RIBA Bookshops

Howard Liddell

Howard is Director of Gaia Architects and a founding partner of Gaia Planning. Recognised as one of the leading ecological design architects in Europe, his distinguished career has included chairing the RIBA’s environment group, being sustainability spokesperson for the RIAS and advising the Scottish Executive. His expertise in building biology, ecological design, sustainable development, masterplanning and community architecture ranges from practice to research,
and teaching and training to facilitation. He holds the first and currently only A* award in sustainable design for his innovative application of sustainable development
principles in the built environment.

Reviewed by Adrian Cave, Principal, Adrian Cave Associates.

This compact little book practises what it preaches, using the minimum number of words and resources to convey important ideas about sustainable design. The author, who is recognised as one of the leading ecological design architects in Europe, with expertise in building biology, ecological design, sustainable development, masterplanning and community architecture begins by refuting many common assumptions about sustainable design. This will make uncomfortable reading for many architects by demonstrating the irrelevance of much current practice. Eco-minimalism is presented as the antidote to the 'greenwash' of eco-bling and emphasises that to build energy-efficient, ecologically benign and sustainable buildings is complex, involving a set of interdependent factors influenced by little-understood science.

With references back to Schumacher and Intermediate Technology, and using illustrations from many of the author's own buildings, this publication sets out the principles for ecological design using the broad headings of the Elements: Fire, Air, Earth and Water. The author urges designers to trade off the higher price of certain sustainable materials by moving towards passive design and away from highly serviced buildings, concluding "Let's say it again - it does not need to cost more".