Exploring Sustainable Design: A Review of The Philosophy of Sustainable Design (Part 3)
Robin Moulton, LFA
Business Development & Proposal Strategist | Living Future Accredited | Advancing Regenerative & Equitable Infrastructure
So far, we’ve explored the principles that guide truly sustainable architecture, emphasizing the importance of holistic thinking, innovation, and a deep respect for natural systems. In the next chapter, McLennan introduces the final and perhaps most fundamental principle: Respect for the Process. This idea challenges us to move beyond short-term fixes and instead focus on systemic change—whether in design, collaboration, or decision-making.
Chapter 8: Respect for the Process (The Holistic Thinking Principle)
The author summarizes the final principle of sustainable design in one sentence: “If we want to change a result, we must first change the process that led to the result.”
With any change, whether for personal development, professional advancement, or harmonious interpersonal relationships, there is often an innate tendency to focus on the results. Too often in our society, we hold the result as the be-all-end-all. Yes, results can signify the change we hope to achieve, but that is not where the change happens. In the process of shifting your perspective, you will often locate the results you seek. McLennan states this as a key component of this principle: “Respect for Process requires an unyielding recognition that we must change the way we think and the way we act if we want a different result from the past.”
For example, most organizations striving for sustainability aim to gradually reduce their energy emissions, whether through building retrofits or equipment upgrades. But what about designing our buildings to capture the sun’s heat when needed and create natural ventilation when temperatures exceed occupants’ comfort level? As the author instructs in the book, “It is far more powerful to design a process that does not require energy than one that has been optimized to use as little energy as possible.”
Changing one's mindset might seem daunting at first, and some may even believe it’s impossible, but the author provides sub-principles that foster transformation.
The Sub-Principles of the Respect for Process:
1. A Commitment to Collaboration and Interdisciplinary Communication
Working in silos leads to inefficient communication and delayed project timelines. Architects, engineers, and builders must collaborate from the beginning of a project. Using the power of seemingly unrelated knowledge and asking simple but often overlooked questions can make connections between ideas and solutions.
2. A Commitment to Holistic Thinking
This sub-principle is significant enough that it has an entire chapter dedicated to it. Every great innovation starts with someone who refuses the limitations set in front of them. We must step outside of our conventional learning to design truly sustainable communities. “Holistic thinking requires thinking outside conventional processes and realizing that most barriers are perceptual rather than real.”
3. A Commitment to Lifelong Learning and Continual Improvement
Following up on the last sub-principle, McLennan states that our limitations are the true barriers to achieving synergy. “We need to continue to raise the bar in our own standards.”
4. A Commitment to Challenging Rules of Thumb
While rules of thumb generally exist to improve decision-making, we must question our standard assumptions that don’t consider environmental consequences, as this only leads to repeated errors.
5. A Commitment to Allowing for Time to Make Good Decisions
This sub-principle isn’t necessarily stating that adding time to the overall design process is needed, but instead, it suggests reexamining how time is allocated. Investing heavily in the additional time required for expert collaboration and design research during the planning stages saves time and money in the long run.
6. A Commitment to Rewarding Innovation
When it comes to sustainable design, McLennan warns, “Being too risk averse leads to mediocrity.” For sustainable design to become the ingrained process for our buildings, he believes, “We must also find ways to recognize and reward individuals who take these steps and in so doing help us all move closer to environmental stewardship. We must reward engineers for the efficiency of their designs, not just their sufficiency. We must reward designers of all types for productivity improvements and environmental performance and not just for aesthetic qualities.”
Chapter 9: The Technologies and Components of Sustainable Design
This chapter discusses green buildings' most common strategies and technologies at the time of publication. Written two decades ago, McLennan nails growth in some future industry insights: “We will likely see a slow growth in PV use over the next ten to fifteen years with the pace picking up substantially in the next twenty years.”
Twenty years later, we are past the days of making bold proclamations about sustainability. It’s time to make substantial changes that lower impact across various areas. McLennan provides sustainable technology advancements throughout six key categories:
New technologies have and will continue to emerge, and will find their place among the six categories (a favorite of mine being onshore wave energy—check out EcoWavePower!), but project teams must remember that sustainable design is not just about slapping on a bunch of environmental technologies to your home or project; it is a philosophy we must adhere to throughout the entire building life cycle.
Chapter 10: Shades of Green - The Levels of Sustainability
McLennan believes, “A sustainable design rating system should take into account the differences in climate and place that may result in very different environmental priorities.” He spends this chapter examining our current standards for sustainability and the characteristics we should consider to deem our buildings environmentally responsible.
Along with being designed for the climate, geology, and topography of the region, McLennan believes that building types are equally important considerations as well (a laboratory will have certain air quality requirements that won’t allow for natural ventilation). Our sustainable design rating systems should also drive positive change and innovation in the marketplace.
The City of Austin Green Builder Program was the first attempt at an inclusive approach to sustainable design. Covering energy, materials, water, and indoor air, it was widely accepted at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, and received the United National Local Government Honours Programme Award.
At the time of this publication, McLennan believed some great rating systems provided the opportunity to reduce environmental impact but not to develop truly sustainable buildings. They are merely “stages on the way to the goal of sustainability,” as Jason F. McLennan accurately depicts in this book.
The most common sustainable design rating systems are LEED, BREEAM, Green Globes, WELL, and Fitwell. All of them provide excellent guidance to reduce environmental impact throughout the lifecycle of a structure. Currently, the Living Building Challenge provides an example of how sustainable design can produce truly sustainable places of shelter. McLennan uses a flower metaphor for how the Living Building achieves this. The author shares more descriptive qualities of how the Living Building mimics a flower, but mainly:
Flowers:
Living Buildings:
Our buildings must function as flowers do in an ecosystem. We must also ask more from ourselves, not simply create buildings that minimize our impact on the environment but create restorative buildings. Can they generate more energy than needed to help other buildings reduce their energy footprint? Can they provide a habitat for an endangered species to repopulate? As this chapter teaches us, there are many shades of green, but the perfect model lies in the simplicity and beauty of a flower.
McLennan’s insights remind us that sustainability isn’t just about adopting the latest green technologies; it’s about integrating sustainable thinking into every stage of a project, from conception to completion. In the next chapters, we explore how these principles take shape in practice—how design strategies influence well-being and productivity, and how organizations can foster sustainability within their teams and workplaces. Ultimately, true sustainability goes beyond minimizing harm; it challenges us to create spaces that give back to people, ecosystems, and future generations.