ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN ARCHITECTURE

This article examines environmental sustainability in architecture not as a matter of energy efficiency alone, but in relation to a building’s entire life cycle, its material choices, use of water and land resources, indoor environmental quality, and urban context. A building’s environmental impact is strongly shaped by decisions made during the earliest design stages: site selection, massing, orientation, solar shading, daylighting, and natural ventilation can reduce operational energy demand. At the same time, improving operational efficiency should not obscure embodied energy and embodied carbon associated with materials and construction. Life cycle assessment (LCA) provides a framework for considering these interdependencies. The article argues that no single “green” criterion is sufficient for defining sustainability; instead, a comprehensive approach is needed that responds to climate, functional requirements, user needs, and local resource conditions.