch of

century-long recessions and global population decline. There are a number of

speculative scenarios, some now being played out tentatively on the world stage,

which suggest successor aps. Feudal theocracies, socialist unions of states, and

anarchic transitions to stateless tribes can all be seen seeding constituencies with beta

test versions. A more hopeful alternative can be sketched from the experience of small

communal societies over the past two hundred years, including Oneida, Amana, the

Mormons, Kibbutzim, the hippies, and most recently the ecovillages. Collectively,

these experiments have provided vital tools for transition to the steady-state

economics required by a future on a much different planet than humanity has ever

known. The government of China has given the order to create 5 eco-cities in China. One of these is in Guangdon, near the Yangtse-river, another is in Dongtan. Dongtan is planned to open, with accommodation for 50,000, by the time the Expo 2010 opens in Shanghai. By 2040, the city is slated to be one-third the size of Manhattan. Dongtan was presented at the United Nations World Urban Forum by China as an example of an eco-city, and is the first of up to four such cities to be designed and built in China by Arup, a global design and engineering company. The cities are planned to be ecologically friendly, with zero-greenhouse-emission transit and complete self-sufficiency in water and energy, together with the use of zero energy building principles. Dongtan proposes to have only green transport movements along its coastline. People will arrive at the coast and leave their cars behind, traveling along the shore as pedestrians, cyclists or on sustainable public transport vehicles. However, the planned ecological footprint for each citizen in Dongtan is currently 2.2 hectares[1], higher than the 1.9 hectares that is theoretically sustainable on a global scale. These models are a marked revolution in sustainable design but are yet to go far enough to fully interpret complete solutions. Environmental sociologist Mark Whitaker is a comparative historical researcher on the politics of environmental degradation and sustainability. In his novel “Toward A Bioregional State”

53

Whitaker prescribes an approach to development and to sustainability as being rather than an issue of population scale, managerial economics, or technocratic planning, an overhaul of formal democratic institutions at all levels of society is required. This is because environmental degradation has more to do with the biased interactions of formal institutions and informal corruption. These institutions are forms of informal gate keeping, and as such, intentionally maintain democracy as ecologically “out of sync”. He argues that we are unable to reach sustainability without a host of additional ecological checks and balances. These would demote corrupt uses of formal institutions by removing capacities for gate keeping against democratic feedback where sustainability is a politics that is already here – just waiting to be formally organized. The process for this is a series of workshops from organizations such as “Spiral Dynamics” and “Gaia University” conducted throughout and being ongoing and continually evolving to change the social ecology to a sustainable social ecology connected to all others with a symbiotic interdependent ethic.

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN in ecosystems or perhaps more correctly

constructed and managed landscapes. Bill McKibben in his book “End of Nature” 31 suggests there is no longer any such thing as nature, but more correctly “managed landscapes”. This is a term some Maori today suggest was how they managed the forest and seas before colonial invasion. The inclusion of the worlds of ecology as a corner post to more clearly define a true and connected basis to sustainability has recently developed and has seen the term “ecological footprint” describe how man connects to the earths resources. The term presently represents the total area of productive land and water required on a continuous basis to produce all the resources consumed, and to assimilate all the wastes produced by a population and its economy. In the context of sustainable design the term “embodied energy” is an integral equation. But the time has yet to arrive and seems a long way off for society or the species man to learn, adapt and proffer from design patterns inherent in sustainable design that is contiguous and interdependent of natural ecosystems.

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN in infrastructure is best described in the

study of the growth of Ecological Engineering through the activities of The Ecological Engineering Association. An organization I am very critical of. Like many organizations that have evolved they are lead primarily by economic positioning and gain. This precept structures their pattern of thinking and all their actions. These actions are from individuals caught within a bubble of society on a treadmill, which is difficult to step off. A treadmill, which drives a religious fervor of materialism. Those engineers who have managed to step off and survive are ostracized by the organizations they have left behind. The scientists that support these engineering blocks are similarly locked in, surviving primarily through the hallowed walls of institutions and the comfort boxes they reside in. Both these groups are held in such esteem by society that most forms of the built environment are supported only if endorsed by them. In his book “Ecological Engineering: bridging between ecology and civil engineering” 49 Hein Van Bohemen suggests the entire fraternity of Ecological Engineers have yet to confirm their philosophical principles, but prefer to move in all disciplines and sectors and have difficulty in defining the field they have labeled. Infrastructure models of sustainable design consequently are very rare. However they are becoming more familiar as alternative forms and models are being searched out. Two such institutions are the sewage systems of Billy Wolverton of USA an ex NASSA scientist, and the work and models of Marioara Godeanu bioengineering scientist of Bucharest Romania. The infrastructure of energy has a long established entry, but many forms that have been developed have been locked away by corporations of the mainstream, rightly seeing any competition as an economic threat.

