Education is the Passport to a Sustainable Future

     "...Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today..."
El Hajj Malik El Shabazz
     As I walked through the hallowed halls of my former high school, I could remember the school the way it was many years before while appreciating the changes that had recently been made. The new addition  to the former-elementary-school-turned-high school changed the look completely from the way it was when I attended. For years, there was talk of building a new school but the outcome was an addition to the existing building. The final choice was a green option, renovation - one that is a favorite of mine.
     The International Building Code defines an Educational Facility as "one with six or more occupants for educational purposes through the twelfth grade." Day Care centers that provide educational supervision or personal care services for five or more children over 2 1/2 years of age are included in this definition.

     Opening an Educational Facility? If so, why not make it green? Own an existing facility or accessory educational space in a facility (classroom in a church)? Change its color to green. Over the past year, I have discussed with current and potential clients educational projects that have include classrooms in churches, daycare centers as well as institutions of higher learning. I was pleased to see the interest in not only green, but LEED Certified facilities.

     "...Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance..." 

Will Durant
     In the past, many of these facilities were built without the environment in mind. Now that we understand the negative affects, and we know how to reverse them, let's seek to change past practices. Philadelphia is rich with educational facilities - daycare centers, public and private schools. These facilities should be built using sustainable practices and the students should learn about the environment and green living. 
     Educating Green is a passport to a sustainable future.

Greenie Tips for Schools:
-Recycling - "Every building in Philadelphia is required by law to recycle...". Some are not participating in this practice - I have seen it with my own eyes.
http://www.keepphiladelphiabeautiful.org/schoolrecycling.html
-Education - All schools should make it a common practice to teach children about the practices of recycling and waste reduction. Urban Aesthetics is partnering with Naturally Neat in a volunteer effort to teach children about recycling. and green practices. 

-Build and Renovate Green - Implement sustainable design practices in the planning of your facility. Contact Urban Aesthetics for LEED Certification, design and planning. 


Phone: 215-776-8795
Email: info@urbanaestheticsdesigns.com

Light of The World

"...And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness..." 

God created light, NATURAL LIGHT. We all love light. However, most of our love affair is with unnatural light. But just as God separated the light from darkness, sometimes we should do the same thing. We need to separate ourselves from unnatural lighting. What am I referring to? Conservation. Energy. Turn the lights off, people, conserve energy. Use energy efficient bulbs, save energy. Save energy = save money. Save Energy = help the planet. It's just that simple.

What are other ways to conserve energy in planning your church facility?

Greenie Tips: 

Lighting:

• Build your facility letting in natural light, have the natural light designed based on the proper solar orientation and specific to target locations.
• Add a clerestory to allow additional light to enter. A clerestory is a high wall with a band of narrow windows along the very top. The clerestory wall usually rises above adjoining roofs.                                       

• For existing buildings, your light choices may be limited but don't rule out adding sky lights.

• Design rooms with motion sensor lighting.

"...He causes the clouds to rise over the whole earth. He sends the lightning with the rain and releases the wind from his storehouses..." Psalms 135:7

Energy:

The weather affects energy usage. Energy usage affects costs. Energy usage affects the environment. Your facility can be designed to accommodate these conditions and conserve energy. Upcoming legislation will have a drastic affect on energy usage and costs. 

This legislation will impact the operations of your church facility.

Deregulation is coming. Deregulation will allow consumers competition among energy suppliers and customers will be able to choose their own energy suppliers. Competition will provide the opportunity for lower prices and energy choices from socially responsible suppliers.

Energy Saving Tips: 

• The structure should be properly insulated.
• Choose a Green Roof. Green Roofs provide insulation; help reduce the size of the HVAC system and manage stormwater runoff.
• Your designer should specify an HVAC system that is energy efficient.

Contact Urban Aesthetics for energy efficient design choices. Our LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) consultant can help your building get LEED Certified to maximize your benefits.

Phone: 215-776-8795

Email: info@urbanaestheticsdesigns.com

http://architecture.about.com/od/structural/g/clerestory.htm

Discovering Philadelphia's Architecture

http://www.workshopoftheworld.com/center_city/reading.html
Reading Terminal Head House and Shed


The Reading Terminal (head house and train shed) located at 1115-1141 Market Street has connected Philadelphia and its visitors since its inception in 1893. The original builder for this architectural masterpiece was Charles McCaul. The train shed, one of a kind in size and engineering, served as a transportation connection point for daily commuters living in and outside of Philadelphia.

