Sustainable design often requires a balancing of qualitative and quantitative agendas. We see strategies for daylighting, energy reduction, and land conservation as ways to design better buildings that are more integrated with the landscape, more sensitive to human comfort, and more responsive to seasonal changes. In addition to conserving energy, we prioritize designing the flexibility, maximizing space, and protecting ecologies.
We believe that the most sustainable way to build is through well-made buildings that are beautiful, function well, and are easy to maintain. These buildings have a natural longevity and value. VJAA has LEED accredited staff and experience providing services to direct and support the LEED certification process.
VJAA has been recognized for its work on innovative and responsive environmental projects and has completed a number of projects that focus on sustainability as a core part of their design. Both in 2008 and 2009, VJAA projects received AIA/COTE Top Ten Green Building Awards. Current and recent sustainable design projects include Tulane University Center, the Hostler Student Center at the American University of Beirut, a mixed-use housing project in Boston and the Cable Natural History Museum. In all of these projects, we have integrated sustainable design thinking into the early conceptual stages of the project. This ensures that sustainable design does not become an additional complexity but a part of the architectural expression of each project.