The idea is that all future work at Arcosanti if it involves major reconstruction or new construction of key components of the project needs to be grounded with a report that explains how the effort squares in relation to sustainability.
On my EdenSpace Wiki I have defined Ecological Design as something similar to Green or Ecological Architecture but more expansive in relating to a wide range of fields. That it is not just about architecture but the design and development of human systems relating to not just habitat but what we put in our habitats. Of course how we design and what we place in our habitats as it relates to our sense of ecological integrity.
Ecological Design also more specifically relates to design inspired by nature and natural elements as implied by Janine Beynus and her terminology revolving around Biomimickry. So this is about observing, learning and being inspired by nature to design human structures that reflect this consciousness evolution happening in our minds. Designing around natural systems is something Paolo Soleri did very well at Cosanti. In relation to evolving the term and idea of Organic Architecture from Frank Lloyd Wright, Soleri also began to mimic ecological and natural forms in his building structures and elements.
In addition to the architectural aspect of Ecological Design which is the more obvious and aesthetic aspect of it, there is also the human interface that is the qualitative in the sense of creating a comfort for human inhabitants that increases quality of life. This is not just about aesthetic by the integration of elements that are both form and function into a whole life experience in the building so that we can see the building as part of a spiritual experience of living life. The goal is not just to create a building that is beautiful but beautiful to live in.
The architect in the context of the emerging field of Ecological Design may be unique as a artist because in many cases he/she reigns over a team of people that have to coordinate to create a building that must as a whole unit speak to the world as a model of ecological integrity and harmony. And a key aspect of this is making sure the project confirms to important criteria of Ecological Engineering.
Now with regards to seeing the human habitat as an integrated system there are key components of any life support system:
Water
Energy Systems
Recycling
Embodied Energy of Building Materials
Here I want to go a bit into the idea of Ecological Design as it relates to Paolo Soleri's work in developing Arcology. In relation to that is that it is important to not only look at Organic Architecture as Soleri's contribution to ecological design, but also the larger ideal or idea of the relevance of Arcology in relation to future built environments.
In 2000 Ecosa Institute launched its first Ecological Design course at Arcosanti. While the program was a success that has now been absorbed into Prescott College, the original of its founder Tony Brown who is a Arcosanti Alum was to have Ecosa incorporated into the Arcosanti experience. However there were concerns about how it was to fit into the Workshop Program (the existing educational program at Arcosanti). Possibly this attempt to link Arcology with Ecological Design was premature. Soleri has been a stickler in terms of his resistance to clearly links sustainable development best practices in engineering and design with Arcology development plans.
Regardless, for any serious approach to building Arcology - whether here at Arcosanti or globally - there needs to be a program at Arcosanti that embraces the hands on construction experience of the Arcosanti Workshop and adds to that opportunities to conduct research in Ecological Design as part of the workshop and internship experience. The goal is mutual; improve student's skills in integrative research, while developing a knowledge base for both reformulating Arcosanti as model for global sustainable development. The idea is that the student leaves Arcosanti with specific and defined skills sets that can be applied to solving problems in the design and planning fields. This notion of a Practical Arcology is a clear minded strategy that seeks to remove the pie in sky utopianism of building Arcologies populated by millions of people with the promotion of the idea of the Lean Society mindet put forward by Soleri as a framework for more sustainable urban Development.
On a positive note, the about Learn Linear Cities book by Young Soo Kim did seem to shift the notion of Lean Linear Arcology as convergent and connective nodes that has the potential to facilitate Transit Oriented Development (TOD). Thus we can imagine a consultancy emerging in which students would work under professional architects, planner and engineers to design different proposals for building spec projects that could offer a more Arcological approach to development