End poverty in all its forms everywhere.  

Goal Targets include: 

• By 2030, build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters. 

Often times it is the poor who are subject to housing and work conditions that are the most prone to circumstances that promote poverty.  One need look no further than the after effects of Hurricane Katrina as an example.  By designing safe, responsible homes and community resources that are available to all, architects can help to end poverty locally. 

Affordable housing includes housing that is affordable, in which to live, long term. This means designing buildings that are durable and efficient so they are affordable to maintain and operate.  Using passive design strategies to lower energy demand, building with energy efficiency, and potential on-site energy generation in mind, all help to lower the operating costs of buildings.  Likewise, using durable, long-lasting materials also reduces maintenance cost in both the short and long term. Healthy interior environments also means healthier occupants, which can reduce long term healthcare costs, yet another way buildings can contribute to ending poverty.

We as architects, and citizens can always take action against poverty within our local communities.  We can support local charities, worker training (specifically within the design and construction fields), mentor student and young professionals,  and advocate for fair wage rates and labor practices.  Within our practices we can seek out projects that strive to provide more economic opportunity where it may be lacking.  Better yet, work with local governments and community groups to identify opportunities and create those projects.  We can encourage apprenticeship programs on our projects to provide more opportunities for workers and ensure fair labor rates are paid to workers who make our designs a reality.

You can read more about this UNSD here

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.  

Goal targets include:

• By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round

So called food deserts are those, typically urban, areas without convenient access to healthy food.  Residences in inner cities are often surrounded by fast food chains which offer cheap, unhealthy food.  However, many lack an easily accessible supermarket, farmers market, or other place to purchase fresh produce and healthy food.  The result is that, even in the richest country in the world, people are going hungry and are undernourished.

When planning new communities, access to fresh food from markets and farm stands should be considered.  Locating developments with access to food should be prioritized.  Where possible, consider including a local market as part of your project.  This not only provides job opportunities but also is a resource to the community.  Urban agriculture is another recent development.  Community supported agriculture can be introduced even in highly developed areas.  This gives neighbors the opportunity to grow their own food, build community, and participate in the local economy.  By encouraging local production of food we are not only addressing the issue of hunger at a local level but also enriching the local ecology by creating spaces for varying species to thrive.  With plants come bugs, followed by birds and other wildlife, creating a richer community for all.  

The reduction of food waste is also an important step towards zero hunger.  Creating connections between producers and consumers of food means the effort that goes in to production is more apparent, and the value our farms and farmers bring to our communities is more greatly appreciated.  Designing places that foster these connections can help people build a greater appreciation for agriculture which may lead to more responsible consumption.  Likewise, providing places for the composing to food waste helps to reduce the burden on landfills while benefiting local agriculture. 

We should also be advocating for programs that encourage the community to engage with nature and grow their own food.  By supporting school garden programs we can help introduce children to food production, creating a sense of accomplishment and pride, while also allowing them to have a hand in making their own healthy food.  We can also volunteer at local food pantries or soup kitchens to directly feed those in need. 

You can read more about this UNSD here.

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.  

Goal targets include:

• By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination

As architects our professional obligation is to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public, specifically those who use the places we design. This obligation should extend not just to creating places that are safe but those that promote well-being.  Studies have show that people spend, on average, 90% of their time indoors.  In recent years, the importance of indoor environmental quality has become a more important issue.  But how can we design places that promote well-being?

We can help to promote good health and well-being not just by participating in the design of healthcare facilities but in many of the decisions we make on a daily basis.  Design decisions on projects, starting from the first discussions, can set the tone for the impact on well-being of a space.  The decision to provide attractive stairs may encourage users to take them over the elevator, even offering usable outdoor spaces or even a nice view, can lead to improved wellness. Likewise, as stated above, indoor environmental quality has become more important to building users.  Responsible material and building systems selection has a direct effect on the health of a buildings interior.  By making decisions with a wider understanding of their full impacts, which has been made easier with the introduction of third party certifications and Health Product Declarations, we can help to improve the well-being of all.  In fact, a number of third party rating systems have been developed around building occupant well-being, including the Well Building Standard, and Fitwel.  Additionally, there is growing evidence, within the study of biophilia, demonstrating the physical and mental health benefits of access to, and connection with, nature.  As architects we can facilitate this connection by providing access to outdoor landscaped spaces or even indoor plants.  These decisions affect not only the occupants of the spaces created, but all those who are affected by it including the surrounding community, builders, and suppliers.

Of course we can always do more in our personal lives to promote well being for ourselves, and those around us.  Encouraging healthier eating habits, getting more physical activity, and spending more time outside, are all small things we can do everyday.  Do to the amount of time we spend indoors, adding some live plants to your surroundings can help clean the air and improve your mood.

You can learn more about this UNSG here.

Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning.  

Goal targets include:

• Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, nonviolent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all

Studies have shown that the environment of students can greatly influence their ability to learn, their personal well-being, and test scores.  Some have, specifically shown the positive effects of daylight and adequate ventilation on students performance.  Evidence also points to the fact that students who attend schools in more affluent areas tend to perform better.  This could be due to a number of factors, including more and better resources, a safer environment, and general access to quality education.

By creating a healthy and safe environment for children to learn we can help to ensure that each child can meet their full potential.  Helping to create an environment that is conducive to learning, both independently and collaboratively, is part of our job as architects as is ensuring that the spaces students occupy, for a large portion of their day, are sympathetic to each students needs, provide opportunities for informal meeting and self expression and to develop social skills.  Schools and libraries should encourage children to explore, to provide opportunities to safely try new things and become exposed to different ideas, free of judgement.  Of course, much of this will be dependent on the curriculum of the school, but there is much we, as architects, can do in order to make it easier to provide.  The benefits of access to daylight has been mentioned; access to outdoor spaces, for recreation or even as active learning spaces, like classroom gardens, is something that should be considered in early planning and has been successfully provided even in dense urban areas.  We can focus our expertise on working with school districts to develop plans that bring resources where they are needed most and renovate outdated schools so all students have access to the resources they need. 

Advocating for fairness and working to strengthen our public school system will also help to ensure that education is equitable and available to all.  Encouraging the distribution of funding, throughout school districts, based on need, will move us towards more quality education for all students. Volunteering to help mentor students is another thing we can all do, whether that be through extracurricular teams and clubs, or by offering summer internships.  We all have connections to school, and see the importance of quality education, let’s do all we can to ensure it is available to all. 

Learn more about this UNSD here.

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. 

Goal targets include:

• Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance and natural resources, in accordance with national law

The architectural profession has been singled out, by those from within the profession, as still lacking in gender equality.  Annual reports by the American Institute of Architects have shown, that women represent a much higher percentage at architectural schools than they do in the profession.  Likewise, it has been pointed out, as one looks at the demographics of typical architectural firms across the profession women are less represented the higher up you go in the chain of command.  

Knowing this under representation of women exist within the profession should cause us to investigate why, and work towards addressing the issues towards more gender equality.  A large part may be the historic demographics, and the consideration of architecture as a male profession.  Without women in leadership positions, younger women may be less likely to envision themselves in leadership positions.  A lack of mentorship for women entering the profession may be a key factor in their loss of representation following graduation, and beyond.  Throughout one's career mentors are identified as teachers and role models, those to look up to and emulate.  From the mentors point of view, the desire is to pass on what you’ve learned and build a legacy.  Mentors and proteges oftentimes have a connection beyond just their profession, so young women not having older women to look up to can become an obstacle in finding a mentor they can relate to.  To address this, we must look to promote women into higher positions within the profession and work to create valuable mentorship opportunities for young women entering the profession. 

As part of the profession we must work to encourage women to pursue the profession, provide employment opportunities and continuous mentorship.  Leaders of the profession must stress the importance of diversity in project teams to ensure a well rounded and thoughtful approach to each project.

Read more about this UNSG here.

Ensure access to water and sanitation for all.

Goal targets include: 

• By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity

• By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes

In light of recent news, out of Flint Michigan and elsewhere, the importance of safe clean drinking water has become more apparent.  In the case of Flint, aging infrastructure and short sighted decision making has put many at risk of lead poisoning.  Fresh clean water is essential to life on planet Earth, it is a finite resource that we all use throughout the day, and it should be treated as such.  As architects we have become increasingly aware of the impacts our buildings, and their surrounding landscapes, have on water use.  What we do with, and how we treat, water when we are done with it, also affects our communities and surrounding ecosystems.  Likewise, effective sanitation may be as critical as clean water supplies.  While water is a regional resource, there are global water issues we must also consider, making water a truly think globally, act locally, issue. 

By now we have learned the benefits of water efficient indoor fixtures, and they have become standard for many of us, as they offer the same functionality with reduced indoor water use.  The trend lately is to move away from potable water use for water closets and in, some cases, to provide all of a building’s water needs on-site, as required by the Living Building Challenge.  The inclusion of on-site water capture and, filtration of gray water, is becoming more common with best practices being developed.  Having a level of connection to where our water comes from is important to realizing the importance of using water efficiently.  Some will argue, however, that since water is a regional resource, conservation is less important in areas of abundance.  It should be pointed out, that treating water to drinking level standards requires a lot of energy, let’s not flush that energy down the toilet with inefficient use.

Water efficient landscaping has also been more widely used and accepted as the use of regional and adaptive plantings for landscaping means less maintenance and more connection with a regions existing ecosystem.  Exterior water use can be limited to the establishment of plants in the first year or two with nature taking over from that point forward.  Designing landscapes like nature does means providing different types of plants rather than a monoculture of a single plant.  This approach assures an attractive landscape regardless of the seasons, or years, climate conditions.  The plant suited to the weather for that given season, or year, will thrive.   Irrigation is an ideal use for on-site use of captured rainwater, and more is widely used and accepted by local codes, over potable uses, so should be implemented where feasible. 

