Sustainability manifests in three ways in my professional, and personal, life.

I undertake sustainability research in the built and natural environments, and I try to promote this.

I seek to employ sustainable, environmentally conscious design in the built environment, and I also try to promote this.

I seek to lead an ethical, sustainable, environmentally conscious life, but I don’t force this on anyone else.

On sustainable living, for instance I don’t drive and I don’t have a car, nor do I want one.  I don’t have a problem with people that do, but I do have a problem with Chelsea Tractors.  Big vehicles should be used appropriately.  It’s not our fault we’ve arrived in this unsustainable world, but now that we know there are planetary boundaries we really must lessen our impact on it, given our resources and conditions.  Tread lightly on this earth, I believe the Buddha once said.

In the past I’ve tried to be uber-sustainable and change my entire existence around this philosophy, but the current conditions in my life prevent me from achieving such a lofty goal, and I won’t continue making myself nuts over it.  Sorry, I’m doing the very best I can with what I’ve got…

If you’re interested in the research and writing I’ve undertaken, check out:

https://richardkulczak.info/writing/sustainability-environment-writing/ (document links to follow shortly)

and my blog:

http://oneplanet-sustainability.org/

If you’re interested in the sustainable design aspects of my career, I’m working towards uploading a selection of projects and principles shortly.

basic principles

For me, sustainability is a frame of mind, a holistic perspective based on an interconnected world-view that acknowledges the finite limitations of the planet on which we live.

My work seeks to employ passive sustainable design as a starting point from which all other points spring, as passive design is implicitly practical and need not be ugly and have hairy green armpits. Active sustainable measures are employed as a means to meet or exceed expectations, both client and statutory, as well as a principal method for reducing carbon emissions and energy consumption.  I seek to employ good planning for sustainability in materials and methods,

I consider sustainability to be a holistic endeavour which realistically incorporates the social, human aspect of our lives, as well as the economic.  Without the three combined, we are simply the finger pointing at the moon.  Formerly employing a highly idealistic view of an extremely wide-scope sustainability, I have subsequently realised the practical, real-world we live in is currently incompatible with an obvious manifestation of sustainability-taken-to-its-logical-conclusion.

Honestly, if you’re interested, take a look at the blog: http://oneplanet-sustainability.org/

In the near future I will be focusing more on sustainable built environment issues, looking to understand the multi-level sustainability of Urban Development, Architecture (Environmental/Sustainable Design), and Consumption and Production.

(Obviously the idea is to use my solid grounding in environmental issues and the foundations of sustainable development to avoid embarking down an ill-informed path and chasing some idealistic, impractical notion of what sustainable architecture and built environment issues are, and how to go about dealing with and promoting them.)