Basic Green Building Design: Reconnecting Sustainability to the Vernacular

摘要

Ever since the 1980s, Chinese architects have regarded Western contemporary architecture as their reference point. Rather than engaging with the vernacular, they have been focusing on whether their works fulfil Western technical standards and aesthetics. The same applies to the development of sustainable architecture. To a large degree, before 2006, green building in China equalled the LEED certification in the US. In 2006, China established the National Evaluation Standard for Green Building with reference to Western standards. Despite this, few of the country's architects actively use green elements during the creative process; instead, they have technicians carry out the indicator calculations after the design is completed. So, does the future of Chinese green building lie merely in Western technical standards? Is 'green building' limited to the sense of criteria and indicators?