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN in law is presented through connections to

nature in a recent book edited by Klaus Bosselmann and David Grinlinton “Environmental Law for a Sustainable Society” 2002.8 It is recognised that there is no

consensus on the meaning of Sustainable Development as there is no consensus on the meaning of justice. But the parallel is we usually know when we are experiencing justice so we too know whether activities and developments are sustainable or not. So Sustainable Development like Design is an ethical concept and it is here that reasoning must begin. Bosselmann refers to The World Charter of Nature 1982 that describes humanity as part of nature then analogises the tree of environmental law as having ever increasing branches of resource management, conservation, energy, water, maritime, international, biotechnology, mediation. It is clear that students of environmental law will need to be prepared for the unknown where there is no subject in isolation but global and systemic requiring a more holistic definition exploring issues of history, philosophy, anthropology, science, economics and politics. This justification for such exploration makes up the roots of the environmental law tree. The entire legal forest consists of trees, each justifying a close study. All trees together form an ecosystem, the forest. A forest has specific features and characteristics that need to be understood. Masters of the legal forest should be aware of ecosystems including those of human rights and commercial law. This analogy can be equally applied to architecture through Sustainable Design.

SUMMARY

The evolutionary principle has been presented in many graphs that illustrate how lifestyles have accelerated considerably with the graph now well into the vertical. ( http://www.worldwatch.org/taxonomy/term/59) . If we were to take this graphical phenomenon on board and ask what is the most beneficial direction for architecture through a code of Sustainable Design we recognize similar factors and elements, on parallel graphs. Professor Campbell McLean of Auckland University was a pioneer in the academic rationalization of this topic through the 1980’s. Many commentators today are extrapolating this graph diagnosis and suggesting a collapse or rapid descent curve is the most likely. Consequently many ecologically based organizations are now designing this descent scenario. Perhaps the HTBO&KYAG workshops are not too far from acceptance. Is this why the lemmings of the species are racing to live beside the seaside? Is there an astral or etheric communication occurring? or is it morphic resonance through the species? The growth in sustainable this, sustainable that and every other conceivable notion has appeared not only in the market place of the architecture industry but throughout academia and the sciences but also the integrating political layers and every other discipline and sector of society. It is, a one word, revolution. If the prime minister of New Zealand is stating that her country will be the first “sustainable country” what does this mean? If the mayor of the city of Brisbane is claiming that his city will be the first “sustainable city” what does this mean? Is true sustainability now being recognized as a myth or a totally unachievable goal? Or is it a straw that a species in desperation is clutching. This mythical reality certainly seems to be the most obvious when we consider the state of the planet from every far-flung corner, from the Fahvala of Rio De Janeiro to the hoards of rural people moving into all the Chinese cities now scarce on food. Wherever we go, we see, in nearly every community, clear evidence of the species, man, suffocating in his own deficant and on the of floor of a collapse dance. Although there is still a great paucity of plausible design solutions there is a rapid growth in every sector, which is, being driven by the marketing, growing demands and expectations. This demand is also in a need for a true meaning. This flooding of our media is changing the perception and acceptance for the need to adapt and take on board options for sustainability. At the leading edge is the Permaculture inspired “ecovillage” developments. Many of these are now achieving negative energy draw, some are well in the surplus along with creating a positive ecological footprint. The architecture evolving through these developments relies heavily on “earth integrated” materials, solar technologies, methane systems, grey and black water reuse, zero waste, no bills and intensive organic farming and localization campaigns. Two campaigners of the localisation topic are David Holmgren and Helena Nuborg-Shultz. Connected with some urban ecovillages is an associated “community supported agriculture” development. However most of the early developments of these ecovillages display many failures of the initiated expectations and design theories.

