Sustainability in Wellington architecture

Abstract

This report seeks to compare what sustainability means in the global context, with what sustainability means to some architects in Wellington who have a reputation for being concerned with it. Emphasis is placed on what sustainability means in practice. The first two chapters concern theory. The discussion starts with a general analysis of sustainability in the wider context based on a survey of some of the literature in the field. It proceeds to a discussion of what that might mean in the context of architecture and what some of the major issues are. Strategies for the attainment of sustainable architecture are then proposed. The second part comprises the two remaining chapters and concerns the practise of sustainability in Wellington Architecture. Chapter three details interviews of nine Wellington architects who have demonstrated in their work some knowledge of or interest in environmental issues. Chapter four is an analysis of the resultsof the interviews. The conclusion makes comparison between the theoretical discussion and the approaches of Wellington Architects to the issue of sustainability in architecture and suggests some locally relevant strategies for the attainment of a more sustainable architecture.