Keeping our waste water separate from our drinking water is critical to public health, as the importance of sanitation is something we have become aware of throughout history.  Pathogens transferred between people, and even between species in some cases, is often due to poor sanitation or inadequate treatment of wastewater.  In fact, the treatment of wastewater can have major effects on surrounding ecosystems, and the organisms that live within them, including humans.  We should work to ensure that effluent from our projects is treated to minimum standards and is directed away from surface and groundwater sources used for recreation, or consumption.  Advanced treatment options can also reduce the use of electricity and harmful chemicals and still provide water that’s safe to release into the environment.

When working on large developments and planning projects the decisions made in regard to water sources and wastewater treatment, as noted above, become important factors that are within the projects scope of work.  For these larger development it’s also critical to include an analysis of the areas hydrology.  An understanding of the natural flows of surface and subsurface water bodies will help to guide development to maintain those natural flows and design along with nature.  Smart planning with nature’s natural flows in mind is the first step towards resiliency. 

There are a lot of ways the building community can ensure clean water and sanitation for the communities in which we live and work.  Whether a project is big or small, the impact to our water resources are important, our efforts should include finding the best solutions with the knowledge and technology available.  We should work to push our local municipalities to implement best practices.  Of course we should do what we can within our offices and at home too, every effort counts.

Read more about this UNSG here.

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. 

Goal targets include:

• By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix

• By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency

When the green building movement started, in the 1970’s and even with its more recent resurgence, the primary focus was on energy.  We have since learned that sustainability goes beyond energy but it still plays a vital role in our move towards sustainability.  It’s no secret that buildings use a tremendous amount of energy and are responsible for a large portion of global CO2 emissions. 

The building community has been working towards reducing the environmental footprint of buildings, largely by working on energy efficiency, and other measures to reduce the energy demand of the built environment.  Efficiency is one of the first steps when considering energy use, reducing the amount you use to accomplish the same things not only conserves resources but also costs less for building owners, a win-win.  Energy companies have also been known to reward efficiency as the cost of keeping up with rising demand often outweighs providing rebates for efficiency measures put in place by homeowners and businesses. 

Efficiency, however, is not the solution to our energy woes.  Efficiency works counter to conservation, the more efficiently we use a resource the more likely we are to use it.  It is as if we have a false sense of security that, since we are being efficient with a resource, business as usual is perfectly fine.  In fact, if we’re using non-renewable resources, efficiency just pushes off the inevitable.  Conservation on the other hand, typically is associated with lack of efficiency or the realization that a resource is finite; we tend to be more conservative with those resources that are rare.  With this in mind, it’s important to point out that energy efficiency is a step in a process; we can reduce the amount of non-renewable resources, thereby reducing the effects of their use, while developing alternative means to accomplish the same goals.  Our energy efficiency efforts should include the use of passive design techniques, where we can use what nature offers, passively, to serve functions that would otherwise require other, active, energy sources. 

The widespread use of renewable energy is where effort should be focused when addressing the issue of energy.  There has been an increase of renewable energy use across the globe due to its increasing affordability and the growing awareness that our current energy infrastructure is inadequate and vulnerable.  Decisions throughout a project can help to make the most of the available renewable energy sources in the most effective way possible.  Energy efficiency, as discussed above, along with reducing energy demand in general, is the first step in working towards zero non-renewable energy use.  For firms who have adopted the 2030 challenge there is no doubt already effort to move towards 100% renewable energy in order to meet the goal of zero carbon emissions from new buildings by 2030.  Renewable energy can be incorporated into early planning and development with the identification of a sites renewable energy potential and the establishment of an energy budget for a project based on this availability and the project specific requirements (size, use, etc.).  For buildings where the incorporation of solar, or other renewables, is not feasible due to budget, decisions can be made to make the move to renewables easier in the future by incorporating so called “solar ready” features.  These may include providing conduit for future wire runs or providing adequate structure for future renewable energy systems. 

Along with the move towards more local, on-site, renewable energy systems is the move towards more smaller, regional, distributed energy networks.  Many of us have heard of, if not experienced, grid failures where large areas lose power due to an issue at a power center that serves millions of people.  Smaller, distributed systems not only means more regional generation of power but also more manageable infrastructure systems which move towards resiliency and giving communities control over their energy production and demands.

Incorporating energy efficiency and on-site renewable energy on every project, and looking at ways to improve our energy infrastructure will move us towards providing clean power for everyone.  As technology advances and demand increases it will become inevitable that we will learn to harness, more and more effectively, the energy the earth provides us.  With these technologies, pared with tried and true passive design, often evident in vernacular architecture, we can work to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.

