Technology Won't Save Us...
Robert Lewis and Margaret Bakker, Bakker & Lewis Architects
02/03/2009
Name: Robert Lewis, RA and Margaret Bakker, AIA
Business: Bakker & Lewis Architects
Position: Partners
NESEA member since: 2003
Website: http://www.bakker-lewis.com/
Business description: We are a small architectural firm specializing in designing new and retrofitting existing buildings which are both responsive to individual needs and that contribute to a greener environment.
How do you define sustainability?
A stable system in which the needs of all people are satisfied with readily available resources at a rate that doesn't deplete resources for future generations and returns waste in a biodegradable form with no harm to the life forms that share that ecosystem. Everything and everyone is part of the interconnected web of life. There is nothing separate.
What project are you most proud of?
Two energy-efficient projects here in northeastern PA: a super-insulated home, the Carletta-Barnett Residence that we designed with the assistance of Marc Rosenbaum, and the Plains Animal Hospital, which was driven by an environmentally-conscious owner who wanted to create a green building demonstration project in our area.
What energy advice do you have for the new president?
Encourage the use of urban community human resources and implement energy conservation programs. Technology won't save us.
What promising technology would you like to know more about?
Compressed air vehicle propulsion.
What's the public's biggest misunderstanding regarding sustainable energy systems?
The public wants to invest in green technologies like solar panels and wind generators when their first dollars should be spent getting an energy audit, and then air sealing and insulating their homes and offices.
What prompted you to join NESEA?
The annual conference is a great source of information on the latest and best examples of energy-efficient design and an inspiration. There's a sense of camaraderie, cooperation and a dedication to improving our world.
What's the most irritating example of "greenwashing" you can think of?
Clean coal, corn-based ethanol.
Parting shot ...
We sense some frustration. We think a lot of people want to be more green but don't know how: What to do first, what really makes a difference after they change to compact fluorescent light bulbs. People are slow to make the commitment to a significant change in their worldview and consumption habits. And there is a lack of skilled and knowledgeable contractors and technicians in northeastern Pennsylvania.