Key Sentences

"Sustainable architecture and sustainable education share many similarities."

"They both originated from environmental concerns and the promotion of interrelationships
between human beings and nature."

"Sustainable education is mainly developed from preceding practices, like nature study, outdoor
education, conservation education, and environmental education that began to be used broadly in
the mid-1960s."

"Sustainable architecture has also evolved from earlier practices, such as green architecture,
ecological design, and other familiar ideas and practices."

"The main influence that has driven the development of sustainable architecture and sustainable
education is the environmental movement in the 1960s and 70s."

"This involved governments, economists, and business people in the promotion of sustainable
development."

"The term ‘sustainable development,’ which was internationally promoted by the WCED report, Our
Common Future (1987), and the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
(UNCED) in 1992, has led to adaptation of the term ‘sustainable’ to modify educational and
architectural practices."

"Since then, in the architectural field, sustainably-modified terms, such as sustainable design,
sustainable buildings, and sustainable architecture, have been used in a similar way to
environmental-related texts, such as green and ecological architecture."

"In the educational field, the terms related to sustainability and sustainable development concepts,
such as sustainable education, sustainability education, education for sustainability, and education
for sustainable development (ESD), have been used in a similar way and in parallel with
environmental education."

"In the architectural field, although a few authors have pointed out the difference between
sustainable architecture and green architecture (e.g. Hengrasmee, 2005; Kwok, and Grondzik, 2007),
most authors recognize that the terms are used interchangeably."

"Meanwhile, in the educational field, many authors (e.g. Jickling and Spork, 1998; Stables, 2001;
McKeown and Hopkins, 2003) have discussed the conflicting relationship between environmental
education and other educational terms related to sustainability and sustainable development
concepts, such as education for sustainable development (ESD)."

"Although priorities and foci are varied depending on definitions and interpretations of concepts of
sustainability and sustainable development, as McKeown and Hopkins (2003) have stated, the terms
have similarities and can be complementary."

"For example, timber products may be specified in the design, based on the idea that timber is a
natural and renewable resource, but the products may come from unsustainable harvesting and
production processes, they may be transported from overseas manufactures, or are traded unfairly."
"The decision to use timber may thus lead to deforestation, higher energy consumption in transport,
or other social problems caused by unjustifiable manufacturing and trading."

"Meanwhile, setting up renewable energy production systems, such as solar panels, and applying
other energy conservation strategies, such as addition of insulation and enhancement of natural light
and ventilation, does not guarantee that the building will be efficient and totally rely on renewable
energy sources."

"Without being conscious of the need to reduce energy consumption, the users may carelessly use
energy and have too many appliances, so the building consumes a lot of energy and still requires
considerable energy from nonrenewable sources to satisfy the rising demand."

"In addition, because the sustainable agenda is marketable, discourse of architecture about
sustainability can be just greenwash (Williamson et al., 2003: 10-12)."

"Some clients and architectural firms use sustainable design strategies mainly for creating a
marketing opportunity for their products and services, but do very little to create sustainable
solutions."

"Moreover, they rarely provide adequate information about the products and design solutions or
suggest alternatives for the buyers or users to make fully informed decisions."

"Based on such data, the consumers are therefore deceived into choosing only the products and
services they provide."

"These selling strategies often create negative outcomes for the environment and also create a
misleading public understanding of sustainable design and sustainability."

"Recently, the number of buildings representing architecture about sustainability has increased.
Many buildings are labelled as sustainable architecture and increasingly project descriptions mention
the words, ‘sustainable’ or ‘sustainability’."

"Nevertheless, as mentioned earlier architecture about sustainability, particularly as a term bolted

onto the pre-existing unsustainable agenda (Willis, 2000; McLennan, 2004), may not necessarily lead
to sustainability."

"To improve the world to be close to a sustainable condition, it is essential to focus on the overall
results as well as the intention of the creation."

"Unlike architecture about sustainability that focuses on sustainable components and techniques,
architecture for sustainability is centred on the purpose of architectural creation. Architecture for
sustainability usually uses sustainability as the objective of the project and uses sustainable
techniques as the basic design criteria."

"Since stakeholders’ objectives are frequently interconnected and conflict between objectives is
common (Williamson et al., 2003: 65), when using sustainability as an objective, the particular
definition of sustainability should be identified."

"The definitions may vary but are generally considered in terms of the level of sustainability from an
anthropocentric or ‘weak sustainability’ to a non-anthropocentric or ‘strong sustainability’ (Turner,
1993; Bosselmann, 2002: 89-92)."