Many rely on campaigns to live with nature, to enhance protect and increase the native habitats, flora and fauna. Many if not all, certainly most that I have researched explored and visited, fail to offer complete systems of sustainability but simply self perpetuate the present forms of consumerism and suburban demands and energy use. Consequently they do not reach the sustainable ecological negative footprint, or more necessary the positive footprint, carbon neutral level or any other such fashionable quotient. However, the new ecovillages emerging are responding to this criticism and many have also become schools of the teachings and guidance needed throughout these developments. Clear indication of this is several ecovillages and ecocentres that have grown up in Brazil over the past decade. Within these teachings the debate over “growth” and its meaning will transform our communities of the future. Growth will be carefully measured managed and coordinated under strict principles of ecological sustainability. This realization will see the change of many “vision statements” especially throughout the membership of WBCSD who still focus on economic sustainability as the primary principle that is trapped inside conventional economics. The emerging developments in the design professions sees an integration of layers of society. This is becoming evident in perhaps one of the best examples and models of urban design on the planet, that of the Brasilian city of Curitiba. The architect planner mayor of 1972 Jaime Lerner was the revolutionary in the birth of this. The institutes he set up now evolve many of his principles. www.ippuc.org.br I have debated and been part of forums, lectures and presentations on how we can green our cities, how cities can be sustainable, but have yet to see any comprehensive design that achieves the levels and needs required for such success, or survival of the species. The speed with which sustainability issues are moving into the mainstream challenges each of us to sharpen our collective thinking, communicating and advocacy to take advantage of it, honestly. The true accountability required to reach the levels of sustainability espoused exposes a greater understanding of entropy, then the multitude of layers of association that brings into account the levels of balance or imbalance in any given sustainable design. For example if we were to hypothetically take a city like Hamilton New Zealand and analyse its capacity to become a sustainable city how do we set a quotient of balances and checks to fully account its ability to become sustainable? In the physical elements of energy in and energy out this exercise may be simple mathematics. For we can suggest that the city must consider supplying or in fact growing all its own energy requirements both in power, fuel and food. However when we consider the economic expectations along with the social needs there comes the requirement to consider overlays with other communities in exports and imports. We then move into a greater equation of balance and accountability. This then brings in the realm of growth, competition and dependence, and scales of economies. In design this is an exponential development of the overlays espoused by Ian McHarg, a true leader through the 1960/70’s schools of landscape architecture. We are now exploring “ecosocial design” as an integrative tool. Sustainable design as an emerging subject in many sectors opens up many new dimensions of how we operate and function. No more than, how we will consider to operate and function into the future. Sustainable design in architecture will bring in all the other dimensions of society and move more into sustainable urban design as a discipline. The profession of architecture has a large responsibility to carry here. Throughout the history of the architectural profession and its education networks it

has had many face changes. Today generally it is a separate discipline purely considering the building. It was once the discipline that considered the entire built environment. Curitiba still recognises and practices this and also overlays as a very integral component the whole discipline of planning. For Sustainable Design to develop any honest success this is where the schools and the discipline must return. Sustainable Design is the entire fabric of society and all levels from the self to the family unit and out to the neighbourhood, the hamlet, the village the town, the city, the district the region, the bioregion and the nation and internationally that we will adjust our patterns and thinking to consider the whole dimension of sustainable design for we are all memes of the gaian philosophy as espoused in the book “Spiral

Dynamics” by Don Edward Beck and Christopher Cowan.5

Throughout this renaissance is the philosophy of connection to the natural world. In practice, three key approaches must be optimised in urban governance if anything like natural ecosystems is to be preserved as an integral part of human development forging any sense of Sustainable Design. These are:

More informed land use planning. Appropriate and innovative design for urban engineering solutions. Effective regulation of development and residential activities.

This can be seen as an organic illustration, which must imitate natural principles in nature, which quite rightly so, is the true underlying philosophical essence of sustainable. The core ethic is that sustainable design is one that evolves from and imitates nature. ”Humanity is part of the natural world, not separate from it. We cannot control or replicate the complex biological systems that underlie biodiversity. These systems are integral to the wider natural ecological system. Humans are fundamentally interrelated and interdependent with them. Sustainability relies on healthy ecosystems that in turn rely on strong biodiversity. Human health, wealth and sustainability therefore rely on biodiversity conservation. There is little evidence society-wide that we have even begun to take this notion seriously or engaged in maintaining ecosystem integrity.” Therefore the origins of the concept of sustainability and from where, why and how have they evolved to offer the world of design a basis for a true investigation of its prescribed inheritance is through the patterns of ecological wisdom found only in nature. Through the sectors of society and the various disciplines of design these contextual notions have and will lead sustainable design through the worlds of architecture, yesterday, today and tomorrow.

BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Alexandersson. Olaf. Living Water. 2002, see also .Suppressed Inventions 2001. Jonathan Eisen 2. Atkinson. G. The Gyroscopic Periodic Table. 2007. 3. Bates. A. Communities; Yesterday’s Utopia, Today’s Reality. Communal

Economics in a Post-Petroleum World. 2007. Damanhur, Italy. for the International Communal Studies Assn triannual meeting. Albert Bates is a permaculture and appropriate technology instructor at the Ecovillage Training Center at The Farm community in Summertown, Tennessee. One of the founders of the Ecovillage Network of the Americas (1994) and the Global Ecovillage Network (1995), he is author of eleven books, including Shutdown: Nuclear Power on Trial (1979) and Climate in Crisis: The Greenhouse Effect and What We Can Do (1990). His Post-Petroleum Survival Guide and Cookbook: Recipes for Changing Times (Gabriolas Is., BC: New Society Publishers 2006) envisions the world as it will be transformed by peak oil and climate change, and offers a prescription for re-inhabitation. A longer biography is available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Bates 4. Bar-Cohen. Y. Biomimetics: Biologically Inspired Technology. 2005. Taylor & Francis. 5. Beck. D.E. Cowan. C. Spiral Dynamics. 1996. Blackwell. 6. Benyus. J. Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature. 2002 . Harper Perennial. 7. Brown. D.E. Sustainable Architecture White Papers, Earth Pledge Foundation

Series on Sustainable Development. 8. Bosselmann. K. Grinlinton. D. Environmental Law for a Sustainable Society. 2002. NZCEL 9. Bruntland. G. H. The Brundtland Report Our Common Future. WCED 1987 10. Burke. J. After the Warming . 1990. See also Gore. A. Earth in Balance . 2000. 11. Carson. R. Silent Spring . 1964. Fawcett Crest. 12. Cole. R.J. Lorch.R. Buildings, Culture and the Environment: Informing Local and

global Practices . 2003. Blackwell. 13. Corbett. M. A Better Place To Live: New Designs for Tomorrow’s Communities. 1975. see also: www.villagehomesdavis.org

14. Diamond. J. Collapse: How societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. 2005. Penguin.

15. Earthwatch Report. Then and Now. 20 year Anniversary of Our Common Future 16. Edwards. A. The Sustainability Revolution: Portrait of a Paradigm Shift . 2005 New Society. 17. Folsom. R . Principles of European Union. Maastricht and Amsterdam Treaties

on European Union. 2005 West Group. 18. Goldsmith. E. Lecture Series 1988-90. Global Ecology 19. Goldsmith. E. Personal discussions 2006. Tuscany Italy 20. Gore. A. The Inconvenient Truth see also Earth in Balance .2000. 21. Geering. L. Tomorrows God How We Create Our World.s 1996. Polebridge

22. Geering. L. The World to Come. 2001. Polebridge. 23. Hart S. L. Shire of Yarra Ranges Urban Design Guidelines through Principles of

Ecologically Sustainable Design. 2006 24. Hawken. P. The Ecology of Commerce. 1994. Collins.

25. Hawken. P. Lovins. A. Lovins. L.H. Natural Capitalism . 2000. Back Bay. 26. Hill. K. Johnson. B. Ecology and Design, frameworks for learning . 2001. Island 27. Kibert. C. Construction Ecology: Nature as a Basis for Green Buildings. 2001. Taylor & Francis

28. Koons Garcia. D.Chater. J. Boekelheide. T. The Future of Food 29. Loomis. T. A Framework for Developing Sustainable Communities. 2002 30. McDonough. W. Hanover Principles" or "Bill of Rights for the Planet. developed by Architects for EXPO 2000. These principles were adopted by the World Congress of the International Union of Architects (UIA) in June 1993 at the American Institute of Architect's (AIA) Expo 93 in Chicago. Further, the AIA and UIA signed a "Declaration of Interdependence for a Sustainable Future." 31. McKibben. B. The End of Nature. 2006. Random House.

