A GREEN VITRUVIUS: principles and practice of sustainable architectural design

Architectural Review, The, Feb, 2000 by Adam Voelcker

By ACE (Brussels), ERG (Dublin), SAFA (Helsinki) & SOFTECH (Turin). London: James and James. 1999, [pounds]25

Utilitas, firmitas, venustas -- et restituitas. Sustainability comes of age, and can be properly installed on the throne of the 2000-year old triad, we know so well. This guide is aimed at the experienced general practitioner who is aware of environmental sustainability but has not yet acquired an expertise in the field. Its five sections tackle: approaching the client and agreeing a green brief, the issues which need to be considered, the strategies to be adopted, the building elements to be juggled with, and finally a short description of ways that sustainable building can be evaluated. A pan-European production, it is clearly written and attractively illustrated, and appears to be bang up-to-date (even with costs in Euros).

One of the problems which faces the interested GP is the attitude of clients. It is fine where an environmentally aware client seeks out an environmentally competent architect. What is not so easy is for general practitioners to persuade 'non-green' clients to embark on an approach which is new to them (both maybe), which may be experimental and can cost more. This book is good because it addresses this very problem, and devotes an entire section to the early briefing stage with the client. It doesn't matter that a later chapter on building elements is rather skimpy because most of the information is available elsewhere in references listed in a full bibliography.

This publication has much to recommend it, and is one of a number of good books on sustainable architecture produced by the science publishers James & James.