Whole system thinking

At Devereux Architects we have observed that the generic palette for a green building includes goes something like this: lots of glass, solar panels the obligatory green roof and maybe a windmill or two. Whilst these approaches have their place there is a more subtle, and interesting, aspect to green design than is ordinarily being discussed, it’s called integrated design.

Effective integrative design is about more than designing sophisticated, highly efficient components. To appreciate this one needs to look towards nature as the model. When you do this then you begin to notice that, individual species and organisms often create a surplus of goods. Is this inefficient, or is there something else going on? If you now consider ecosystems as integrated systems then it can be recognized that they are actually highly effective because the outputs of some components are inputs to others, reducing waste to zero. This is achieved by one organism’s waste becomes another’s food. Devereux aims to apply this same theme of design integration to each of our projects.

When considering whole systems design one should also consider typical economic theory. This theory hinges upon the notion that there is a law of diminishing returns whereby the more resources you save, the greater the cost of the next increment of savings. The fact is that this theory can only be held to be true if each incremental saving is achieved in the same manner as the last, and in a way that has no other benefits. As whole-system design optimizes an entire system for multiple benefits, rather than isolated components for singular benefits, the theory ceases to be relevant.

In the words of energy expert Amory Lovins whole systems thinking can “tunnel through the cost barrier” and as a result, simply by capturing the interactive effects between components, it can achieve very large savings at less cost than small or no savings.

Many examples arising from our research into using integrative design suggest that in contrast to a good low energy air conditioned office building, already performing some 30% better than “standard” practice, it is possible to provide not only superior levels of thermal comfort in both the summer and winter but an additional 40% reduction in carbon emissions and, compared to best practice, energy cost savings in the order of £3-4/m2 per annum (perhaps even double that when compared to ‘typical’ good practice) all at comparable, or even reduced, capital costs. Furthermore for a marginal increase in capital cost of about 5-10% energy use can be reduced by something in the order of 75-85% with a payback of roughly 3-6 years.

Churchill once said, “We shape our buildings and our buildings then shape us.” It is with this in mind, as we turn gradually shift towards more sustainable ways of living, one begins to think that buildings should be happier, healthier places to be achieving more with less, and offering the right kind of pedagogy to future generations.



Notes on the author:
Mark Siddall is an architect and a Certified PassivHaus Designer. He is also the sustainability champion for Devereux Architects and has conducted detailed research into low and net-zero carbon technologies. In addition to being one of the practice’s lead designers, Mark also provides consultancy, project enabling and education for clients, design teams and constructors. Currently he working on what is understood to be the UK’s first major PassivHaus scheme (25 homes) and is providing consultation for the Riverside One Net-Zero Carbon development in Middlesbrough (a significant scheme for Bio-Regional Quintain).