Learn more about this UNSG here.

Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all.  

Goals include:

• Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services

• Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavor to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-year framework of programs on sustainable consumption and production, with developed countries taking the lead

As the world grows smaller, with greater connectivity between social and economic systems, the impacts our action have at a global scale become more apparent and are more important for us to consider.  The building community uses a vast amount, and variety, of resources, sourced from all around the world and can be a driver of innovation within local and regional economies.  Likewise, the building industry is often an important employment sector in many economies, is comprised of small and medium sized business with a connection to their local economies, and is often treated as a measure against how the larger economy is performing. 

Many of the decisions we make, on building projects, can have an impact on global resources.  Being aware of where the products and materials we specify come from and how they impact global resources and economies is becoming more critical.  Choosing wood from a domestic species, rather than a tropical species, may have impacts far beyond the project itself.  What economies are supported (?); what is the full environmental and social impact, from harvest through use (?); these are questions we should be asking ourselves.  Not specifying products from environmentally sensitive places or from threatened species is something that would seem obvious; but do we know how to  make selections based on this criteria?  As these issues become more visible, tools are becoming available and independent certifications, like FSC and Fair Trade, become part of our material research. The selection of materials that are durable and designed to perform based on project specific criteria is one place to start.  This will ensure that excessive maintenance or premature replacement are avoided.  Life Cycle Assessments can show how resource efficiency can benefit economic growth now and in the future. 

Using an integrative design process can help to establish exactly what is required for a project and synergies between systems and materials can be explored so that decisions are made with consideration of economic and environmental impacts. During design charrettes, approaches that incorporate material efficiency and engage regional materials, trades and craftsmanship can address global resource use while contributing to the local economy.  Using Circular Economy principles, materials can be compared with their full life cycle impacts and likelihood for reuse following the end of a products life. 

Within our offices we can work with local businesses and organizations to identify development opportunities, and building projects, that benefit small businesses and the surrounding communities.  In fact, supporting the development of, or participating in forming, cooperatives between small businesses allows for more creativity and innovation that crosses fields and creates more opportunities for everyone by providing access to resources that may not have otherwise been available.  A small portion of projects may even be dedicated to research into creative solutions or outreach into the community to address local or regional issues.  As our projects move towards the building phase we should support equitable treatment of, and fair payment for, construction workers.  Advocating for these approaches can help to identify and promote sustainable economic growth for all.

Learn more about this UNSG here.

Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. 

Goals include:

• Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and trans-border infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all

• By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities

Every project, unless they are off-grid, requires connection to infrastructure.  This includes, energy, water, wastewater, and communication systems which, in many cases is existing infrastructure, that is often aging and beyond its prime.  It is therefore prudent for the building industry to work to improve existing infrastructure and incorporate innovative technologies and renewable energy for new infrastructure projects.  The nature of infrastructure is that the decisions we make now will have lasting effects into the future.  We should work to ensure that these are positive effects.

When working on projects with local municipalities the condition of current infrastructure that will serve the project should be reviewed and areas for potential upgrades should be explored.  Existing infrastructure may be not be designed to address the needs of new development and it may be to a benefit to the local utility to spend the effort upfront to repair or replace the existing infrastructure rather than have to address inadequacies in access to services and condition, which could be a larger expense in the long run. Where opportunities exist to provide new infrastructure a priority should be given to renewable systems that take advantage of the resources provided within the specific region.

Where new developments are being proposed priority should be given to smaller distributed utilities that are scaled to the community, rather than tying into an existing grid system.  Smaller, distributed systems are more resilient, offer local controls over infrastructure and, when a failure does occur, the smaller size provides for easier repair.  Ideally these micro-grids can include a large percentage of renewable energy.  Using smart grid technology will allow renewable energy generation to be used where there is demand.  Where a diverse range of uses exists within a community, peak demand typically occurs at different times for each use, meaning the smart grid technology can direct power where demand is the greatest and delaying it for non-essential uses.  This allows for smaller power plants and a more efficient use of generated power.  These smaller, distributed systems are ideal in rural areas, under-served communities, and those far from existing infrastructure. 

For areas where a connection to large grid infrastructure exists and it’s not currently possible to create a smaller, separate, local grid, efforts should be put to expanding the amount of energy that is provided from renewable sources.  Utility scale renewable energy has been on the rise and may be located remotely from demand.  The size and type of renewable energy system should be selected based on the the resources available within a given region.  Also, upgrading to smart technologies within existing communities can help to shift load demand.  This allows for the existing power generation capacity to serve increased demand without the need to build additional or larger facilities. 

We can advocate for incentive and rebate programs from local governments and utilities that allow for increased penetration of renewable energy in all communities, at all economic levels, and improvements to and upgrades of existing infrastructure.  The Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing model has demonstrated how increased energy efficiency and renewable energy can be paid for using energy savings.  Pioneered in local municipalities PACE financing works to finance home energy upgrades, including small scale renewable energy projects, using anticipated energy savings, so homeowners are cash positive from day one and can easily transfer this savings when moving.  Working to promote this model and use it for larger scale infrastructure projects can be a win for everyone.