After the renovations in 1995, the original purpose of the building evolved into its new purpose. Today, the building continues to serve as a connection point for citizens of Philadelphia as well as visitors from the surrounding suburbs and beyond. The Head House, preserved externally to maintain its original Italian Renaissance style, now serves as an entrance to the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Market East Train Station and the Gallery shopping Center.
The train shed now serves as part of the Convention Center and is truly elegant. Elements, such as tracks placed within the shed's flooring reveal the shed's original use while serving as a decorative element.
The sculptures by Judy Pfaff decorating the shed's ceiling offers electrical illusions, again reminding one of the feeling of the original purpose of the building along with a distinct indication of the elegance of its new use. Although left abandoned for a brief period prior to renovation, the building has been a place of activity and exploration in Philadelphia for more than 100 years.


The Reading Terminal has been on the National Register for Historic Places since 1972. Historical Preservation and Renovation are Green and Sustainable design choices.

I LOVE Philadelphia, Espescially the Architecture

I love Philadelphia. I love architecture. I love people. I especially love Philadelphia's architecture. I also love to breathe. When you love something, you dedicate yourself and your work to making it better. In college, I combined these loves as I studied sustainable architecture, urban planning and worked and did an internship with the Clean Air Council in an effort to help people and the environment.

As with many first loves, we leave them but if it's true love, we always return. I left Philadelphia for a season. I returned and I will probably never leave again. As the rap artist Mos Def says in his song Brooklyn, "I love my city, sweet & gritty..." That's me!

Another first love is the environment. I have been an environmental advocate for more than 15 years and I have dedicated my studies, work and practices toward design and sustainability. At times I have wavered but the mindset has always been here. I have so much pride in seeing the efforts that are now promoted towards sustainable design.

I continue to have pride in my city. I am happy to see all the positive changes taken place in Philadelphia. I love the Greenworks plan and the city's efforts towards the environment. My company's mission is to help change the aesthetics of blighted urban communities through providing quality and sustainable design solutions, building planning and efficient construction services. My 2010 goals include helping Philadelphia become the greenest city in the nation.

I had even more happiness today when I read about the new LEED Law.http://whyy.org/cms/news/regional-news/2010/01/19/philadelphia-mayor-signs-energy-efficiency-law/28265
I am happy to see that the city has again stepped up its efforts towards being even more green and sustainable. Felicia Middleton and Urban Aesthetics is dedicated to the cause.
We are a W/MBE certified business offering green design and permit services. We have a professional LEED consultant to help you get your building certified. We offer green design and we are a committed green business in practices and services.

Phone: 215-776-8795
info@urbanaestheticsdesigns.com
http://urbanaestheticsdesigns.com/

Green Stewards

"...O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all..." Psalm 104:24.


In church we celebrate God's creation and we give Him praises for his marvelous works. How important is it that His house does the same. Wisdom can guide you towards making your church building project more sustainable. All over the United states, individuals, businesses, government facilities and organizations are integrating sustainable practices and building green. Why not do the same for your church building project?

Choosing to remodel an existing building can save energy, money and time. When choosing an existing building, an additional sustainable practice is to select a building that has recently been used for the same purpose. This practice not only saves the environment but it helps to save time in possible zoning issues.

Green Choices For Renovating an Existing Facility.

• Choose energy efficient lighting.
• Choose environmentally friendly flooring (tile, carpeting).
• Use energy efficient windows and doors.
• Choose environmentally friendly ceiling tiles.

Green Choices For Building a New Facility:

• To encourage carpooling and minimize the number of cars on the road allow specific parking for members who carpool.
• Use FSC Certified Wood products when building. FSC is an acronym for Forest Stewardship Council. FSC Wood is quickly renewable wood from forests with sustainable practices. (www.fscus.org).
• Install Solar Panels as a means to utilize an alternative energy source. Solar Panels can be used as a source of heat for hot water.
• Recycle Construction Waste - it will be helpful for another organization's building project.
• Keep current and future members who don't drive in mind. Locate your facility near public transit or in a safe area to walk.

"...There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number - living things both large and small..." Psalm 104:25.

"...How awesome are your deeds!" Psalm 66:3.

Yes, God's deeds are awesome and a good steward protects His creation. As a good steward, choose to build green, choose to renovate and remodel in a sustainable manner. Contact Urban Aesthetics, LLC for help with your sustainable project. 

Phone: 215-776-8795

Email: info@urbanaestheticsdesigns.com

Website: www.urbanaestheticsdesigns.com

Planning and Greening Church Facilities

 "If you build it, they will come..." 

