Desert Vernacular: Green Building and Ecological Design in Scottsdale, Arizona - Design with the Desert: Conservation and Sustainable Development - page 486

objectives of most green building initiatives including the Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED) building certification program. Green building as defined
by the Scottsdale Green Building Program is
a whole-systems approach through design and building techniques to minimize envi-
ronmental impact and reduce the energy consumption of buildings while contributing
to the health of its occupants. 2
The design of green buildings encompasses a range of design features from passive
building design principles (e.g., orientation, massing, and shading) to active building
systems (e.g., mechanical ventilation, automated lighting controls, dynamic glazing).
The degree to which the environmental features are revealed in a building's esthetic is
determined by the building envelope and its interface with site, climate and the context of
place, both ecologically and culturally.
Architectural history depicts a dichotomy ranging from the romantic “primitive hut”
to the autonomous living machine. There are numerous examples and approaches that
demonstrate integration, harmony, and the dichotomy of buildings in their “natural”
setting (Figure 28.1). Over the ages, desert regions have historically demonstrated a certain
vernacular approach. Unique building characteristics have evolved as a result of regional
climatic and geographic conditions.
Over the past 30 years, the city of Scottsdale has strived to develop a unique Sonoran
Desert urban vernacular character, which reflects the lifestyle and values of the com-
munity. During the 1970s a Development Review Board was established to address the
design of buildings reflecting the context of the local site and place. However, the review
and approval of projects often led to inconsistent design outcomes. With the advent of the
Scottsdale's Sensitive Design Program in the mid-1990s and the establishment of the Green
Building Program in 1998, the city has made significant strides in developing environmen-
tally sensitive design criteria that respond to the bioclimatic conditions of the Sonoran
Desert region (see Chapter 27).
FIGURE 28.1
This courtyard house in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, is based on a historical tradition of interior outdoor
living spaces that allows for cross ventilation, daylighting of interiors, and shading and cooling from the evapo-
rative cooling effect of water fountains and the evapo-transpiration of vegetation.