What is sustainable design? Humans are a very important part of the environment. However, we as humans often “damage” the environment by using or exploiting the environment in irresponsible and excessive ways.
In fact, humans often exploit the environment by carrying out so many development processes that do not pay attention to the balance of nature. This eventually causes various kinds of natural damage such as climate change, flooding, rising sea levels, and so on.
Well, for those of you as a businessman, you may have heard the term “Sustainable Design”.
With sustainable design, negative impacts on the environment can be reduced through the use of renewable resources, minimizing environmental impacts, and reuniting humans with their natural environment.
Here are some explanations about sustainable design.
What is Sustainable Design?
Sustainable design is a concept regarding the design of physical objects and the built environment in accordance with sustainable economic, social and environmental principles.
This concept will pay attention to all aspects of design from planning, execution, material selection, to implementation (use).
Sustainable design is a solution to the global environmental crisis, drastic economic growth, world population explosion, reduced natural resources, damaged ecosystems and the threat of world biodiversity.
The application of this concept is quite broad, from the microcosm (small objects that are used daily) to the macrocosm (buildings, cities). In addition, this concept also applied to architecture, urban design, graphic design, industry to fashion.
Sustainable Design Goals
There are three main goals of the concept of sustainable design.
- Reducing the negative impact of product waste that cannot be recycled, starting from the production process to the final result, so that the product or building can minimize the waste produced and have a sustainability concept.
- Maximizing the utilization of renewable energy sources in the products produced, so as to reduce emissions that cause global warming.
- Minimize the use of materials that can harm the environment.
1. People
How a design affects and brings benefits to workers, workers, and society.
For example, by providing fair wages to workers (society), humane-working system, empowerment by teaching skills, and others.
2. Planets
How the company seeks to create a business that is in harmony with nature and minimizes negative impacts on the environment. Where the goal is to preserve the environment and avoid the worst impacts that might damage the environment, such as floods, land fires, to climate change.
For example, making a business plan by reducing the use of imported raw materials that can cause a carbon footprint, or replacing plastic packaging with paper or glass packaging.
3. Profit
Designing how a company will benefit financially, which is of course in line with the previous 2Ps (people and planet). This means that the design made is not only thinking about profit, but also considering the impact it will have on human life and the environment.
Basic Principles of Sustainable Design
The basic principles of sustainable design include the following aspects:
- Low-impact material
- Energy efficiency
- Quality and Durability
- Reuse & Recycle
- Renewability
- Healthy
People Are Also Looking For:
Examples of Implementation of Sustainable Design
An interesting example of sustainable design is the Australian stadium (now called Telstra Stadium) which is the main stadium in Homebush Bay, Australia.
The local firm, Bligh Voller Nield, designed a stadium that was flexible, especially in changing its seating capacity. Lighting in some places is also designed using energy-saving lamps and is sourced from solar generators. The solar-powered lights are placed in pedestrian areas and circulation areas.
The stadium corridor also does not use air conditioning and only certain rooms use air conditioning. The stadium also utilizes rainwater that is stored in 4 reservoirs which is then distributed which is useful for irrigating grass fields and toilets.
Well, those are some explanations about sustainable design, this concept can be applied in several ways, such as, starting from the design of the selection of materials to be used, the design of the production process, solutions to the impacts that will be caused, be it on the environment or human life, and so on.
Therefore, the application of the sustainable concept needs to be disseminated, so that the public can start implementing it.
