Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Fall 2011 - (Page 7)

If buildings and landscapes can heal, how might we need to redesign the very idea of “design”? JW: We need to become proactive in think- ALZHEIMER'S WING IN HOLT, MICHIGAN: STUDIES UNDERTAKEN AT THE FACILITY REVEALED THAT EXPOSURE TO NATURE NOT ONLY HELPS PATIENTS, BUT STAFF TOO. EMPLOYEES WHOM ARE LESS PRONE TO BURNOUT CAN IMPACT HR COSTS. We also know that certain buildings create health hazards for occupants. Adhesives and building materials can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), dust particles, and/or allergenic substances into the air, which in turn are circulated throughout the atmosphere of a building through its HVAC system. These byproducts of the manufacturing industry are known contributors to asthma or other respiratory disorders. Some, like the early use of asbestos as an insulator of pipes and heating ducts, have been directly linked to the incidence of throat and lung cancer. The design of built environments should consciously consider types of therapy that entail very little cost to the occupants and owners, but can provide significant improvements in people’s performance for a number of reasons. A good example is pet therapy in nursing homes. The Eden Alternative (promoted by physician William Thomas) calls for space that accommodates pets, plants, and personal artifacts in resident rooms and public spaces. A well-designed facility, therefore, needs to include facilities that accommodate pet needs (feeding, defecation, grooming, etc.) and plant demands (repotting, watering, etc.) in the three-dimensional spaces that constitute the building’s floor plan and/or its surrounding garden areas. ing about the factors that contribute to human health and the perception of wellness. In other words, how can we design places that afford dignity/respect, safety, clean air/water/soil, healthy/ample food, familiar/friendly surroundings, inspiration and spirituality? What makes a place exude spirituality? How can we define the standards by which we build and occupy our environment to achieve these functions? Can teaching young professionals how to conduct research and carry out post-occupancy evaluations (POEs) begin to address some of these issues? What can we take from the lessons of the masters in built environments and human behavior (i.e., the Kevin Lynches and William Whytes) and meld them with the new technology of today, to build healthier, more responsive environments? We also need to think about the dynamic nature of life, especially in terms of life cycles— for the built and the natural environments and humankind. What do the dynamic changes brought about by aging mean to people trapped in a static, inflexible environment? Can we design places to grow and age with us? Can we design buildings that are informed by our organ systems so that changes in the natural environment (e.g., temperature, humidity, wind, etc.) can occur in synchrony with our human organ systems, and can we come to view our built environments as being more than a collection of buildings overlaying infrastructure? All of these questions demand rethinking how we think about built environments. They force us to think futuristically, if not a bit selfishly, about the quality of life that we will be experiencing as we age. Are there any projects you find particularly exciting right now? JW: At this moment, I am part of a research team at MSU that is establishing baseline data on the health benefits, environment benefits, and efficacy of green roof adoption on various types of building structures (i.e., commercial, industrial, institutional, residential, etc.) with different roof systems. We are focused primarily on communities located in cold temperate climates of North America, but it is likely that we will expand to building design common in LIVING ARCHITECTURE MONITOR FALL 2011 7

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Fall 2011

Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Fall 2011
Contents
From the Founder
Strata
On the Roof With…
Research
Marketing
Policy: The Game Changer
Policy: Toronto’s Green Roof by-Law
Policy: Energy Code Break-Through
Tools
GRHC: Update
GRHC: Welcome New Members
On Spec

Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Fall 2011