It's a challenging challenge - and seems to be a necessary one. Ed Mazria of Architecture 2030, a New Mexico-based nonprofit organization, has the goal of changing the fact that: The building sector is responsible for half of all greenhouse gas emisionss. How to do it? Through information and changing architecture programs at universities to prioritize design elements to help reverse this pattern. According to Mazria, the building sector must become carbon neutral and do so by 2030 to avoid catastrophic climate change.

In a WorldChange interview, Mazria was asked for clarification of the building sector's responsibility for half of all greenhouse gas emissions. The exchange follows.

"GM: When you say that the building sector is responsible for half of all greenhouse gas emissions, though, do you mean that in a direct or an indirect sense? Because surely houses aren't just sitting there emitting carbon dioxide all day - it's the power plants that those houses are connected to.

Mazria: It's direct. The number is actually 48% of total US energy consumption that can be attributed to the building sector, most of which - 40% of total consumption - can be attributed just to building operations. That's heating, lighting, cooling, and hot water. There are others - running pumps and things like that. But 40% of total US energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed just to building operations.

GM: What's the other 8%?

Mazria: The other 8% is greenhouse gas emissions released in producing the materials for buildings - materials that architects can specify - as well as during the construction process itself.

But the major part, you see - 40% - is design. Every time we design a building, we set up its energy consumption pattern and its greenhouse gas emissions pattern for the next 50-100 years. That's why the building sector and the architecture sector is so critical. It takes a long time to turn over - whereas the transportation sector, on wheels, in this country, turns over once every twelve years."

Within the 2030 Challenge is the 2010 Imperative. In the WorldChange interview, Mazria also stated, "...ecological literacy (must) become a central tenet of design education" ...and..."a major transformation of the academic design community must begin today." The No. 1 rated school taking steps in this direction, according to Mazria, is Cal Polytech in San Luis Obispo (AIA COTE). Mazria noted most highly rated academic design schools have shown little interest or direction in ecological literacy to be incorporated into their curricula. Even Cal Polytech, the No. 1 rated university, is reported by their Dean to have a "long-term goal to integrate this kind of approach within the core curriculum." (currently Sustainable Environments is an elective minor). Mazria of Architecture 2030 says long-term is too long. The need for transformation of thinking and approaches in architecture programs is immediate.

Mazria's nonprofit is a small one with a lofty goal. The hope appears to be providing information, guidance and education to spark major U.S. architecture programs and design schools to embrace the need for Sustainable Environmental education as an immediate and primary focus for buildings in the U.S. It is imperative.

(Reference for this blog: Several reported interviews with Ed Mazria and WorldChange web site.)