32. Mebratu, Desta. 1998. Sustainability and Sustainable Development: historical and

conceptual review. Environmental Impact Assessment. Review 18: 504-512 33. Ministry for Education. New Zealand Curriculum Framework 34. Mollison. B. Jeeves. A. Slay. R. Permaculture Design Manual. 2000. Tagari

35. Orr. D. The Nature of Design, ecology, culture and human intention: 2004. Oxford University 36. Papanek. V. Design for the Real World: Human Ecology and Social Change.

1973. Bantam. 37. Register. R. Ecocities: Rebuilding Cities in Balance With Nature. 2006. New Society 38. Rifkin. J. Entropy. 1981. Bantam 39. Sale. K. Bioregionalism 40. Schauberger. V. Living Water. The Secrets of Natural Energy. 2002.Turnstone Press. 41. Schumacher. E.F. Small is Beautiful. 1973 42. Smith. G.C. Scott. J. Living Cities: An Urban Myth. 2006 43. Steiner. R. Publications through Anthroposohy Society 44. Stern. N. The Stern Report 45. Tomkins. P. Bird. C. Secrets of the Soil. 1988. Harper Collins

46. Tomkins. P. Bird. C. The Secret Life of Plants. 1999. Harper Collins. 47. UNESCO. 1978. The Tbilisi Declaration 48. UNESCO. 1992. Agenda 21 of the Rio Earth Summit 49. Van Bohemen. H. Ecological Engineering: bridging between ecology and civil

engineering . 50. Van Der Ryn. S. Stuart Cowan. S. Ecological Design 51. Williams. J. The Commissioner for the Environment, Growing for Good,

Intensive Farming, Sustainability and New Zealand’s Environment.

52. Wright. F.L. Education and Art on Behalf of Life. 1958. 53. Whitaker. M. Toward A Bioregional State. 2005. iUniverse

54. Wheeler. S. The Sustainable Urban Development Reader. 2004. Aalborg Charter

. .

RESOURCE REFERENCES: The Australian and New Zealand

characteristics throughout many sectors of the Sustainable Design world have consistent similarities. This list of resource references offers valuable tools for most disciplines. Other spheres of the world display differences that require careful adjustment to be considered in the Australasian environment. This following schedule was developed from the “Urban Design Guidelines” Through principles of Ecological Sustainable Design, Shire of Yarra Ranges Victoria Australia, Steve Hart 2006.23

• Engineering www.iees.ch International Ecological Engineering Society • Ecocities www.ecocities.com. An organisation with a mission to transform our

cities from being burdens on the planet into contributors to the solution of global sustainabil ity.

o Green Home http://www.dreamgreenhomes.com/. Information on sustainable

home design and construction

o Life Cycle costing. http:/www.fd.rmit.edu.au

o Australian Greenhouse Office, Your Home Guide

http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/yourhome. A consumer guide, technical manual and tools to encourage design, construction or renovation of homes to be comfortable, healthy and more environmentally sustainable.

o Department of Environment and Heritage. ESD Design Guide. ISBN 0642551316. email: ciu@deh.gov.au

o The American complete resource. http:/www.greenbuilding.com; www.ecodesign.org

o Flora of Australia Online http://www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/online-resources/flora/main/index.html. Provides detailed information on all Australian plants and distribution maps.

o Society for Growing Australian Plants (Qld) http://www.sgapqld.org.au/. Provides detailed information on Queensland plants and nurseries.

o How to Plan Wildlife Landscapes: a guide for community organisations ISBN 0 7311 5037 6

o Greening Australia http://www.greeningaustralia.org.au/GA/QLD/. Information for landholders, community and business on environmental degradation.

o Indoor plants for pollution http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/houseplants.htm

o Earth Graphic Design http://www.evc.com.au/enviro.html. Information on ‘green’ practices for the design industry

o Corporate Recycling

http://www.corporaterecycling.com.au/cartcollection.shtml. Information on recycled products and recycling processes of some products

o Sustainable Gardening Australia

http://www.sgaonline.org.au/aboutsga.html. Information for sustainable landscapes and nurseries._____

o !International Security Management and Crime Prevention Institute

http://www.cpted.com.au/home.html. Provides basic information about crime prevention, links and publications.

