Enhancing Sustainability Tool-Kits to Deliver Social Value Through Design
This webinar is part of the RAIC 2023 Conference on Architecture, now available to stream!
Topics:听Climate Justice and Resilience, Sustainability, Adaptation and Mitigation
Length:听1 hour |听What's Included:听Video, Quiz, and听Certificate of Completion
Our industry has made significant progress on reducing negative environmental impacts from the design and construction of buildings and communities. However, there is an acute need to better understand the social and wellbeing impact that the built environment has on occupants and communities, and to integrate this into the planning, design, and operations of new and existing built projects. DIALOG had pioneered this concept with the Community Wellbeing Framework published back in 2018 - a guide for design professionals on defining and evaluating the built environment鈥檚 contributions to wellbeing. Since then, our teams have applied this knowledge, along with rigorous environmental standards, to develop sustainability frameworks for organizations that go beyond environmental sustainability to incorporate design strategies that support wellbeing and environmental justice.
In this session, we will provide an overview of the state of the market of social sustainability in the built environment and highlight two case studies of custom-made frameworks that utilized this people-first approach to develop goals, key performance indicators, and design strategies that improve sustainability from a truly holistic perspective. Our first case study is a 114-acre mixed-used community that will be developed over the next 40 years. The goal of this development is to embrace connections to the rich existing natural landscape as well as leverage connections to the neighboring university to become a living lab of design strategies that can drive the long-term wellness of the community. Our second case study is a non-profit affordable seniors housing provider that understands the impact that the built environment has on the quality of life of their senior community and are eager to improve it through design and operations of their 40+ buildings.
Learning Objectives:
By the completion of this session, participants will be able to:
- Define social sustainability as it relates to the built environment
- Explain the state of the market on social sustainability and identify key resources
- Identify design strategies that can improve the health and wellbeing of communities
- Create measurable goals and performance indicators related to social sustainability for their projects
Subject Matter Expert:
Mr. Michael Mousa
B.A.Sc, LEED GA
Sustainability Consultant, DIALOG
Michael Mousa has been delivering consulting services on significant sustainable development projects for six years. He is a Sustainability Consultant at DIALOG, an integrated design practice where planners, architects, engineers, and designers collaborate to create some of Canada鈥檚 greenest buildings and communities. He uses his engineering background and in-depth understanding of sustainable building and infrastructure practices to bring sustainable developments and frameworks to implementation. Michael鈥檚 work spans across multiple sectors and project types, where he works to amplify the importance of health and wellbeing of communities being served by development projects, in addition to implementing rigorous climate action goals. Recently, Michael was awarded the national Emerging Green Leader Award by the Canada Green Building Council, recognizing his devotion to and leadership in the industry. Michael also serves as a Steering Committee Member with the Carbon Leadership Forum Toronto, an advocacy group with a mission to empower industry professionals to radically reduce embodied carbon.
Mr. Charles Marshall
PEng, LEED庐 AP BD+C, Fitwel Amb, MBA, BSc
Engineer, Partner, DIALOG
Charles has over 15 years of experience as a project leader and sustainable design professional, assisting building owners, developers, and designers to set strategies and realize their goals for sustainable development and GHG reduction. He is a Partner at DIALOG, an integrated design practice where planners, architects, engineers, and designers collaborate to create some of Canada鈥檚 greenest buildings and communities. With a background in mechanical engineering he always has a foot planted in technical details while encouraging project teams to strive for the highest level of sustainable performance. Charles takes a holistic view of sustainability including health of people, communities as a whole, and the environment. He believes sustainability means creating communities and spaces that increase equity and are assets for all. He is a Licensed Engineer in the province of Ontario and a LEED庐 Accredited Professional with a specialty in Building Design and Construction. Charles is adept in facilitating the Integrated Design Process, working with project teams to set targets for energy performance, ecological impact, and contribution to health and wellness.