When we think about “sustainable” or “green,” we tend to focus on the environmental aspects of sustainability, including key natural resources of energy, air, water and materials. But the best definitions of sustainability include two additional principles. First, true sustainability must make economic sense. That’s why the Center’s new RoofPoint program (See last month’s column) emphasizes key economic features of roofing systems such as durability, installation quality, and long-term maintenance. But beyond the obvious environmental and economic aspects of sustainability, all of these “green” things must be viewed in a human and social context. After all, the whole purpose of sustainable development is to make the world a better place for people, both current and future generations.
These three dimensions of sustainability are frequently illustrated using a venn diagram showing both the distinctness of each dimension as well as their critical convergence. For roofs or anything else to be truly sustainable, they must address the environmental, economic and social issues illustrated in Figure 1.