Read more about this UNSD Goal here.

Reduce inequalities within and among countries. 

Goals include:

• Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard

• Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality

• Encourage official development assistance and financial flows, including foreign direct investment, to States where the need is greatest, in particular least developed countries, African countries, small island developing States and landlocked developing countries, in accordance with their national plans and programs

Inequalities exist everywhere, the degree may vary depending on whether you’re in a developed or developing nation and its visibility will differ depending on where you are on the inequality spectrum.  Those of us in developing nations and within the middle or upper classes may be less aware of the struggles inequalities have, especially when considered historically. It is therefore our responsibility, as shapers of the built environment and public space, to consider current, and historical, inequalities, and find ways to redress the problems.

One direct way the building community can impact this is to work to ensure social equity for project teams and stakeholders.  Social equity within the construction team is one place we can have an impact and is easy to influence.  Fair wages, benefits, employment opportunity, apprenticeship programs and safe working conditions are all things we should demand for our projects.  While laws may exists in some areas to protect competition among businesses the same effort should be given to protect workers.  When working on projects, the inclusion of items that address local social inequities can improve projects and the surrounding community.  Community groups should be invited to initial project Charrettes to help to identify areas of need.  Measures should then be incorporated into the project to help and address these needs.  These could include outdoor public space, specific amenities that are lacking within the community, employment or educational opportunities, or other approaches appropriate to the project and its community. 

As professionals we often have the opportunity to speak with, and possibly influence, local politicians.  We should advocate for fair wages within the profession and related professions.  Likewise, we should work for fairness in access to services and amenities such as healthy food, recreation, transportation, and employment. Areas of inequality can often be identified through the unequal distribution of these types of amenities and other desirable or undesirable building types.  This type of exercise may assist with identifying community needs and inequalities that your projects may start to address.  Joining with local community groups will also help to identify opportunities and may even assist with securing funding to incorporate additional services within your projects. We should also support legislation, local, regional, and national, that direct resources to under-served communities to raise the bar for everyone, especially underrepresented populations.

You can also take steps with your personal choices.  Choose to provide an opportunity, support a cause, and work to fulfill a need, within your local community and with the decisions you make daily. 

Read more about this USND Goal here.

Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. 

Goals include:

• By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums

• By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries

• Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage

• By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities

• Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning

• By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, holistic disaster risk management at all levels.

Building sustainable cities and communities is what we in the building industry strive for.  The sustainable design movement is built around the creation of sustainable communities, so it is this UN Sustainable Development Goal where we likely play the biggest part.  Regardless of the role you play, the building types, or the scale at which you work, you have a role to play, within the building community, in moving towards true sustainability. 

As the Brundtland Commission definition of sustainable development states we must “meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”  The first part of this, meeting the needs of the present, is something we can do by providing spaces for the under-served.  Affordable housing is something that seems to always be in demand.  It’s important to keep in mind that affordable housing should be both affordable to acquire and to own.  Green building is often synonymous with durability, energy and water efficiency, and healthy interior spaces.  All of these reduce the amount of resources needed to own and operate a home and allows families to spend their time and resources on their family and doing the things they enjoy rather than maintaining there home.

Using available resources, from LEED, NAHB, and Energy Star, among others, can help to identify best practices when designing new homes and renovating existing ones.  The need to build resiliency into all projects has become more apparent and each project should be evaluated for the anticipated risks it faces, related to its context, so appropriate measures can be employed.  Working with local builders, artisans, and institutions can help to identify those things that are important to the community and so each project can add to the value and culture of its surroundings.  Additionally, renovating and upgrading existing building stock, and giving preference to historically and culturally important buildings and public spaces can help to engage the community while retaining its character.

Transit oriented development should be given preference when dealing with larger projects.  Focusing development where there is existing infrastructure and transportation networks not only make sense for the development itself but can help to build the surrounding area and make it easier to engage with outside communities within the region.  Providing access to necessary services, such as education and healthcare, as well as providing public amenities, like parks, enriches the community and brings value to all. 

It’s important to include the local community when these new developments are being designed, to ensure the needs of current residents are being met and they will not be displaced.  Providing a variety of housing types and public spaces, where people from all walks of life can mix, enriches communities and brings them together, rather than creating separation and a sense of “us” and “them.”   There are countless other things we can do to work towards sustainable cities and communities for all and we should start in our own communities, where we have a connection to place, and share what we learn with others.

Read more about this UNSD Goal here.

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.  

