It used to be that you had to be smart to be sustainable. You had to spend time in the musty basement of a college library, poring over obscure technical journals in poor lighting conditions. You had to invest significant capital and resources to utilize cutting edge technology. You had to be not only a trend setter, but also a test case. And due to the law of averages, you were not always successful. But those times have changed…

At Axiom, we have a different definition of smart. Sure, there is still the cutting edge portion, but luckily we are the ones that have to spend our time in those musty basements, not you. But being smart is also about wasting less by being more efficient. It is critical that sustainability takes into account how buildings are actually operated on a daily basis, not how we wish they were operated.

Sustainability does not have to be a life-altering experience. We don’t advocate that everyone move out of the cities and disconnect themselves from the electrical grid. You don’t have to start wearing sandals, hugging trees, or eating granola. But it may require a reassessment of your lifestyle, and seeing if there is a more efficient way to do things while achieving the same quality of life.

I’ll use myself as an example. I drive an older model Jeep Cherokee, of which you’ll see dozens of on the road on a daily basis. The ACEEE (American Council for Energy-Efficient Economy) consistently ranks my jeep as one of the ‘Meanest Vehicles for the Environment’ based upon miles per gallon and engine emissions. With the average score being 30, my jeep scores a 17 – which ironically enough is worse than a Hummer2. Surprised?

I’ve looked at several different vehicle options throughout the years. At one end of the spectrum are hybrid sedans – both very efficient and in very high demand. They also command a high price due to the market. But when it gets right down to it, I like the carrying capacity of my jeep. Even though I may only use the cargo space 3-4 times a month, the convenience is not something I am willing to sacrifice.

So, the perfect choice for me would be a hybrid SUV. This would put me more in the middle range of being ‘not quite so evil’. This vehicle would meet my needs for better gas mileage, cleaner emissions, and still have carrying capacity. The only detriment is the cost. Because of market demand for hybrids, and especially hybrid SUV’s, these rarely go for less than sticker and always come fully loaded. I couldn’t stomach the thought of halving my carbon footprint while increasing my monthly car payment four-fold!

With an ever-increasing gas bill every month, I took a step back and looked at my driving habits. It ends up that about 75% of my mileage occurs throughout the week when I am commuting to work or driving on work-related business. During the vast majority of those times I am either alone or with one other person. For 75% of the time, carrying capacity is not critical. Gas mileage on the other hand is always a concern.

It ends up that the smart choice for me was a Smart car (yes, I’m going to continue to overuse this pun throughout the rest of the article…) You may have seen these miniaturized vehicles zooming around the metroplex lately. With only two seats, these vehicles are extremely lightweight and compact while at the same time having a higher safety rating than most vehicles on the road. Receiving 35 miles to the gallon, the savings in gas alone on a monthly basis is offsetting almost 2/3rds of the car payment – with the remainder being less per month than my cell phone. And this rate on return will only improve as the price of gas increases.

The main point is that I haven’t really changed my day to day routine at all. I still put on just as many miles as I normally do, albeit in a more efficient way. And I’ve moved into the ‘less evil’ category with a vehicle that is ranked as the 3rd ‘Greenest Vehicle for the Environment.’ And for the other 25% of the time when I need more room, I still have the jeep.

So, getting back to the topic at hand - do we need to change the way we design, construct, and operate our buildings? In most cases, yes. But is this going to be as significant of a change as you may think? In most cases, no. We do need to analyze why we are doing things a specific way. Is this due to design limitations, equipment or operational limitations, or is it just the way that it’s always been done? Can we do it better and smarter, with minimal impact today?

Absolutely!

I hope you’ll join me for future articles where we start to address these items. While one size does not fit all, there are many different ways to achieve the same end result. And Axiom is here to help you do this, with a focus on the practical and everyday ways to be sustainable. Together we can significantly impact the built environment in a positive way.
And think of me when you are at the gas pump – when was the last time you filled up for less than $25?