"For ‘weak sustainability’, which equates to a type of economic sustainability, to achieve the
sustainable condition, a balance of three issues – ecology, economy and society – is required."
"On the other hand, the ‘strong sustainability’ model, which equates to what some call ecological
sustainability, is concerned with ecology as the overarching system. In this approach, every action
affects others and ecological issues are the most important."

"The diversity of sustainability definitions and approaches results in various means to achieve them."

"For instance, based on the ‘strong sustainability’ approach, architecture should be in harmony with
nature, designed within limits of ecological footprints, and ensure the stability and integrity of local
and global biodiversity."

"Examples related to this approach are autonomous house and self-sufficient community design (e.g.
Vale and Vale, 1975; 2000; Hockerton Housing Project, 2001; Tlholego Development Project, 2001)."

"Based on the ‘weak sustainability’ concept, architecture should be the result of compromise
solutions between ecological, social and economic benefits."

"It is quite clear that ‘strong sustainability’ implementation allows the world to reach a more
sustainable situation than the ‘weak sustainability’ approach."

"In contrast, because of the difficulties of applying the sustainability concept, ‘weak sustainability’
practices are more popular."

"Although architecture for sustainability obviously shows an intention to create sustainability, it is

crucial to consider the process of implementation from objective statements to actual results."

"Stakeholders should have knowledge about basic environmental concepts, environmental

regulations, life cycle assessment and other sustainable design methodologies, and the
environmental performance of built environment components and systems (Martin, 2001)."

"The stakeholders should also obtain skills that facilitate the creation of sustainable architecture,
including the ability to understand the circumstances of the community, communication and
collaboration skills, and adaptation skills (Maser, Beaton, and Smith, 1998)."

"Furthermore, design tools and techniques should be appropriately selected and accommodated in
every phase of architectural design."

"For instance, as Hyde et al (2007) suggested, setting goals, environmental briefs, specifying
principles, checklists, and design phase rating and benchmarking systems are useful during pre-
design and schematic design, while monitoring, surveys of building in use, operational phase rating
and benchmarking systems are practical strategies for the post-occupation phase."

"In contrast to architecture about and for sustainability, which are both characterized by components
and goals, architecture as sustainability is characterized by its process."

"Architecture as sustainability encompasses processes from pre-design, design, construction,

operation, renovation, and demolition, to creation of new projects."

"The processes are considered as a cyclical and dynamic system that is connective, contextual,
inclusive, integrative, and that extends the boundaries of care and concern to the social,
environmental, non-human and future dimensions."

"To deal with a complex and vital system, whole systems thinking or the holistic approach is required
(Vale and Vale, 1991; McLennan, 2004; Hyde et al. 2007)."
"Sustainable architecture based on this approach tends to draw directly on analogies with ecological
systems as living, efficient, self-reliant, closed, and cyclical processes, which oppose the linear,
inefficient, dependant and open systems of conventional buildings."

"Furthermore, related to time-linked dimensions, contemporary sustainable architecture can shape

patterns of subsequent projects. While knowledge and skills from one project will contribute to
design and construction procedures of future projects, sustainable conditions that the project
provides, such as healthy environments and positive attitudes towards sustainable practices (e.g.
self-esteem and self-reliance), enhance constructive circumstances for other existing and
forthcoming projects."

"As an element of the whole process of sustainability, architecture as sustainability participates in

the process of change from the less sustainable condition to the more sustainable situation, or so-
called ‘weak’ to ‘strong’ sustainability."

"Sustainable architecture is thus a subsystem of a whole system of sustainable practices. It overlaps

and interconnects with other subsystems, such as the building industry, education, economy, politics
and society."

"Fundamentally, sustainable architecture reduces environmental impacts and improves quality of

life. It also imparts positive environmental conditions for other sustainable practices to occur in such
buildings."

"Sustainable architecture demands collaboration with sustainable practices in other disciplines

(McLennan, 2004)."

"To maintain appropriate conditions, sustainable architecture requires constant sustainable

management and users that behave sustainably."

"Moreover, continual study, research and development in architectural and other green related fields
assists in enhancing the quality of sustainable architecture, as well as promoting attitudes to and
understanding of the importance and impact of sustainable design."

"It appears that architecture as sustainability, which can be simply described as a process of
continual development, shares a similar characteristic in its continual and cyclical process with other
practices, such as an on-going process of educational action and research (e.g. Robottom, 1987;
OECD, 1995; Sterling, 2001) and community development (e.g. ORTEE, 1994; Maser, 1997;)."

