Get Sust! issue 40

FEATURE

Eight out of ten architects … The Autodesk/RIBA 2008 Green Index

Alas, I can’t report a Eureka moment among the designers of the nation, but I can report that the steady drip-feed of climate change warnings and gradually toughening environmental legislation is generating a tangible and positive reaction, alongside a smattering of good old-fashioned British cynicism. A recent survey by software developer Autodesk and the UK’s Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) suggests that eight out of ten architects (80%) do recognise the impact of human activities on global climate change, and 88% agree with a statement that they should practise sustainable design whenever possible.

More good news is that around 70% of that same group say their clients are asking for ‘green’ buildings.

The 2008 Green Index survey conducted by Autodesk is the first of its kind in the UK, but has been a standard report in the US (where Autodesk partnered with the American Institute of Architects) for a number of years.

The UK version was an online survey among 211 members of RIBA conducted during the early stages of the current economic downturn – May and June 2008. The participants reflected the typical mix of RIBA members, with representatives of architects working on individual homes (58%), and from commercial (21%) institutional (19%), and industrial projects (2%). More than half of respondents were working for medium-sized firms, but sole practitioners (16%) and firms with 50 plus employees (32%) were also represented. Most of the architects had ten or more years of experience as an architect (78%) and 80% had received training or continuing education that focuses on ‘green’ building.

Although the underlying aim of the survey is to uncover information about practitioners’ use of CAD and modelling software, each year it throws light on changing working practices.

For instance, although the survey shows that architects recognise the importance of green design features and processes they appear to be concentrating on products rather than design elements. When asked to rank a list of ‘green’ features that they have included in designs, the most popular answers (from a list of options) were:

* use of salvaged, refurbished, recycled or reused building material products (64%)
* renewable on-site energy sources (59%)
* retention tank for storm water runoff (56%).

And when asked to rate the top five practices that provide the best green building designs from a list of 16 options, they chose:

* a renewable on-site energy source i.e. solar, wind, geothermal, low impact hydro, biomass, or biogas (19%)
* energy modelling/baseline analysis (19%)
* evaluation and exploration of alternative building materials to maximise energy performance and minimise environmental impact (17%)
* prediction and evaluation of the environmental impact and life cycle of the building materials (17%)
* maximisation of interior solar lighting (6%).

‘Predict and evaluate solar heating’ and ‘predict and evaluate solar lighting’ were way down the list at just 4% and 2% respectively. However, choosing from a prepared list is a leading question, and the wording of some of the survey questions/options has carried over from the US version of the survey, so perhaps we should not make too much of UK architects’ apparent disregard for the importance of passive design solutions?

On the other hand, only a third of respondents reported that they ‘consult with civil engineers to add value on at least 50% of their green building projects’; while just 22% say they are beginning to use building information modelling (such as Autodesk’s Revit tools) into their working practices. Certainly some room for improvement there, then.

What is more interesting is a comparison of the results for the UK and US surveys. The answers to many questions were remarkably similar: for example, 54% of both UK and US respondents believe that architects should lead the way in developing solutions to combat climate change. But where we diverge is telling. To the question “Is the industry moving in the right direction?” 67% of architects in the US say ‘yes’ but only 44% of UK architects agree.

“I’m not sure if this is just highlighting British cynicism and American optimism, or if there is something underlying,” said Pete Baxter Autodesk’s Northern European Sales Director, announcing the survey results.

And remember the earlier statistic that said around 70% of UK architects say the client demand is the main driver towards ‘green’ buildings? Well, in the US only 47% of architects say this is the case. But curiously 25% of US architects say they have produced brochures or promotional materials about green design, while only 16% of the UK architects have done so.

So who’s more committed to ‘green’ building then? Adrian Dobson, RIBA Director of Practice, remains upbeat, however:

“The Autodesk/RIBA Green Index shows client interest in green building is really starting to take off with over half (53%) believing this is being helped by the reduced operating costs of green buildings. This contradicts the popular belief that when money is scarce, clients are more worried about initial costs than long-term savings and are not so concerned about their environmental credentials.”

Let’s hope you’re right, Adrian. Time – and next year’s Green Index survey – will tell.

Learn more:

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Download the full report or view a recording of the press launch of the results at www.autodesk.co.uk.

© Melanie Thompson 2009