Looking Long Term

As a triathlete, I train for endurance, which means I eschew immediate results in favor of a longer-term strategy to achieve a faster overall pace. Being a weaker swimmer, I stand to gain a lot of time if I focus on getting stronger, while my running pace is already at an advanced level.

Designing sustainable buildings can be similar to a triathlete’s short- and long-term training goals. Short-term goals – such as reducing embodied carbon – can be achieved by simply using different materials. Long-term goals – such as reducing operational costs and operational carbon – focus on the returns of higher quality windows and added insulation.

I was reminded of this recently when I participated in a Northeast Sustainable Energy Association program on built sustainable architecture, which was held at Centerbrook’s Schiller Coastal Studies Center at Bowdoin College. Our program encouraged peer-to-peer learning by emphasizing how each team approached the design challenge from its own angle. It also highlighted how Bowdoin’s leadership toward a carbon-neutral campus aligns with Centerbrook’s own commitment to designing carbon-neutral buildings by 2030.