Goals include: 

• By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources

• Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities

• By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature

Living in the developed world we are constantly encouraged to consume more, it’s the nature of a capitalist society.  In fact, in the USA, citizens are often referred to as “consumers.”  As this isn’t something that will change quickly it’s important to work towards more responsible consumption and be more aware of the people and processes involved in the production of consumer and other goods.  As architects we are constantly selecting materials and products to be incorporated into our projects.  While we play an important role here, we may also be able to influence the consumption patterns beyond the design and construction phases. 

During the design phase, using the integrative design process, we can identify materials and material assemblies that meet the desired performance criteria while reducing the amount of resources used.  In some instances the omission of a material not only reduces our footprint but can also enhance our designs and lower first costs.  Leaving wood trusses exposed rather than enclosing them in a ceiling may add to the character of a space while requiring less resources, it can also add to the value of the space by offering an insight into its construction to the building occupants.  When evaluating options against each other, it’s important to use life cycle cost analysis so that the full impact can be compared.  While the use of recycled and regional materials has been a big part of green building for some time, embodied carbon has become a more recent area of concern.  When measuring the full life cycle impact of a product, we must consider the effort it takes to harvest, manufacture, transport, install, maintain, and, eventually, dispose of the items we select.  Resources and tools are becoming more available that make this type of analysis available.

Many of us work with existing buildings and performing a life cycle assessment to compare restoration with new building can often lead us to decisions we weren’t expecting.  Restoring an existing building can be a challenging but rewarding experience but where this isn’t possible think of ways that existing building elements can be incorporated into a new building design.  Craftsman can work wonders with reclaimed materials from old buildings.  It has become somewhat of a trend to reuse old barn wood for interior finishes for instance.  During construction we can promote responsible resource use by implementing a comprehensive waste management plan. Identifying items that can be reused, salvaged, and recycled, can reduce the amount of material going to landfill and provide a new life for those things that are still in good condition. 

We should also engage clients during the building use phase.  Working with owners we can identify those items that are most commonly purchased and develop purchasing policies that give preference to environmentally preferable items or find ways to reduce the need to purchase others.  The recent focus on Circular Economy principles gives preference to those materials and products that can be reused, and encourages us to find ways to reduce the amount of resources used, rather than on recycling.  The sharing economy has also been growing.  This approach considers access to services rather than physical items.  So, we don’t necessarily need to purchase, and own, an item but can access it when desired, think Uber.  This not only frees up resources that come with ownership but expands the amount of resources available to us, as we don’t need to own everything we wish to use.  As we move away from ownership, towards sharing and reuse, manufacturers may be encouraged to change their business model, which relies on purchases, towards providing products that are durable and adaptable to a changing marketplace. 

These principals can also be employed in our offices and personal lives.  Evaluate the purchases you make, are these truly needs, or just wants, can an environmentally preferable option be selected, is it possible to access the outcome desired in another way or though sharing resources.  These are all important things to consider to move towards working with our existing resources and using emerging economic models to promote responsible consumption and production.

Read more about this UNSD Goal here.

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. 

Goals include:

• Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries

• Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning

• Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning

Sustainability is consistently paired with climate action.  Many of actions we take on our quest towards sustainability are with the goal to prevent or adapt to climate change.  For instance, part of the goal of energy efficiency is to reduce the use of resources, the burning of which pours greenhouse gasses into our atmosphere, while resilience is helping us to deal with the results of climate change. 

Climate action is a global effort that must take place at the local level.  The decisions we make and the resources we use have an impact on climate, now and in the future.  The natural disasters we face and the effects of climate change that we must adapt to differ greatly by geographic region.  It is important to act locally when designing with resilience in mind.  Taking stock of the risks we face and becoming aware of how to adapt and build resilience in response to these risks is important.  Some areas of the world face growing drought due to climate change, while others see flooding and an increase in storms.  When professionals speak of building resiliency they often mention terms like “storm hardening.”  However, according to dictionary.com resilience is defined as “the power or ability to return to the original form...elasticity” and “the ability to recover.”  This definition doesn’t speak of hardening, if anything it would make more sense to provide “storm softening” strategies.  This may look like a constructed wetland along the water's edge or breakaway walls on a building, things that yield to the power of a storm while protecting critical elements.  Designing in seismic zones looks similar, the design for movement to reduce the risk of compete failure. 

Adaptation strategies in high risk areas must also be investigated.  These can include the reduction of development at the water's edge, for example, or relocating critical infrastructure away from disaster prone areas.  Sometimes making the tough, often unpopular, decisions now can save a lot of heartache in the future.  It often does not make sense to rebuild in the same place following a disaster, we must learn from past events and let them guide our planning and design decisions.  The economic and social impacts of these climate risks also can’t be ignored.  It is often vulnerable communities that lie in the path of disaster but no one is safe from the forces of nature.  The recent series “Years of Living Dangerously” shows examples of how our changing climate has had an impact, not just on natural disasters but even war, which costs not only millions of dollars but human lives.  We should start to frame climate action as action for social justice. 

