Press Release Homepage

Building Green—With a Social Conscience

Environmental Building News Puts Social Justice in a Green Light

Tuesday, October 6, 2009
CONTACT:
Jerelyn Wilson
802-257-7300 ext. 102

BRATTLEBORO, VT, October 6, 2009 — If you have the most energy-efficient building in the world, and it doesn’t address the needs of the community in which it is located, is it a green building? The October feature article in Environmental Building News (EBN) suggests that addressing social needs under the banner of “social justice” can—and even should—be a key part of green design and construction.

Addressing social justice in green buildings is not only possible, it is already being done without many people realizing it, according to Allyson Wendt, managing editor for EBN and author of the new article, “Building for People: Integrating Social Justice into Green Design.”

“Accomplishing social justice isn’t a matter of changing everything about a design but rather adjusting the way we look at the design decisions we make,” says Wendt. Many aspects of green design already perform a social service:

• Locating a building near transit not only lowers the carbon footprint of employees but also makes it accessible to lower-income workers.
• Mixed uses and mixed-income housing allow all people to live near where they work.
• Landscaping can control stormwater runoff and limit the urban heat island effect as it provides places for the public to gather and relax.
• Many green materials have a social component; several certifications and labels require some attention to social justice.

Although pursuing green design often means pursuing social justice, most project teams aren’t paying enough attention to the social side of their design decisions. New tools are being developed to help bring social components to the forefront, where they can be considered alongside other decisions.

“Often, project teams don’t stop to consider the underlying issues or make sure that there is a common understanding of the meaning of sustainability,” which includes social justice, says Josie Plaut of the Institute for the Built Environment at Colorado State University. A tool she is developing gets team members on the same page and shows them how social elements interact with environmental and economic impacts.

Wendt notes that every project—not just affordable housing units and nonprofit offices—presents opportunities for social thinking. “Not every client is going to come to the table with a social agenda,” she says. “But every design decision is an opportunity to start that discussion.”

“Building for People: Integrating Social Justice into Green Design” was published in the October 2009 issue of EBN, and is available online at www.BuildingGreen.com. Wendt also summarized the article in a blog on the topic.

***

Since 1992, Environmental Building News has been the source the building industry turns to for unbiased, practical information about building green. EBN is the flagship publication of BuildingGreen, LLC, a leading publisher of environmentally responsible building information, whose other information outlets include the GreenSpec® Directory of green building products, GreenBuildingAdvisor.com, covering residential green building and remodeling, and LEEDuser.com, a new website for teams going through the LEED certification process. For information, visit www.BuildingGreen.com.

—30—

Editors: Allyson Wendt is available for interviews about integrating social justice into green building. To arrange an interview, contact Jerelyn Wilson at 802-257-7300 ext. 102 or

Press Release Homepage