This is a belief of many church officials, believing that a new facility will draw members.

In the Holy Bible, Psalms 127:1 states: "...Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain..."
The church facility should accommodate God's people while He draws them in. Building is not always the right choice.

Although buildings are my first love, and some new structures are masterpieces, sometimes building should be a second, even third choice. Building new facilities are not the only answer. Many church officials must learn when NOT to build a new facility. Planning is key.

GREEN FACTS:

Buildings consume more than 40% ($359 billion dollars per year) of our nation's energy. 

Renovating an existing building along with reusing materials is a more sustainable way to build. 
Building new construction takes away open land that can be used for green space. Providing green space offers the opportunity for additional greenery that can add oxygen to the atmosphere while cutting back on storm water runoff.
"Stormwater can pick up debris, chemicals, dirt and other pollutants and flow into a storm sewer system or directly into a lake, stream, river, wetland or coastal water. Anything that enters a storm sewer system is discharged untreated into the waterbodies we use for swimming, fishing and providing drinking water..."
(http://www.epa.gov/weatherchannel/stormwater.html#solution).


Following are a few tips to guide you in planning your church building project:

-Create Building Committee and familiarize the members with recent practices in building.            
*Green Alternative: Choose energy efficiency, green design and renovation as your building project choices.

-Utilize a Commercial Real Estate Agent familiar with the area where you are planning your facility. 
*Green Alternative: Choose a Real Estate Agent Designated by the National Association of Realtors as a Green Real Estate Agent
(http://www.greenresourcecouncil.org/green_business_network.cfm).
-Choose a Design Consultant.
*Green Alternative: Choose a design consultant with a knowledge of green design practices. Urban Aesthetics provides green design, LEED AP design and green consulting services. (http://urbanaestheticsdesigns.com/).
-Choose to conserve energy when renovating. This can save money as well as energy.
*Green Alternative: Choose an energy consultant to help you plan alternatives to save energy usage and money. (http://www.1wp.com/go/Topqualityhsi/).

Proper planning in building projects lessens headaches and saves time and money. Gaining a knowledge of Zoning Issues and laws as well as permit requirements for the municipality is an important step that should be taken PRIOR to purchasing a building. 

Contact Urban Aesthetics, LLC to help you plan and build your future project. 
Phone: 215-776-8795. 
Email: info@urbanaestheticsdesigns.com. 
Website: www.urbanaestheticsdesigns.com.

Field Of Dreams, 1989. Phil Alden Robinson.

Holy SustainAbility!

Happy New Year and Happy New Decade! As we enter into a new year and a new decade we will focus on providing ways to green various types of facilities and organizations. The challenges may be difficult and the practices different but the opportunity exists and the benefits are plentiful. We will focus on a different type of facility each month, providing sustainable design information and Greenie Tips.


Traveling various places daily, I often evaluate the buildings that I enter and imagine greener operations and facilities. Many organizations do not give sustainability a chance, they dismiss the opportunity as if it is not useful or applicable. I am happy that more and more organizations are implementing green practices and in 2010, I will be happy to help add to that list. Organizations I have observed include (but are not limited to) schools, stores, offices, small businesses and also churches. Having designed churches and church facilities throughout my career, I will enjoy the discussing greening church facilities throughout January.


A church leader may wonder why should we be green? How does this benefit the ministry? To these questions I answer: green practices are another way of giving praise to God, we are showing our appreciation for His creation. 
Psalms 24:1-2 states that "...the earth is the Lord's, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. For he laid the earth's foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths..." 
Nehemiah 9: 6 states: "...You alone are the Lord. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels of heaven worship you.."
Knowing this, as a Christian, I am PROUD TO BE A GREENIE.
How can a church be greener? Following are easy Greenie Tips to help you begin:

• Create a recycling/waste reduction team.
• Encourage the use of email and social networking sites for event promotion as opposed to passing out flyers.
• Remodel using furniture donated from other facilities
• Monitor and reduce energy use by installing programmable thermostats and using energy efficient light bulbs.
• Renovate instead of building.
• Create a church carpooling program to reduce the number of cars on the road.

If you are a part of a church community and would like to be more socially responsible, contact Urban Aesthetics, LLC. Urban Aesthetics will help you create green practices and green design solutions for your church facility.

Contact us at 215-776-8795 or email us at: info@urbanaestheticsdesigns.com for more information.

New Living Translation (©2007) http://bible.cc/psalms/24-2.htm