Architizer is hosting the world’s definitive architectural awards program, with 50+ categories and 200+ jurors. As part of an ongoing series, we’re spotlighting projects that fit into “Plus” categories, including “Sustainability,” that tap into topical and culturally relevant themes. To see a full list of categories and learn more about the awards, visit architizerawards.com.

Today, architecture finds itself at a crossroads. Building materials and new construction, along with the operation and maintenance of buildings, account for a significant sum of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Faced with this fact, how are architects to responsibly pursue the act (and art) of architecture without further deteriorating the planet’s environmental make-up or depleting its resources? What forms of high and low technology can be developed to curtail the injurious side  of building? Can good or even great architecture be sustainable?

The answer, of course, is yes. The best buildings have always shown a concern for their immediate environs and how they fit in them, whether they were conscious of “sustainability” or not. Now, all architects and buildings are expected to be engaged with sustainable standards, such as LEED titles, photovoltaic cells, or green roofs—all things that these ten projects have in common. Click through for slideshow!

by Architizer Editors

posted in A+ Uncategorized

tagged carbon emissions, china, geothermal wells, green architecture, green roof, hemp, LEED, london, passive heating, sustainability, sustainable design, sustainable materials

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