Sustainability

How Green is My City?

Open House is developing a new campaign to support and promote sustainability as an integral part of design excellence. It will run as a theme throughout our programmes and will focus on the question ‘Is good design, green design?'

As sustainability and green living become mainstream, what does sustainable design actually mean in practice? Consideration of these issues will be integrated into Open House’s programmes for young people, decision-makers and the wider London community.

Exciting new initiatives will include a poll of Londoners exploring what they think will make London sustainable; talks, tours and debates, including the Green Sky Thinking debate (below); and partnerships with key organisations and programmes such as London Sustainability Weeks.

For more information about our sustainability campaign contact syates@openhouse.org.uk.

Green Sky Thinking

Do you have a vision of the sustainable city of the future? Or simply some innovative sustainable design solutions you would like to share with an inquisitive high-profile audience of 100 key decision-makers in regeneration, sustainability and urban design?

If so, join us at the Green Sky Thinking Debate on 16 July 2008! 

Part of the 2008 London Festival of Architecture, the Green Sky Thinking Debate will take place at the headquarters of international law firm Allen & Overy, 10th floor rooftop, One Bishops Square, London E1.

Who can apply?
Architects, urban planners, landscape designers, engineers and multi-disciplinary design teams are welcome. This is a great opportunity for young designers and built environment professionals to showcase their work whilst demonstrating their commitment to green design.

How?
Each studio should submit a brief 100 word description of their idea together with 5 lo-res images (no larger than 5mb each), either by email to zwilkinson@openhouse.org.uk

Deadline for submission:
The deadline for all entries is 6.00pm on Thursday 19 June 2008.

Format of the event
The event will follow the Pecha Kucha model originally devised by Klein-Dytham Architecture. Each participant or team will be allowed 20 slides, each shown for 20 seconds, making a total of 6 minutes 40 seconds per presentation. There will also be a speaker who will lead the event and chair discussion.

Content
The brief nature of the presentations challenges participants to explain the ideas behind their thinking in an innovative, creative and concise way that will hold the audience’s attention.

Selection process
A small number of designers or design teams will be selected to take part in the event. Successful applicants will be notified by Monday 30 June.

…Still not convinced?
A thought-provoking event, Green Sky Thinking will generate exciting press opportunities for participating design teams and the chance for young designers to showcase their green ideas in front of a high-profile audience of key decision makers, whilst furthering the debate on sustainable design.

For further information please contact project coordinator Zoë Wilkinson 
Email: zwilkinson@openhouse.org.uk Tel: 020 3006 7008.

The Green Building Guide

Recently, it has become hard not to open a newspaper or turn on the TV without coming across phrases like ‘carbon footprint’ and ‘sustainability’.  Environmental issues, in particular climate change, have risen up the political, business and media agendas. Of course this is a positive step forward, but there are challenges that come with this.  There is a plethora of advice on how to ‘go green’, some of which is confusing.

Buildings account for about 50% of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions, and the production of materials used in buildings accounts for a further 10%.  Buildings are also major consumers of water, timber and other materials – so they have a massive impact not just on our contribution to climate change, but other environmental problems, both in the UK and around the world. 

In 2007 Open House teamed up with the UK Green Building Council to produce an introductory guide to the latest technology, materials and designs that are making our buildings sustainable. It only scratches the surface of what is possible, but hopefully will inspire you to think about what could be achievable in your own home, or place of work or learning.

The challenge is to spread best practice, so all homes, offices, schools and other types of building – both new and existing – are developed or retro-fitted to the greenest possible standards.  As so many of the examples in Open House London show, green buildings are not just good for the planet, but are also designed to be great places to live and work.

Copies of the Green Building Guide are available by emailing Open House.

Text on the Green Building Guide courtesy of Paul King, Chief Executive of UK Green Building Council