The Environmental Brief: Pathways for Green Design

The built environment is responsible for an estimated 45% of all green house gas emissions. It is during the design process where decisions are made and which can have the greatest influence on the reduction of the impact of the built environment. The architectural brief is seen by architects as the most crucial part of the entire design process in terms of achieving high quality buildings. Environmental design strategies are often considered as being of lesser importance. In this important new book, the authors argue that the use of an environment brief to drive building design is extremely effective in producing high environmental performance. It is part of the process of continual improvement that will lead to building design approaching sustainability. The contents are presented in three parts: theoretical issues of environmental briefing; the briefing method and process and a series of international case studies.

Richard Hyde is an Associate Professor and Director of the Centre for Sustainable Design at the University of Queensland, Australia. He is a practising architect and teaches interdisciplinary courses in the field of sustainable design.

Steve Watson is a Research Scholar at the Centre for Sustainable Design at the University of Queensland. He is an Environmental Consultant for TVS Partnership in Brisbane, Australia.

Wendy Cheshire is Director of Hamilton Hayes Henderson Architects, Southport, Queensland, Australia.

Mark Thomson is Director of TVS Partnership, Brisbane, and is an active board member of the Centre for Sustainable Design, The University of Queensland, Australia.