1. Circularity > Sustainability: Instead of designing products and buildings for disposal, why not design them for purposeful reuse? This conversation is particularly relevant to the built environment, where the core components of carpeting, for instance, are nearly always going to be in need–so why start from scratch every time?
  2. Regulation Matters: We can’t talk about sustainable buildings without talking about LEED and the other building rating systems that have entered the mainstream lexicon. But many real estate organizations are unmoved by this, as they’re concerned with financing and selling the building, not occupying it in 50 years. So why are these changes happening? Regulation.
  3. Wise Buildings > Smart Buildings: For instance, instead of designing a building with ‘smart shutters’ that have dozens of sensors to detect changing light conditions and then trigger dozens of motors to draw electricity to adjust the position of the shade, why not orient buildings and windows at the sweet spot where natural light is maximized and glare minimized?  In other words, sometimes the most clever design is elegantly low-tech, proving that sometimes it’s better to be wise than smart.

Read the full article on sustainable built environment by Caleb Bushner at Thrive