The annual World Architecture Festival opens today in Barcelona, Spain. At this year's festival, nearly all the showcased projects were designed with sustainability in mind. And with good reason - while cars and airplanes may get all the press about being energy hogs, buildings win hands down:
Keeping our offices and homes lit, heated, and cooled accounts for a staggering 72% of electricity consumption and 38% of all carbon emissions in the U.S.
Green building is more than just a trend - it's becoming a requirement.
Church facilities are no exception. At last week's Worship Facilities, there were multiple sessions on green building. Green products and services were all over the exhibit floor. The conference itself made special efforts to be seen as a leader in sustainability.
I welcome the conversation and action on the church's part. I've been writing, speaking, and encouraging churches since 2005 to move in this direction. But for all the good reasons we hear about sustainability, there's really only one reason:
It's a stewardship issue: God created the world, and then mankind. Then He put us in charge over it. Not to exploit it and waste it, but to sustain it for our use, and for future generations.
How are we doing? Not so well.
How are you doing?
No comments:
Post a Comment