1992 by American architect William McDonough
and German chemist Michael Braungart, who were
hired to plan the 2000 World’s Fair in Hannover,
Germany. The Hannover Principles connected hu-
man rights, economic and environmental sustain-
ability, design, and function, and encouraged de-
signing objects with long-term value, eliminating
waste, and using nature as a model for design. The
Hannover Principles argued that projects could
be designed to support the environment rather than
only to minimize damage and that design should
strive to emulate the abundant, effective cycles of
nature.
Sustainable design principles can apply to any-
thing that is designed, from toilet paper to build-
ings. Common subdivisions include landscape archi-
tecture, graphic design, agriculture, machinery and
appliances, technologies, and disposable products.
Sustainable (sometimes called “green,” although it
is a related rather than identical concept) architec-
ture is the best-known sustainable design field.
Sustainable or Green Architecture Sustainable ar-
chitecture is based on the idea that architecture can
be “green” (good for environment), well-designed
for the people who use it, and profitable for both
architects and businesses. Since housing and other
buildings were major consumers of resources and
an increasing population required additional build-
ing, sustainable architecture rapidly became an
important focus of the sustainable design move-
ment.
Sustainable architecture seeks to minimize envi-
ronmental impact by efficient use of materials and
energy. Common techniques include the use of recy-
cled or sustainably produced building materials and
installation of sustainable energy options such as so-
lar panels. Simple measures such as proper insula-
tion to improve the function of heating, ventilation,
and air conditioning systems are also sustainable de-
sign techniques.
Urban planning and landscape architecture are
closely related to sustainable architecture. Cities can
be planned to discourage sprawl and encourage
walking, bicycling, and use of public transportation.
Sustainable landscape architecture designs outdoor
spaces for sustainability, including techniques such
as planting trees to shade houses, using local materi-
als, xeriscaping in arid areas, and buying stock from
local growers to reduce transportation energy costs.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design An
important milestone in sustainable architecture
came in 1998, when the U.S. Green Building Coun-
cil, a nonprofit dedicated to encouraging the build-
ing industry to shift toward sustainability, estab-
lished Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED) certification. LEED provides a pub-
licly reviewed suite of standards for environmentally
sustainable construction.
LEED began its development in 1994, when Rob-
ert K. Watson, the senior scientist of the Natural Re-
sources Defense Council (NRDC), founded a com-
mittee to develop a standard for new construction.
LEED evolved into six interrelated standards for all
phases of the development and construction pro-
cess. Buildings can qualify for four levels of certifica-
tion, depending on the percentage of standards met.
Other Types of Sustainable Design Another major
application of sustainable design principles is in sus-
tainable graphic design. Designers consider the im-
pact of all parts of the design chain, from raw mate-
rial to disposal. Methods include using recycled and
biodegradable materials, reducing overall materials
use, replacing the end product with a digital form
when possible, designing the end product to be recy-
clable or biodegradable, and using low-volatile or-
ganic compound inks. Appliances and disposable
products can also be designed with sustainability
principles in mind, by using recycled materials and
designing the product to be recyclable or biodegrad-
able.
Sustainable technologies generally use fewer
limited resources, less energy, and can be used or
reused at the end of their useful life. Sustainable
technology is often, but not always, the same as ap-
propriate technology, which advocates the use of the
most appropriate technology for the situation. Eco-
nomically, sustainable design can reduce both short-
term and long-term costs by minimizing waste.
Impact The sustainable design movement of the
1990’s created widespread philosophical changes
in various design fields, particularly architecture,
graphic design, and disposable products. McDon-
ough and Braungart’s Hannover Principles were
particularly influential in shaping the philosophical
and practical principles behind sustainable design,
and LEED certification provided concrete standards
and a goal for architects to achieve in designing
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