Materials Matter
When we talk about architecture and sustainability, so much of the conversation is centered on carbon emissions. Perhaps arguably so, as global warming continues to increase its threat to human habitation on the planet, but it doesn’t paint the whole picture. Materials matter too, and as architects we have the (prime!) opportunity to contribute to a sustainable selection of materials. So, when Anne Hicks Harney, a spec writer with a focus on sustainable materials and founder of Long Green Specs, agreed to co-host a conversation on the Materials Matter AIAU course with me, I was thrilled. She is a powerhouse of knowledge on the topic, and in our discussion, I began to see the possibilities of specifying a completely non-harmful, non-toxic building.
Do you know what is in the products you are including in your projects? Do you know where they are made, and how they affect the health and well-being of the communities in which they are made? People and resource exploitation for material production is not typically visible. Do you know if the product can be used again, or reused, or altered or recycled? There is a growing call for transparency in materials, and as long as we are asking these questions of our suppliers, we can help with the transformation.
Start with the AIAU course on Materials Matter, and sign the Materials Pledge. We can comprehensively address the materials we currently specify, determine which ones are harmful, and find better alternates. This doesn’t have to be an overwhelming overhaul, just go one at a time. Let’s start specifying better. There is room to grow, as always. But the possibilities are there!
Deborah Buelow, AIA
President, AIA Potomac Valley
cedar architecture
www.cedararch.com/