o !Queensland Government, Smart Housing

http://www.housing.qld.gov.au/builders/smart_housing/index.htm. Information on how to make houses environmentally, economically and socially sustainable

o Performance checklists. http:/www.breeam.org., www.greenbuilding.ca o !Australian Government, Disability Discrimination Act 1992

http://www.comlaw.gov.au/ o !Australian Standards 1428.1-1428.4

http://www.standards.com.au/catalogue/script/search.asp. Information on designing for access and mobility.

o !Local Government Association of Queensland, Social Planning Guidelines

for Queensland 2003 http://www.lgaq.asn.au. Provides an o overview of social planning considerations. _____ __________%

o !Mark Carden and Mary Maher and Associates, Nature Smart. o !Save Water Plant Selector

http://www.savewater.com.au/default.asp?SectionId=212&SortTag=323. A tool to aid appropriate plant selection.

o !Environmental Protection Agency, New South Wales Government,

Landscaping Industry Fact Sheets

o http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/resources/landscapefacts1to6.pdf. Information on design, materials and plants, chemicals etc

o Environmental Protection Agency,

http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/ecoaccess/contaminated_land. General information about contaminated land, and management processes.

o CarShare Australia http://www.csau.com.au. Information about Australia’s only commercial car sharing service.

o Subdivision for People and the Environment SNZ HB 44:2001 http://www.smf.govt.nz/results/9038_subdivision_handbook.pdf. Context analysis and design process, design solutions for on-site management of storm- and waste water, energy etc, and land tenure options, and management strategies.

o Western Australian Government, Liveable Neighbourhoods

http://www.wapc.wa.gov.au/cgibin/index.cgi?page=/publications/content.html. Alternatives to the design of neighbourhoods that aim to achieve compact, well connected and more sustainable urban communities.

o Waterwise Systems http://www.watersmart.com.au. Alternative technology/

products for promote water efficiency. o New South Wales Government, A-Rated water fittings and appliances

http://www.basix.nsw.gov.au/information/common/pdf/designguidelines/w04_ a_rated_water_fittings.pdf. General information about water appliance rating and ways to improve water efficiency.

o Melbourne Water http://wsud.melbournewater.com.au. Information about water sensitive urban design.

o Environmental Protection Agency, Victoria

Governmenthttp://www.epa.vic.gov.au/publications/p00412aa.pdf/Recycled_water_and_you.pdf. General information on water recycling and appropriate uses.

o Water Services Association of Australia

https://www.wsaa.asn.au/frameset2.html. Provides information about the water rating scheme and product search facility.

o https:/www.australianecosystems.com.au An ecosystems and restoration consultancy

o Environmental Protection Agency, Victoria Government

http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/publications/p00414aa.pdf/Recycled_water.pdf. General information on recycled water.

o Alternative Technology Association http://www.ata.org.au. Promotes solar and wind power, energy saving and water conservation.

o !Environmental Protection Agency, Victoria Government http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/environmental_management/sustainability/energy/solar_hot_water_rebate_scheme/. State Government rebate for installation and maintenance of solar hot water systems.

o Environmental Protection Agency, Victoria Government

http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/publications?id=404. Information on energy efficient home design.

o Environmental Protection Agency, Victoria Government

http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/publications?id=406. Information on landscaping for energy efficiency.

o Environmental Protection Agency, Victoria Government

http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/publications?id=407. Guide to energy savings for windows

o Sustainable Energy Development Office, Western Australian Government

http://www1.sedo.energy.wa.gov.au/uploads/lighting_4pg_45.pdf. Lighting for homes

o New South Wales Government

http://www2.livingthing.net.au/action02/info/EnergySmartOfficeTips2001.pdf. Office lighting

o University of New South Wales, Key Centre for Photovoltaic Engineering

http://www.pv.unsw.edu.au/info/solarcell.html. General information on photovoltaic cells

o Energy rating, solutions to an energy efficient home. http:/www.comfortsmart.com.au

o !Eco specifier http://www.ecospecifier.org. A knowledge base of over 1000 environmentally preferable products, materials and resources.

o Five Star Energy Rating. Sustainable Energy Authority Victoria. http:/www.seav.sustainability.vic.gov

o National Centre for Sustainability. Swinburne University Victoria. http:/www.swinburne.edu.au/ncs

o Info link http://www.infolink.com.au/browse_directory.asp. A directory of building products and suppliers.

