What is sustainability?

To understand the relationship between design and sustainability, it’s important to first define sustainability. Although we can interpret it to mean many things, sustainability generally refers to the harmonious coexistence of the biosphere and human society by way of preserving environmental, social, economic resources for future generations.
There are 4 distinct areas of sustainability, known as the pillars.

Culture

The cultural pillar of sustainability is defined as a social domain that emphasizes the practices, discourses, and material expressions, which, over time, express the continuities and discontinuities of social meaning of a life held-in-common.

Environment

The environmental pillar of sustainability is defined as the practices, discourses and material expressions that occur across the intersection between the social and natural realms, including the important dimension of human engagement with and within nature, ranging...

Economy

The economic pillar of sustainability is defined as a social domain that emphasizes the practices, discourses and material expression associated with the production, use and management of resources.

Society

The social pillar of sustainability emphasizes the practices and meanings associated with the basic issues of social power as they pertain to the organization, authorization, legitimization and regulation of a social life held-in-common.    

Sustainable Design
Methodologies

Discover various sustainable design methodologies and how to implement them as part of your own design practice. 

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