What is sustainability and what does this look like in architecture? 

Sustainability is meeting our own needs without compromising the needs of future generations, natural, social, or economic resources.

It is a well-known fact that buildings use a wide range of resources that create tons of waste every year, as well as release various emissions that release into the atmosphere. 

So how can we come together to do our part?

• Make sure you are using the classic principles of “reduce, reuse, recycle”. 
• Use reclaimed or local materials.
• Repurpose already existing structures. Think about reusing old or historic buildings gives it purpose and life again. It preserves the materials and resources, as well as the cultural importance. 
• Be conscious of the land around your building site; trees, plants, water, wildlife.
• Use solar panels, LED lighting, natural light, and green roofs when you can.
• Try using steel when possible. Steel is becoming one of the most efficient, sustainable, and most cost-effective materials to use. 
• Preserve your surrounding vegetation, this in turn will help preserve the plant and animal species that are there as well as help with the look and feel.
• Have your architect use passive design — this involves the strategic placement of a building on its site. The design uses renewable, natural resources such as the sun, wind, and shade. A passive design can help with ventilation as well as the use of minimal to no HVAC system.

Fidei believes in sustainability…here’s how we show it:

• We stress the concept of a well-insulated building envelope. This keeps heating & cooling costs down and reduces energy consumption. Some strategies are: specifying windows with high R-values, using insulated sheathing (in addition to cavity insulation), providing thermal breaks wherever possible, and addressing areas of possible air infiltration/cold spots.
• We specify for Cradle to Cradle Lifecycle products. These are ecologically responsible in all facets (from harvesting to production to installation to use and waste.)
• We have material representatives come and pick up unused samples so that they can be reused taking any unwanted samples if not needed. 
• The entire staff uses aggressive strategies for recycling and reducing waste.
• When Marc and Shannon Benedict recently built their home, they were very intentional about how many trees they cut down and the overall impact on the site. The home also used several other passive design strategies.

In 2019 Fidei was featured in Columbus Monthly for their Green Design: