The best Green buildings are pleasant and healthy places for people… Truly sustainable design transcends mere technical, ecological, and economic issues.
Green Architecture is an integration of environmental elements, spiritual and personal well-being, healthy household practices, architectural designs, and non-toxic building materials. The integration of all of these things creates the ideal, modern, nutritious home or work place. Green Architecture involves architects, clients, consultants, construction managers, and material suppliers, all of whom comprise the project green team, and all of whom possess the conviction that “it’s highly desirable to live toxin-free in an increasingly polluted world.”
Green Architecture is for those who strongly believe that our planet is a precious commodity, something that should be greatly cared for through sustainable practices—such as recycling, non-polluting lifestyles, the focusing on restorative and healthy ways of living and harmonizing with the environment, and constructing buildings with hygienic materials and the organic designs of Green Architecture.
Architects who practice Green Architecture aren’t just designing projects that diminish energy consumption and pollution, nor are they simply creating homes with non-toxic plumbing, insulation, ventilation, and construction materials. Rather, Green architects are inventing holistic designs for health-oriented clients—many of whom live invigorating, even evolved and sometimes spiritual lifestyles—and hence, these architects are creating projects that are fundamental to the Green philosophy of living.
In Green Architectural buildings, you’ll find more resource efficiency, a lowering of energy consumption, improved and easier recycling capabilities, maximized natural light and outdoor views, diminished electromagnetic fields, improved water and indoor air quality. Depending on the clients’ desires, a Green home can include photovoltaics, wind power, solar water heating, thermal walls and floors, safe paints, varnishes, adhesives and finishes, and a healthy selection of furniture and furnishings.
“There are numerous health benefits for clients who choose Green Architecture,” says Marilyn, who has served as Director of Sustainability and also as a member of the Board of Directors for the Monterey Bay Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. “Green Architecture is great for the environment, cost-effective, easy and best of all, everyone can do it. Architects, clients and project consultants who consider themselves Green are finding that a non-toxic living environment is compatible with beautiful architectural design. Green homes and offices are the future of architecture.”