Everybody knows the feeling. You're in the middle of a mess/puzzle/problem and think, "somebody has to have figured this out before." I had the sensation as I tried to figure out how to create a curved porch last year. I have seen dozens of them, but I was left with figuring out how to do the details myself.Why should I re-invent something that's been done better by people more expert than me. This concept of honoring what has gone before is deeply embedded in our culture. Everybody has said at one time or another, "Don't reinvent the wheel." In honor of that common (meaning accurate and true) wisdom, I have created the Sustainability Wheel.

The LEED certification programs, California's Title 24 Net Zero homes, and the New Orleans Rebuld Green program all share common goals. Sustainability can mean many things to many users, and each region of the country might have a different emphasis based on local concerns. For instance a house in Minnesota will need much more focus on energy use in winter than water use. A new home builder in New Orleans has to worry about floods and humidity more than freezing cold. Both can use the same materials and techniques of sustainability, just in different proportions.

The earth image symbolizes the concept of sustainability for me. A sustainable building respects the natural environment. Forests are protected by smart use of engineered lumber and wise land use. Fresh water is treated as the scarce resource it is. The very design and size of the house and how it is located with respect to sun, neighborhood, and community all matter and all can contribute to the sustainability of the project. With the cacophony of crises of energy, climate, water, and housing that echo through the media every day, sustainability provides a soothing rhythm that can integrate all the problems and turn them to solutions.

With the principles of reuse and recycling uppermost in my mind, I urge anyone with detailed plans for sustainable homes to share them with the community at large. We need great ideas, and we don't have the time or money to reinvent the wheel...again.