The motor hums as the boat glides through a totora reed passageway to the floating islands of Lake Titicaca.  The Uros people have been living on islands constructed of dried totora reed for thousands of years, yet have also experienced a close relationship to the modernizing landscape around them.  From the floating islands one can still easily see the port town of Puno, complete with dirty streets and fossil fuel emissions.  In contrast, the immediate surroundings are built with carbon-negative materials, are 100% solar powered, and exist in harmony with the dynamic equilibrium of nature.

The green building movement is all too familiar with building codes.  Sometimes they are useful tools, like California’s Title 24, which has pushed developers and architecture/engineering/construction (AEC) professionals to go above and beyond the industry standard for energy efficiency.  However, these typically prescriptive measures can be overly complex and inhibit the growth of innovative solutions.

A good example is that building code requires water pipes to be connected to waterless urinals just in case the building owner decides to change them back into conventional urinals.  In other words, the building code states that extra money needs to be spent so that one can decide to take back green progress at a later date.  Strict regulations regarding cistern water capture and on-site grey water reuse serve as another example.  These codes exist to keep building occupants safe, but the prescriptive measures can inhibit creativity and the adoption of “modern” technology.

The argument against the obsession with efficiency

One of the most prevalent words in recent conversation has been efficiency.  Simply put, efficiency can be understood as the ability to accomplish more output with less input.  Seems like a good goal, but unfortunately it can be an illusion.  The root of the false impression is that efficiency means nothing unless it is within the context of a system.  For instance, an efficient eater would not be a good person with whom to share a meal. 

People in the green building movement have practically made efficiency a mantra.  “Efficiency first” is a rallying cry.  On the surface it makes sense to spend a little to save a lot.  However, few stop to ask if efficiency can lead to a shift in how energy is produced or if it will simply become an excuse to prolong burning toxic materials in remote locations so we can work and play far away from the people and places this system impacts.  An addict is still an addict if they use less to get higher.