As architects we should be looking at the carbon footprint of our buildings and planning with all of the UN Sustainability Goals in mind.  Reducing embodied and operational carbon can be done by selecting different materials and systems, developing integrated project teams, and considering the local context.  Likewise, designing for resilience means analyzing the risks on each project and making design decisions that address these directly.  Involving all stakeholders, including the surrounding community, will help to insure the risks are property identified and addressed.

Read more about this UNSD Goal here.

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources. 

Goals include:

• By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution

• By 2020, conserve at least 10 percent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information

We are all aware of the importance of water efficiency.  Water is a valuable resource that is not readily available to all and can take a lot of energy to treat and transport.  However, during this discussion the impact on sea life is not often included.

To provide safe clean drinking water a significant amount of infrastructure is needed to collect and treat water.  Likewise the infrastructure requirements, treatment process, and release of effluent into water bodies from sewage treatment plants can have a significant impact on life below water.  When developing water and wastewater treatment facilities we must be aware of the effects we are having on local water bodies and the ecosystems they support.  Much of the work of wastewater engineers goes into treating effluent so it can be safely released back into the environment with little, or hopefully no, negative impact to life, human or otherwise.  The fact that oftentimes our water supply and treatment of wastewater happen in close proximity to each other highlights the importance of keeping our water supplies clean in order to sustain life.

When we design the landscapes that surround our buildings or enrich our communities, we should do so in order to reduce the amount of fertilizers and irrigation that are needed to establish and maintain them.  Surface runoff of conventional fertilizers can lead to the over nitrification of local water bodies which can cause the death of sea life within these bodies of water.  We should work to reduce this impact by selecting landscaping that does not need these types of fertilizers.  Likewise, moving development away from the water's edge, and instead using these areas as nature preserves or for recreation, will limit the disturbance to the adjacent bodies of water and the life they support, while providing a benefit to the surrounding communities.  The reduced runoff potential, from landscaping and paved areas, will also keep pollutants out of these waterways. 

Those of us who eat seafood should decide to do so from sustainable sources.  There are resources available from the Marine Stewardship Council and others who offer guidelines for selecting more sustainable seafood options based on your region or type of seafood.  Also, it’s important to remember that one of the effects of global climate change is the change in chemistry of our oceans, often referred to as ocean acidification.  This has caused the bleaching of coral reefs, a valuable habitat that’s needed to support fishing communities, not to mention the foundation of the global food chain. 

While life below water has not typically been a primary factor driving sustainable design decisions we must keep in mind the connectedness we have to all life on earth.  Making smart choices in development and infrastructure is an important step to conserving life below water.

Read more about this UNSD Goal here.

Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss.  

Goals include:

• By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally

• Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species

• By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts

We are among the countless organisms that make up life on land, and part of our duty, as architects, to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public.  So it should be no surprise that we have a critical role to play in the UN Sustainability Goal 15.  Of course, the protection of life is not something that should need to be pointed out to architects, or one would hope not.  This would be like asking a chef to prepare a meal that is safe to eat, it’s one of the few givens we expect.  However, extending this protection of life to all life on land may be something we don’t typically consider, and one that our current codes don’t address.

Of course we should be designing spaces with healthy interiors for the benefit of building occupants, and even workers who build these spaces.  But these considerations should extend throughout the lifecycle of our projects.  Life cycle assessments should include impacts from all phases from material extraction through disposal.  Considering the ecosystem impacts of the raw material extraction for the materials and products that make up our buildings should be included.  We have seen the emergence of some certifications, like the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which allow us to easily vet materials that are better for our ecosystems.  Selecting FSC wood, for instance, will ensure the health of forest ecosystems and limit clear cutting.  Adaptive reuse is a way that we can reduce the amount of resources needed to complete a project, when compared to building new.  Using existing materials will limit the demand for new materials which may be harmful to life on land.

Projects should be developed with an awareness to the natural flows and wildlife within the region.  Being aware of the makeup of the local ecosystem, keystone species, and migration routes can help to drive decisions to maximize the benefits to both human and non-human life. Development should be directed away from sensitive areas or green-fields.  Restoring brownfields or grayfields is one way our projects can give back to life on land and create new habitat.  Green roofs have been touted for expanding ecosystems, most notably in cities and built up areas that may have limited green space.  What if we found other ways to welcome nature into our building.  Often times you will see effort given to keep birds or other local wildlife away from buildings.  But, what if we welcomed wildlife to interact with our buildings.  This would surely bring benefits to the ecosystem, building occupants and the surrounding community.

Educating ourselves on the impacts our projects has to life on land is an important first step.  While we may be primarily concerned with human life, as we should be, we could expand this to strive for our projects to, as William McDonough has said, “love all the children of all species for all time.”

Read more about this UNSD Goal here.

Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies.  

