The future of buildings lies in sustainable architecture with Frank Heinlein
“There are probably as many definitions of sustainable architecture as there are architects in the world…”
Dr. Frank Heinlein is the director of business communications of the Werner Sobek Group, an engineering and design consultancy founded in 1992. Werner Sobek, the founder of the company, was already holding lectures about recyclability in the building industry in the early 1990s. At the time, only few people paid attention. But now the public interest is much bigger, and the Werner Sobek Group realizes approximately one experimental sustainable building per year. Frank Heinlein talked to us about the benefit of sustainable architecture and its challenges.
Hello Dr. Frank Heinlein and thank you for meeting us today. The first question we want to ask is: how do you define sustainable architecture?
There are probably as many definitions of sustainable architecture as there are architects in the world… This isn’t necessarily a problem. One just has to be aware that there isn’t any single definition valid for everybody. In order to add our own definition to the existing plethora we have developed the Triple Zero formula. For us this is an easy way to define sustainable architecture (and to make its sustainability measurable and verifiable): On average, a sustainable building should require ZERO energy from external sources. It should produce ZERO carbon dioxide or other emissions that are harmful to humans or the environment. And last, but not least: when the building is being converted or deconstructed, there should be ZERO waste.
Buildings are some of the biggest users of materials and water. They consume nearly half of the world’s energy, and contribute almost half of global greenhouse gas emissions. Once we acknowledge this, what can architects do about it and what is the role of renewable energy in sustainable architecture?
Architects (and engineers) can do quite a lot, and that’s also why they have such a high responsibility. If we do not act fast and swift, the resource depletion of our planet will destroy the last remaining intact ecosystems. And future generations will not only have to face a dire lack of resources, but also an embarrassing abundance of toxic waste — because that is what most of the buildings constructed today are after all (if you consider their suitability for future recycling).
What are the economic benefits of green buildings?
We need green buildings not because of any economic benefits, but rather to protect our planet from further overexploitation. The economic benefits of green buildings are not to be reaped in the short term. But in the long term, they are quite substantial, particularly if one consider the entire life-cycle of a building (which also includes questions such as “Where is the ecological footprint of the building materials?” and “What happens to the building materials once the building is dismantled?”).
How important is it, today, to think about buildings and infrastructures that will help us to reduce energy and water use, and develop sustainable cities over the long-term?
It is absolutely vital not only to think about these issues, but to act now — as fast and as efficiently as possible. Already in 1972 the Club of Rome has given a fairly accurate description of what will happen if we do not change our approach. So far the change has been far too small — and the predictions of “The Limits of Growth” are still valid.
What do you feel is the greatest challenge when it comes to designing for environmental sustainability?
For us the biggest challenge is not the complexity of the systems we have to deal with. It is rather the inertia of all those who have a major influence on the built environment — but who do not consider the looming ecological catastrophe relevant enough to change the way they act.
Which countries or cities are promoting the most sustainable architecture today and why?
There are many people and many institutions promoting sustainability all over the world — in my opinion we should look more at the efforts of these individuals rather than at the marketing efforts of certain countries or cities. Architects and engineers, universities and municipalities — all of them can move a lot. But in the end we will always need support and leadership by national and supranational bodies as well. In this respect the European Union is certainly a good example, despite all the criticism its detractors may heap on initiatives such as the Energy Efficiency Directive. Without the need to act imposed from above there will never be the speed of change we need.
More than half of the world’s population lives in cities today. As the urban population grows, the effects of climate change worsen. How do we convince people, government and organisation, that our cities have to adapt, and that sustainable architecture and design will accelerate this transition to a cleaner, healthier world?
The facts are on the table. There’s not only the famous report on “The Limits of Growth” published by the Club of Rome several decades ago. There are also many other reports warning us of the dangers of climate change, the overexploitation of our resources, the destruction of biodiversity etc. We should not cease pointing to these warnings — and at the same time we should also give a positive example of what can be achieved by designing and building our environment in a more sustainable way. People have to understand that sustainability does not necessarily entail a loss, but can rather be a real gain in comfort, well-being and security.
What are the main advances, and future developments, in technology and design, allowing you to design in a more sustainable way?
First of all: Designing in a more sustainable way does not depend on any new technology or methodology. It needs above all an increased awareness. But of course technology can also help making our built environment more sustainable. For example, we consider predictive and self-learning energy management systems as very important. They can enhance the performance and the efficiency of a pool of many different units producing and consuming energy from renewable sources. Our project B10 in Stuttgart has made a first step in this direction.
Is there any common misconceptions about green buildings and green architecture?
The biggest misconception about green architecture we encounter is the idea that making a building “less bad” is good enough… That is fine if we continue to aim for far-off targets such as “decarbonization by the end of the century” — which is far too late for our planet. Our approach has to be more radical. A building should not produce fewer emissions, but none at all. And it shouldn’t become a little bit more energy-efficient, but completely carbon-neutral. These are the objectives we have to strive for.
Do you think that sustainable architecture and design can help developing countries dealing with other environmental issues such as energy use and water?
Sustainability is a very broad topic — energy, emissions and resource consumption are all part of the equation. Therefore sustainable architecture can and will definitely make an important contribution for all countries that have to deal with environmental issues. And that includes pretty much everybody on earth…
What are the main projects that Werner Sobek Group is developing at the moment?
There is a huge variety of projects we’re working on all over the world: Airports, museums, highrises etc. However, the most important or exciting projects aren’t necessarily those that are on a big scale or in exotic locations. One of the most interesting designs we’re currently working on is an experimental unit focusing on aspects of urban mining and recycling. Next summer the unit will be installed in the Swiss building laboratory NEST near Zurich. We are confident that it will make a substantial contribution towards the development of a fully sustainable architecture in the sense of our Triple Zero concept.
Do you have anything else to add? Something you want to talk about?
I’d love to hear what you and your readers think about our approach to sustainability. It is only by constantly checking the viability of one’s own point of view that one can achieve true progress.
Interview by Anne-Sophie Garrigou
