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Expanded view of sustainability highlighted at A/E/C leadership conference in Portland, OR
By Jessyca Henderson, AIA, Managing Director, Policy & Community Relations

The Design Futures Council Leadership Summit on Sustainable Design, an annual event limited to 100 executive leaders from the A/E/C industry, combines dynamic speakers from around the world and roundtable discussions aimed at re-examining leadership priorities and establishing action plans for the firms present and for the industry.

In Portland this year the summit broadened traditional definitions of sustainable design beyond the concerns of individual buildings, looking at community health, community-scale implementation of sustainability strategies, and the sustainability of the economy. Among an impressive lineup of speakers, Dr. Richard Jackson, MD Professor and Chair, Environmental Health Sciences at UCLA and host of the 4-hour PBS series Designing Healthy Communities, stole the show impressing upon the attendees the vital connections between health and the built environment.

Participant discussions underscored the need for recognition by the industry and among lawmakers of the deleterious environmental, social and economic effects of poor planning and design. Through expanding the view of sustainability, the conference participants hope to inspire and create a better community and environment for future generations.

The Design Futures Council is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank committed to exploring trends and opportunities in design, architecture, engineering, and building technology for the purpose of fostering innovation and improving the performance of member organizations.

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