o Green Home http://www.dreamgreenhomes.com/. Information on alternative and sustainable home design and construction.

o Sustainable Architecture, Building and Culture, Embodied Energy and

Life Cycle Analysis http://www.sustainableabc.com/lca.html.General information on life cycle assessment.

o CSIRO Manufacturing and Infrastructure Technology

http://www.cmit.csiro.au/brochures/tech/embodied/. General information about embodied energy.

o Davis Langdon & Everest Construction Cost Consultants http://www.bco-officefocus.com/EECost/. Detailed information on cost of embodied energy.

o Greenpeace http://archive.greenpeace.org/toxics/pvcdatabase/productalt.html. A complete register of pvc free alternatives and products.

o SmartWood http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/programs/forestry/smartwood/. An independent forestry certifier.

o One Stop Timber Shop

http://www.wilderness.org.au/campaigns/forests/consumer/ons_stop_timber_shop/. A guide to environmentally preferable timber, wood and substitute products.

o WWF considers the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification system to be the only

credible system to ensure environmentally responsible, ... www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/forests/what_we_do/management/certify_about.cfm

o !Brisbane City Council, Green Home

http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/BCC:STANDARD:1775592936:pc=PC_1265. Fact Sheet – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

o !National Centre for Environmental Design http://onsite.rmit.edu.au/. Information on waste avoidance and resource recovery related to construction and demolition.

o !EcoRecycle Victoria http://www.ecorecycle.vic.gov.au. A Victorian state government agency providing information & advice to business, government & community on waste reduction & recycling.

o !Environmental Protection Agency, Victoria Government

http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/publications?id=484. Information about construction and demolition waste management and resource use opportunities.

o !Department of Environment and Heritage, Australian Government.

http://www.deh.gov.au/industry/construction/wastewise/pubs/guidelinestext. pdf. Best practice waste reduction guidelines and tools for construction and demolition industry.

o !Environmental Protection Agency, Victoria Government. http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/publications/p00391aa.pdf/About_WasteWise_helping_industry_profit_by_reducing_waste.pdf. Strategies for industry to profit from reducing waste.

o !Resource NSW, New South Wales Government

http://www.resource.nsw.gov.au/publications.htm#easyguide. Information about waste avoidance and recycling systems.

o Brisbane City Council, Green Home

http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/BCC:STANDARD:1775592936:pc=PC_1265 Fact Sheet – SustainablePurchasing

o Queensland Government, Smart Housing

http://www.housing.qld.gov.au/builders/smart_housing/index.htm. . Information on how to make houses environmentally, economically and socially sustainable.

o Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

http://www.setac.org/lca.html. Provides information about life cycle assessments to reduce the resource consumption and environmental burdens associated with products, packaging, processes, or activities.

o United States Environmental Protection Agency

http://www.epa.gov/ORD/NRMRL/lcaccess/lca101.htm. Information about life cycle assessment objectives and practice. %+__._

o !Brisbane City Council, Green Home

http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/BCC:STANDARD:1775592936:pc=PC_1265. Fact Sheet – Air Quality.

o !Department of Health and Aging, Australian Government

http://www.nphp.gov.au/enhealth/council/pubs/pdf/healthyhomes.pdf. A guide to residential indoor air quality for buyers, builders and renovators.

o !Department of Environment and Heritage, Australian Government

http://www.deh.gov.au/atmosphere/airtoxics/indoorair. General information about indoor air pollutants.

o !Travel Smart Australia http://www.travelsmart.gov.au/. Information about making smart transport choices and reducing reliance on cars.

o !Victoria Transport Policy Institute http://www.vtpi.org/. An independent research organisation dedicated to developing innovative and practical solutions to transportation problems.

o !Placemaking for communities http://www.pps.org/. Information about creating and maintaining public space that build communities.

o !Queensland Government, Smart Housing

http://www.housing.qld.gov.au/builders/smart_housing/index.htm. Information on how to make houses environmentally, economically and socially sustainable. http:/www.greensmart.com.au

o !South East Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils, Draft

Sustainable Housing Code (Version 8). o !Australian Standards 1428.1-1428.4

http://www.standards.com.au/catalogue/script/search.asp. Information on designing for access and mobility.

o Permaculture, Design and Education. http:/www.permaculture.com.au

o Global Education. www.gaiauniversity.org, www.sfia.net WORD COUNT 18,507