Leaving on a Jet Plane
Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 5:03AM 
This is my first venture into mobile blogging on the Build2sustain blog, so please forgive any iPhone related typo I might miss.
I wanted to be at Greenbuild this week, but alas a client (not B2S related) puts me on the road to Columbus, Ohio. But whenever I have to travel, I think about the relationship of the designed space to the people meant to use it every day. I'll be walking to an MTA bus in a few minutes, taking it to LaGuardia airport, and then getting in a regional jet. Two of those three spaces are mobile, I grant. But the important thing all three share is that they are designed spaces meant to illicit certain behaviors and provide certain services from the people that use them.
My thoughts always drift to three questions.
1. How can we design these places better and increase their value not just in the sense of real estate, but as an experience visitors remember fondly.
2. How can the built environment (particularly of the airport) be more sustainable?
3. Can a built environment like an airport actually influence the people in it to make
more sustainable choices?
Any thoughts on my three questions? How does one make a giant shopping mall where people happen to take flights a more sustainable space? The comment section awaits, as does my flight. I look forward to your responses!
airports, sustainable choices, travel in Mobile blogging
Reader Comments (2)
Put sustainability in the public's face. Much of a sustainable built environment is not obvious to the naked eye. The LEED certification process provides opportunity to achieve credit for displaying educational materials regarding the sustainable design and building practices that went into the site/building. Shopping malls, airports, corporate office buildings can all do the same. Posting educational materials is a low-cost, impactful way all property and business owners can promote their sustainable ways and means.
I am currently working on a grocery store remodel in southern California where the owners put several water, soda, and candy vending and can recyclign machines out in front of the store contrary to the local municipal code which prohibits vending machines in front of stores. The city cited the store for non compliance, but when we presented the benefit of the can recycling machines to the City they were allowed to stay (the other vending machines were removed per code). The City realized the value of those machines right out in front of the store, in the publics face, and made the right call to modify the local code to allow them. They are recycling 10,000 cans per month!
That's a great comment Ben! And it speaks to a theme I think I think is really important in our project. Namely making people more aware of the spaces they occupy everyday, not just their home. Knowing how your office, your local shopping center, etc...all operate will help people make more sustainable business choices....