Christine Mondor, David Deal, and Stephen Hockley
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780262019415
- eISBN:
- 9780262315388
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262019415.003.0009
- Subject:
- Environmental Science, Environmental Studies
The rapid market uptake of green building has transformed the design and construction industries. However, little attention has been given to how a green building project transforms the organizations ...
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The rapid market uptake of green building has transformed the design and construction industries. However, little attention has been given to how a green building project transforms the organizations for which the project was built. This chapter argues that green building projects are often a gateway or a gravitational assist that gives momentum to a broader, organization-wide definition and commitment to sustainability. Gravitational assist describes the transformation of organizational culture to include concern for holistic sustainability through place-based initiatives. This chapter establishes a definition for “organizational sustainability” and then explores the relationship between green building projects and broader environmental and social commitments. The chapter describes a systemic approach to sustainability through three types of actions, those concerning people, process, and place.Less
The rapid market uptake of green building has transformed the design and construction industries. However, little attention has been given to how a green building project transforms the organizations for which the project was built. This chapter argues that green building projects are often a gateway or a gravitational assist that gives momentum to a broader, organization-wide definition and commitment to sustainability. Gravitational assist describes the transformation of organizational culture to include concern for holistic sustainability through place-based initiatives. This chapter establishes a definition for “organizational sustainability” and then explores the relationship between green building projects and broader environmental and social commitments. The chapter describes a systemic approach to sustainability through three types of actions, those concerning people, process, and place.
