Keywords

1 Introduction

The Brundtland report (United Nations 1987), in 1987, defines sustainable development as:

“Humanity has the ability to make development sustainable to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The concept of sustainable development does imply limits—not absolute limits but limitations imposed by the present state of technology…” with a broad vision that at no time denies growth. In the definition of sustainable growth as

“Growth has no set limits in terms of population or resource use beyond which lies ecological disaster. Different limits hold for the use of energy, materials, water, and land. (…) The accumulation of knowledge and the development of technology can enhance the carrying capacity of the resource base,” it points to technology as the vehicle capable of achieving this development.

The current meaning of technological innovation and the possibilities it has for generating growth that is more about quality than quantity are discussed.

Architecture deals with, works with, and organizes these resources, matter, energy, water and land, and the use of new technologies must be promoted from the point of view of making better use of these resources. The challenge is to satisfy the needs of citizens by offering a design based on the search for quality.

When considering the impact of architecture on the environment, the first question is what impact means.

Greenhouse gas emissions directly affect the earth’s atmosphere and are directly related to energy consumption. However, the energy consumption of users comes from the demand needed to live in comfort. One could open a discussion on what the term “comfort” means. Huizinga (Huizinga 1996) pointed out that in the Middle Ages, comfort was merely a matter of survival, something that today differs greatly from our models, and above all that it is not the same in all countries.

Cities, buildings, etc. designed by architects are responsible for the demand, generated in the early stages of the design process.

The energy demand generated by the architecture directly influences consumption, although user management can vary the final amount greatly. However, if the initial design does not take into account that the users can make good use of the resources and forces them to spend large amounts of energy, it can be considered an initial design mistake.

It is evident that if demand is high and, consequently, consumption rises, the impact on the environment will be greater regardless of the type of energy source used. A discussion could also be opened on the energy sources used and their economic and environmental impact on the environment. A debate could also be opened on the energy sources used and their economic and environmental impact on the environment. Whatever the energy source, from the most polluting to the least polluting, the reduction strategy will have less impact on the environment.

We, as citizens, must put pressure on governments, energy companies, and all involved agents to adopt cleaner types of energy. We, as users, must find ways to efficiently manage the energy needed for our daily lives. Architects, engineers, and designers must take advantage of the opportunities and focus technological innovations on a green transition.

The same approach can be used when considering the other resources mentioned: water, materials, and land.

2 Discussion

Strategies applicable to architectural and urban design, acting on quantity, intensity, and sharing, are proposed.

The first strategy is based on viewing growth as an increase in quality rather than quantity.

When industry has made the choice to reduce the physical dimension, be it volume, weight, material, etc., and has made investments in improving design, results have been achieved that are on everyone’s mind.

Excellent examples of this decision can also be found in urban and architectural decisions such as the dwellings designed by Josep Llinas in Barcelona, where he opted to manage the buildability in such a way as to allow interstices and spaces between the buildings. The final quality of the dwellings is unquestionable, as they all have exterior windows. The dwellings not only allow natural light to enter and the possibility of cross ventilation, but the decision also affects the urban space, managing to sponge a very narrow street in a dense urban area of Barcelona’s old town.

The second strategy to grow in quality is based on adapting the intensity of the resources used in relation to the needs of the space. Would it make sense to build a holiday home in a paradisiacal location and lock yourself in an airtight box? Jon Utzon’s house in Majorca is located on the seafront, on a cliff. Enjoy the smell of the sea, the breezes, and the sound of the waves. The project creates a sequence of intermediate spaces, porches, balconies, etc., enclosing only certain rooms. The dining room and some lounges are outdoor spaces, protected from the sun but in constant contact with nature.

In less benign climates, similar actions can also be implemented, as in this school in the UK, by Alsop Architects, where only the classrooms are air-conditioned and a space in between, protected from the rain, is left for children’s play.

The presence of intermediate spaces, with less energy demand to acclimatize them and less material resources for their construction, is a strategy that is increasingly used by other architects such as Lacaton and Vassal or Glenn Murcutt.

The third strategy is based on the idea of sharing, uses, materials, and functions. Does it make sense to enjoy an individual swimming pool, or one by family?

The trend toward an increasingly individual life leads us to want to have a swimming pool, television, or garden for each one, leaving aside the possibilities of sharing experiences and forgetting its social function. The Arab baths and the Roman Thermae had a function, beyond the bath, surely very similar to the role currently played by sports clubs or modern spas, social meeting points today.

This discussion has focused on considering that technological innovation, in order to orient itself toward a green transition, should take advantage of the opportunities it offers us to commit to focusing on the design of spaces based on quality instead of the quantity of resources necessary for a healthy life and environmental friendly.