Power to the people : a framework for enhancing environmental stewardship through community design

Abstract

The actions and activities of average Americans contribute greatly to global warming, fossil fuel consumption, natural resource depletion, and other environmentally-related threats to humankind. Currently, the negative impacts of these actions are most commonly addressed through "green" design strategies that utilize largely technological solutions to increase the resource efficiency of the built environment. However, "green" design as currently comprised is insufficient; while it effectively reduces the amount of resources consumed in households, it fails to address the wasteful and inefficient actions of the building occupants themselves. A number of deeply ingrained psychological and behavioral qualities contribute to the general failure of individuals to change their behaviors and become more effective environmental stewards. Such human qualities are reinforced by residential design and development patterns that disconnect people from natural systems and resources, mask the consequences of environmental neglect, and perpetuate cycles of environmental disinvestment. This thesis explores the potential of using residential design as a medium for confronting these human qualities to instill a desire and provide the ability to protect and conserve natural resources, and address other emerging environmental threats.

(cont.) After a brief introduction to the core problem at hand, the thesis explores existing approaches for mitigating the negative environmental impacts of the residential sector. The shortcomings revealed in this discussion suggest a need for an alternative approach, called "pedagogical design". It then builds the foundations for a pedagogical design framework by both examining the human qualities which underlie the failure of individuals to act as environmental stewards, and studying strategies used in academic contexts to promote environmental stewardship. Finally, it synthesizes these findings and translates them into a set of design guidelines for approaching, prioritizing, and designing residential communities through the pedagogical design lens. These guidelines form a platform on which to base further research, and comprise a design approach for enhancing people's ability and sense of duty to protect and conserve natural resources.