Sustainability is not a list of do’s and don’ts about materials, site development and building systems; instead it acts as a set of values that inform a holistic design philosophy. It concentrates on finding processes that exhibit efficiency and diversity analogous to those found in natural systems. Creating design solutions that are responsive, self-regulating and quantifiable speaks clearly to both the users and public about the role that buildings play in our social and ecological fabric. Truly sustainable design creates a balance—a triple bottom line of performance that increases social, economic and environmental vitality, resulting in spaces and places that are pedagogical to those who interact with them.

At BNIM Architects, we believe that we have a responsibility to act as stewards of the environment as we design for communities and buildings regardless of the project size, type or location. For the last two decades we have been leaders in the movement to reduce the impact that the built environment has on the natural environment through our key roles in the creation of the AIA Committee on the Environment and our early involvement with the US Green Building Council by helping to create the LEED® rating system.

Sustainable Design is an ethic that permeates all of our projects, not just those that have been labeled ‘green.’ In fact, we prefer solutions that are more than merely ‘sustainable’ but that are restorative and result in designs that increase the vitality, design meaning and health of people and the environment. Every project is committed to minimizing the consumption of resources, reducing waste and pollution and restoring natural systems. We believe that each work of architecture should embrace its cultural and community context, while respecting the natural pretext, ecology and climate of the place.