LEEDers In Greenwashing

“Many progressive cities already have active sustainability policies and procedures for the greening of the urban environment. But most of these plans are largely pragmatic, with a focus on energy reduction or the addition of green spaces. The question is: Could such efforts be transformed by the approach of ecological urbanism?” – Mohsen Mostafavi, “Ecological Urbanism”

How do we differentiate genuine efforts towards sustainability from greenwashing? As stated by Mohsen Mostafavi, “An increasing number of private developers, for ethical as well as financial reasons, are espousing the values of sustainability”. Often, the reasoning has more to do with the recognition and financial gain rather than ethics. Among architects and their clients, the current push for “green building certification” is just one example of how the topic of sustainability can get controversial. LEED Certification is the most widely accepted metric for “measuring” the sustainability of a structure. Numerous studies have shown that the energy efficiency of LEED certified buildings is questionable at best, and often not worth the time and money invested. So, if this is the case, why do we still push for it? Simply put – because it makes us feel as though we are doing our part. We have been greenwashed by our own profession.

According to Mostafavi, we must dig deeper into the meaning of sustainability. We cannot rely on new technology and policies alone to combat the issue. We must find a way to design for the issue. How does redefining the urban fabric, not just individual buildings, begin to address sustainability? And how do we do so in a genuine way?