Goals include:

• Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels

• Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels

• Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements

Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions aren’t things that typically come to mind when thinking about the work of those in the building and design communities.  However, there are countless examples where architecture and design have played a role in this arena.  Walls have been erected to divide people, creating a sense of “us” versus “them”, while public spaces have been designed to bring people together.  Sometimes the decisions we make have unintended consequences, as in the case of the Pruitt-Igoe housing project in Saint Louis that was built with good intentions but resulted in anything but, illustrating the importance of considering all possible outcomes and bringing people together at the initiation of a project.

For architecture, to work for justice, we need to start with an approach and process that is inclusive and transparent.  Opening up the design dialogue with the public, community groups and neighbors is a good start.  Hosting public charrettes at the start of a project can help to identify opportunities to create more just spaces that work to bring people together rather than creating a separation.  Not only does this give all those who are interested a seat at the table, but it also brings transparency to the design process, allowing everyone to see the process and what goes into the decisions we, as designers, make.  Letting people peek behind the curtain will not only provide insight into the design process but will engage the community and create more active citizens, now and for future projects.  It’s important to give people real authority during these design charrettes and take into considerations common themes, as these are the people who will be living with our designs, and ensuring they work as intended.  Ignoring input may lead to an unsuccessful project as it breaks down the trust the charrette is meant to build.  Helping to build trust between communities and the building industry will bring more people to the table which will increase the likelihood that we are creating just spaces. 

We can also seek out projects that support direct action related to peace and justice.  This may include work for for local non-profit groups that promote related causes, or traveling to distant places where injustice is common.  In the developed world we often take peace and justice for granted, meanwhile, in other areas of the world, it can be a daily struggle for some with groups being targeted solely due to their religion, race, gender, ethnic group, sexual identity or other characteristic.  Standing with these groups and supporting them with our professional services can help to give them a voice, provide a safe place, and allow them opportunities that may otherwise be difficult to come by.

Participating in open source competitions, where our work is made available to the public, may  be a good way for young architects to get their name out while also providing a public benefit.  It’s often those marginalized by society that are marginalized by design.  Good design doesn’t have to be expensive and should be available to all.  Helping to create an expanded, publicly available, catalog of smart design solutions is a contribution that will give into the future.  As architects we can also volunteer to educate the public about our profession and what we do.    We may also participate in open house events, where we invite the public into our offices to see what we’re working on and how we work.  Better yet, we may even make our resource libraries available to students.  An educated and engaged public will only lead to better design for all.

Advocating for inclusive space and participatory design can enrich our communities in countless ways.  When approaching a project we should look beyond its physical boundaries and see how it can contribute to the larger community and work for peace, justice and strong institutions.

Read more about this UNSD Goal here.

Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development. 

Goals include:

• Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals in all countries, in particular developing countries

• Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships

Creating partnerships is at the cornerstone of the architecture profession.  Historically architects have been associated with the “master builder,” however, with growing technology, information and expertise the master builder is no longer a single person but a partnership, a team, a group of experts that come together and work on the complex task at hand.  In fact, the success of all of the UN Sustainability Goals depends on partnerships.

As architects we are familiar with creating project teams depending on the scope of a particular project.  Undoubtedly we have our go to partners, those we know we can rely on for good work, but we are also constantly on the hunt for others to partner with who may be able to broaden our reach and introduce us to other project types.  These partnerships extend beyond the project team and include our clients, community and business groups, governments and their organizations, and other stakeholders.  By building strong relationships we can build synergies that otherwise would not exist.  We need to allow these partnerships to create an atmosphere that allows innovation and outside of the box thinking to come up with the ideas we need to build a truly sustainable world.  Without meaningful conversations we will never tap into the full potential of our “master builder” project teams where the interplay of different disciplines leads to creative solutions that address the true problems at hand. 

Our partnerships may cross physical or political boundaries, generational differences, and the different perspectives that come with our wide diversity as people.  Developing different partnerships for different projects should be expected as not all problems are answered with the same solutions.  So, while it may be comfortable to work with the old reliable partner, bringing in someone new may spur new conversations and cause you to look at an old problem in a new light.  This not only benefits the task at hand but may bring new light to other projects as well.  We are often driven to establish partnerships based on budget.  But we should remember to keep the triple bottom line in mind and think not only economically but also with the environment and social equity in mind.  Sometimes we can find beneficial partnerships in places we weren’t expecting or with those in industries and with expertise we don’t typically team with.  If we look at Cradle to Cradle we see an architect (William McDonough) teaming up with a chemist (Michael Braungart), not a partnership one would expect, but one that has created unique insight and which has provided benefits beyond a single project, for an entire industry.  We should all strive to seek partnerships which have the potential to provide lasting positive impacts.

On you next project, ask your potential partners; how they are addressing the UN Sustainability Goals, or what sustainability goals do they have of their own.  And, think how you would answer if posed with the same question.

Read more about this UNSD Goal here.