Towards Sustainable Environment: Green Buildings and Renewable Energy Options Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - On learning from the past to plan the future

摘要

Man has been given that wonderful gift of vision. Ironically speaking, however, it is exactly this power of vision that does not permit him to see! Because nearly everything we perceive is by way of vision, the many other hidden dimensions of our surroundings are pushed aside, and play a very secondary role. This is also the case in our understanding and appreciation of the man-made environment of the past. We appreciate its pictorial value without understanding about the many other lessons it can teach us. But it is not enough to appreciate its value in a romantic way only. Ιt is vital to understand its importance from every point of view, to learn from all the why's it has to teach us. This is even more important from the sustainability point of view. In the past limited means had to be made up by an unlimited use of brains and common sense. Nowadays, however, unlimited means lead to a limited use of brains and common sense. Examples from past and present will be used to illustrate a more sound approach to sustainable design.