December 8, 2011
by: Jessica Sheridan Assoc. AIA LEED AP

The New York Times reported on Sunday that global carbon dioxide emissions took a turn for worse during 2010, rising 5.9% — the largest jump on record (See “Carbon Emissions Show Biggest Jump Ever Recorded,” by Justin Gillis, New York Times, 12.04.11). The article cited that, although the U.S. experienced a drop in emissions in 2009, at the height of the recession, they rose just over 4% during 2010, pumping 1.5 billion tons of carbon into the atmosphere last year. To say the least, after so much success in 2009, it is disappointing that we seem to be reversing course.

It is appropriate that this article was published while the President’s Theme Exhibition, “Buildings=Energy,” is on view at the Center for Architecture. The lecture series associated with the exhibition has covered different ways that architects can affect change when it comes to carbon emissions (See “The Big Apple Builds Greener by Retrofitting,” by Carl Yost; “Buildings Perform in Multiple Senses,” by Bill Millard, and “Universities Take on Sustainability Challenge,” by Linda G. Miller, all in this issue). The last of the series, Homes = Energy: What You Can Do as a Renter, will take place 01.12.12.

Now that we are supposedly coming out of the recession, architects and designers have the distinct responsibility to be proactive about sustainable practices. It is not just about tightening purse strings and finding the most creative solutions to spend less. We cannot get lazy if the focus of projects shifts elsewhere. At the end of the day, the architecture community should feel the strong blow made by the above statistics.

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