Sustainability +Whi is Arch

Discussion on various certification programs relevant in architecture, such as LEED and the Living Building Challenge (LBC).

Scoring System: LEED is awarded based on the anticipated design performance of a building.
Nature of Certification: The awards are given for the building design and expected effectiveness in sustainability.
Levels of Certification: There are different levels in LEED which are considered semi-structured.
Certificates Available: An individual can pursue five certificates under LEED, if desired.
Focus: LEED emphasizes being carbon neutral as a basic goal, and each level builds upon this foundation.

Certification Timing: Unlike LEED, full certification in LBC is granted only once a building has been lived in for 12 months with verified performance data.
Rigor: The LBC represents a more rigorous standard for sustainability compared to LEED.
Certification Levels: LBC offers both pedal certification and full certification.
Seven Pedals of Certification: The LBC features seven categories, referred to as pedals:
- Health and Happiness: This category includes a healthy interior environment and has evolved in terminology to encompass broader psychological well-being.
- Place: Substituting sight to recognize a holistic approach to location and community.
- Water
- Materials
- Energy
- Beauty: A criterion absent in LEED’s structure.
- Equity: This aspect also does not have a direct counterpart in LEED.

Indoor Environmental Quality: LEED focuses on measurable metrics such as natural lighting and air conditioning efficiency, while LBC integrates health and happiness more subjectively.
Categories and Points: LEED has a specific award category for innovation, absent in LBC, highlighting their philosophical differences.
Voluntary Nature: Both LEED and LBC are voluntary certification programs.
Differences in Measurements: LEED emphasizes quantitative data, while LBC’s measurement of success is more qualitative, relying on occupied data.

Personal and Professional Background: Architects balance artistic creativity with practical professional outcomes.
Job Security and Creativity: Unlike professions such as medicine and law, architecture uniquely fuses creative expression within a stable employment framework.
Public Vs. Private Sector Design:
- Public Sector: Architects contribute to public spaces, engaging with community service and societal issues.
- Private Sector: Relationships between designers and clients vary significantly, especially in residential design.

Soft Skills: Strong interpersonal skills are deemed essential for advancement in architecture beyond technical knowledge.
Teamwork: Architecture is presented as a collaborative effort rather than a solitary pursuit, challenging perceptions formed during architectural education.
Design Considerations: The designer’s understanding of how families