"The resemblance shows the inherent shared quality of sustainable practices and ensures the
possibility of developing architecture as sustainability, so that architecture becomes an integrated
part of sustainable systems."

"In addition, architecture as sustainability evokes a shift in approach from the traditional viewpoint
that considers architecture as an end product of design and construction and sustainability as a goal
that will be achieved some day to the new model that recognises architecture as a whole
architectural process from predesign to operation, renovation and demolition, and sustainability as a
process of development, which requires current and continual actions."

"Under the traditional perception, at present, because sustainability is not yet attained, there is no
architecture that can be claimed as sustainability. On the other hand, in the new paradigm,
architecture can possibly be ‘as sustainability’, if it provides sustainable conditions, has concern for
the actual context and whole-life results, continually improves its performance, and supports and
collaborates with other sustainable practices."
"Both projects can be classified as architecture for sustainability. They both aim to provide a place for
learning within an ethos of sustainability, particularly during childhood when value systems are
formed."

"Sidwell Friends School was committed to being an institution where responsible environmental
stewardship would be practiced. This concept was applied to its curriculum, and the selection of
sustainable design was a logical expression of its values."

"As a result, the renovation and addition of its Middle school in 2006, designed by Kieran Timberlake
Associates, obtained a LEED Platinum certification and was chosen as an AIA Committee on the
Environment (AIA/COTE) Top Ten Green Project for 2007."

"In contrast to the devotion to promoting environmental awareness of Sidwell Friends School, the
Gando Primary School simply aimed at enhancing local social conditions by improving basic
education for local children, the first priority of sustainable education in any society (Hopkins and
McKeown, 2002)."

"Architect Diébédo Francis Kéré, who was born in Gando and was the first person from his village to
study abroad, reinvested his knowledge as an architect into the urgent need for construction of a
school in Gando."

"The school not only provides education for local children, but its construction is part of a process of
passing on new skills and knowledge to the entire community. Consequently, it was the recipient of
an Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2004."

"To respond to their objectives, both schools encompassed several sustainable strategies and
techniques. Thus, besides being for sustainability, they can be about sustainability as well."

"At Sidwell Friends Middle School, rather than demolishing the existing building, renovation and
addition were chosen, because of having less impact on the environment."

"Maximizing the use of daylight, but avoiding glare, was combined with several techniques, such as
light shelves, sunscreens, high-efficiency electric lighting, photosensors, and occupancy sensors."

"Operable windows and solar-ventilation chimneys were designed to work with ceiling fans and
mechanical heating and cooling systems."

"To reduce storm water runoff and support native habitat, a green roof and a constructed wetland
were incorporated. A constructed wetland was also used for treating building wastewater on site and
forms part of a closed system that recycles the water back to the school lavatories and cooling
towers."

"In terms of material selection, 78% of building materials were manufactured regionally, 11% were
from recycled sources, and 60% of construction waste was diverted from landfills and recycled."

"Since the school was located within walking distance of a subway stop and several bus stops, the
design was intended to promote a non-automobile commuting option by providing bicycle storage
and showers for bicycle commuters and separating vehicle and pedestrian traffic."

"Differing from the manifold solutions at Sidwell Friends School, the design strategies for the primary
school at Gando were based on the basic idea of designing for climatic comfort with low-cost
construction."
"Earth blocks, used for walls and ceilings, absorb heat and moderate the room temperature. The
overhanging roof shades the façades from sun."

"In addition, the construction of Gando Primary School helped to solidify the community connection
by engaging all of the villagers in building the school for their children, created opportunities for
young trained Gando villagers to be employed on further public construction projects, and
empowered neighboring villages to follow the same model of community mobilization to build
schools for themselves."

"This construction process was part of an entire process that leads the communities towards
sustainability, and makes the project able to be categorized as architecture as sustainability."

"In the case of Sidwell Friends Middle School, although communal learning was not a focus during
the construction process, the finished building was used as a tool to learn about the relationship
between natural and human-created systems."

"Because many parts of the building systems were exposed and made visible, the mechanical,
electrical, structural, and plumbing systems in the school were able to be used for study."

"Students monitored the building functions and measured the health quality of the facility. The
school has developed a tour and signage program for the community. A real-time monitoring
program can also be accessed via the internet."

"In addition, the school became the subject of study for the Yale School of Forestry and
Environmental Studies and a case study for green design, found in the LEED for Schools Reference
Guide."

"Through the operational activities that aim to enhance environmental awareness and promote
learning community, therefore, this project can also be recognized as architecture as sustainability."