We are all familiar now with the concepts of Sustainable design (Green design) and have a solid understanding how the built environment is, has been and always will be impactful on our resources. Maybe because of this information we are better designers and better consumers?
We hope so.
So, how in the world did this information get into our hands? The United States Green Building Council was formed only a few years ago - in 1993. The USGBC was formed for many reasons but their primary mission was certainly achieved. With the introduction of the LEED program in March of 2000, the USGBC has successfully mainstreamed the concepts of Sustainable design into not only the design profession but into many other fields as well. The USGBC's LEED program was accessible and both easy to understand and implement. There was hemming and hawing during the transition but in the end, we now have a solid understanding of efficiency and a dependable resource to call on for guidance.
USGBC's rapid roll out and integration of these concepts is important to reference because we see a new guideline on the horizon.
The Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture has arrived. Formed in 2003, ANFA's mission (much like USGBC) is to impact how we view our jobs as designers and as consumers of the built environment. At this time, ANFA is attempting to link decades of research on human behavior/development/physiology from the Neuroscience community with the Architectural Design community.
As it stands right now (December, 2012) ANFA has not issued a guideline to follow in applying this research. Those interested in this subject use trial and error along with time consuming research to attempt to apply what is found. Hopefully in the coming months we will see some of ANFA's research roll out.
It is an exciting time to be working on the built environment. No doubt!
commonwealth design and accessibility partnership
occoquan ~ richmond ~ williamsburg ~ tidewater