The role of Architects in achieving environmental sustainability is a vital one.

It is now indisputable that the environment of our planet is under stress. Human activities affect the patterns and processes of the natural world. Buildings occupy land, displace water, erode biodiversity, consume resources, generate waste, affect traffic volumes and contribute significantly to atmospheric pollution.

All governments must establish sustainable development goals and provide the necessary financial rewards and economic incentives to reach these goals. Canada must start to measure progress based on the triple bottom line: environmental, social and economic progress, or in other words the three P’s planet, people and prosperity.

Architecture Canada, in adopting the 2030 Challenge, is calling all design professionals to become actively engaged in reducing fossil fuel use in building construction and operation by a minimum 50% today, 60% in 2010, 70% by 2015, 80% by 2020, 90% in 2025 to arrive at carbon neutral by 2030. To achieve these reductions we need to pool our successes, flag our failures and educate each other to create a new era of environmentally responsive buildings. The Architecture Canada provides a collaborative content website - the 2030 Challenge Wiki - to allow its members to share information on achieving the goals of the 2030 Challenge.

Promotional material to view and pass along to your colleagues and clients: