Sustainable Thinking @PLA 2012

Sustainable Thinking Passageway to Better Buildings, Budgets & Beyond

Rebekkah Smith Aldrich Coordinator for Library

Growth & Sustainability

Louise Schaper (So much more than a) Library Consultant

Jeffrey Scherer Architect Extraordinaire

Susan Benton Urban Libraries Council

WHAT

IS

SUSTAINABILITY?

By Anthony Burrill

“Most people are more comfortable with old

problems than with new solutions.“

www.louiseschaper.com [email protected]

The Daily Green: Is It Possible?

The Daily Green: Is It Possible? Louise Schaper | March 16, 2012

if your library’s daily green is...

o recycling

o double-sided printing

o managing the thermostat

and you think...

Books repurposed as a Christmas tree


your library’s daily green can be more...

o healthier indoor air quality

o lower energy and water bills

o healthier food

o zero or reduced waste

o reduced supply costs

o competitive advantage


if U.S. public libraries…

Appaloosa Branch Library, Scottsdale, AZTimmerman Photography

reduced their energy use by just 10%

total savings = $32,000,000 year

story.


one thing I knew back then...

it’s more.

it’s a way of thinking that inspires.

it’s an inspiration that becomes embedded in organizational culture.

it’s an organizational culture that drives measurable actions.

it’s daily action that reaps continual bottom line and beyond returns.

here’s what I did (and should have).


getting to the daily green in...

1. people–unleash the energy

2. purpose–commit and embed

3. process–let it roll

3 simple steps

people.


people

1. nurture 2. unleash 3. educate 4. partner

personality harvest

what works

positioned

to influence

think out of the

box

key roles

recycle and

reuse ideas

share

progress

competitive

advantage

resources new ideas

programs.,

tours,

resources

win-win

external

roles

disciplined

speakers

bureau

for profits, govt,

non-profits

participation vendors

purpose.


purpose

deeply embed sustainable thinking...

R. Al and S. House: “Going Green in North

American Public Libraries: A Critical Snapshot of

Policy and Practice, “ IFLA Conference, 2010.

work wash it in

o mission & vision

o values

o goals/objectives

o standards and expectations

o policies

o job descriptions

“…there is an exciting emergent library discourse on “green” policy and actions.

However: (1) public libraries are implementing “green” measures at the service and

programming levels, but not yet encoding a green ethic in official institutional

language; and, (2) library associations are generally remiss in addressing environmental

responsibility in any form or manner in their policies.”


purpose

U. of California-Merced’s Triple Zero Commitment

1. To consume zero net energy

2. To produce zero landfill waste

3. To produce zero net carbon emissions

OUR EMPLOYEE VALUES STATEMENT (PART OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN)

Weatourlibraryvalue:

· Excellentcustomerservice

· Openandrespectfulaccesstoall· Diversity,intellectualfreedom,andpersonalprivacy· Collaborationwithlocalagenciesandorganizations

· Effectiveandefficientstewardshipoflibraryresources· Stafffortheirinitiative,flexibility,andteamwork.

http://sustainability.ucmerced.edu


purpose

The National Library of New Zealand

Sustainability Policy

The National Library recognizes that providing our services

consumes resources that have adverse impacts on the

environment. Sustainability is one of our core principles.

Accordingly, we have adopted a sustainability policy

through which we aim to provide leadership in sustainable

performance in New Zealand.


purpose – policies

Mesa County Libraries Purchasing Policy

PURCHASING POLICY

ENVIRONMENTAL (GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE) PREFERENCE

“Buy Green. Buy Local. Buy Less.” Our Library District supports

and promotes recycled content and environmentally preferred

products in order to minimize negative environmental impacts. The

District will purchase recycled content and environmentally preferable

products unless such products do not perform satisfactorily and/or are

unreasonably expensive.


purpose

“Omega holds sustainability as one of its

core values. We consider the impact of our

actions, advocate for fairness in the

treatment of all living things, and make

decisions for the common good. Our

facilities are managed with an acute

awareness of our relationship to the

environment, and we endeavor to do our

best to serve as stewards of our unique

and irreplaceable Earth and everyone who

inhabits it.”

Omega Institute website: http://www.eomega.org/omega/omegaliving/6/


purpose – goals & objectives

City of Philadelphia: Greenworks

o reduce vulnerability to rising energy costs

o reduce city building energy consumption by 10%

o increase tree coverage toward 30% in all neighborhoods by 2025

o divert 70% of solid waste from landfill

o bring local food within 10 miles of 75% of residents

o create competitive advantage from sustainability

o is greenest city in America

photo: http://www.dvgbc.org


purpose – measure

o goal

o baseline

o current status

o share & celebrate

…it changes behavior

process.


process

much of what we do in

our daily operations is

habit.


process

o energy use

o lighting

o building/landscape maintenance

o janitorial

o food and café

o procurement

o transportation

o water consumption

o paper consumption

o education and engagement

ca

teg

orie

s o sustainable site

o water efficiency

o energy and atmosphere

o materials and resources

o indoor environmental

quality

o innovation in operations


process

start with

energy


process

This is a REGULAR janitorial closet

This is a GREEN janitorial closet


process

o throw away dishes and cups

o bottled water

o junk food

food at events

o real or recycled dishes and cups

o filtered water

o healthy food

o support of local farmers

o compost, community garden


King County Library System’s solar lit bookmobiles

Alternative vehicles

process

transportation

o bike racks

o bus route

o preferred parking

o bike loan program for customers

o hybrid or electric library vehicles

o solar lit library vehicles

o charging stations

Harvard University’s Law School Library’s bike share

Bike share program


process

consumption

o recyclable library cards or none

o reusable bags

o reduced printing & duplex

o reused packaging

o newsletter apps and email

o reuse furniture

o buy green

http://www.oclc.org/research/publications/library/2010/2010-07.pdf

Central Library, Delft University of Technology





daily green.


daily green

...it happens with engaged

people, clearly articulated

purpose (and measures) and

thoughtful (habit changing)

processes

…it happens by creating a

culture of sustainability

www.louiseschaper.com [email protected]

Jeffrey Scherer, FAIA. Principal, MS&R A founding principal of Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle, Ltd. (MS&R), Jeff leads

MS&R’s commercial and library design practices. He has more than 100

public, academic, and private libraries to his credit.

nanoDecisions

Sustainable Architecture The Social Compact to Create Positive Chain Reactions

Conversation is the natural

way we humans think

together. If our words mean

something different to each

other, we are not conversing

but simply passing in the dark

along separate roads and

destined for different places.

Conversation

dichotomy of our culture...

Libraries $12.5B ($35/C)

Madison Wisconsin Public Library Forum

equity service

behavior

money

Body

Mind Spirit

A COMPLETE HISTORY OF EVERYONE

Zoe Strauss

Because praying won’t help

Headache # 1

“Money makes the

world go around.”

The gods will always promise: believe in us and we will deliver you to a better, faster, cheaper and happier place

Economic

environmental

social cultural

4 Cardinal Points » Economic Performance: Where cost can be found to

provide measurable functional and use or utility benefits

» Social Performance: Where community and shared or political process benefits can be measured

» Environmental Performance: Where minimal environmental impact (ideally measurable environmental benefits) can be found

» Cultural Performance: Where aesthetic, ethical and other cultural meanings can accrue

minimumSizematters

Madison Wisconsin Public Library Forum

Sustainability is more than a green (slogan) building

Trust Pride

CONTEXT

64

IDENTITY DAYLIGHT / VIEWS DELIGHT COMMUNITY FLEXIBILITY SUSTAINABILITY

PLAN DIAGRAM

67 EARLY STUDIES

COURTYARD PROGRAM PORCH VIEWS

EARLY STUDIES

VOLUME WATER DAYLIGHT SHADE

ARIEL VIEW (DURING CONSTRUCTION)

IDENTITY

IDENTITY

IDENTITY

DAYLIGHT & VIEWS

DAYLIGHT & VIEWS

DELIGHT

DELIGHT

COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY

FLEXIBILITY

SUSTAINABILITY

249,273,533

$81,000 / day

$29M / year

service for 700,000 people

Where do you belong?

“Local governments and

public libraries are

emerging as powerful

partners in building

strong, sustainable

communities.”

http://www.urbanlibraries.org/

Sustainability Leadership

Phase I: Making the Case for Change • Collaboration & Influencing

• Change Leadership

Phase 2: Translating Vision into Action

Phase 3: Expanding Boundaries

The Change Leadership Sustainability Demands MIT Sloan Management Review | Summer 2012

“What is required for

libraries to remain

relevant is to think

outside of the box, to

re-imagine the

traditional idea of

what a library is. ”

“The map has

been replaced by the

compass.”

-Seth Godin

SUSTAINABLE

THINKING.

Facebook.com/SustainableLibraries