Despite this good news, however, there is a higher standard that was set out by William McDonough: Cradle to Cradle. Again, I will say that I am proud to see institutions aiming to meet 0-energy standards, but frankly there is no real victory without a Cradle-to-Cradle solution. The simple fact is that if a building in any stage of its construction, life-cycle, or disposal, uses more energy than it collects, or more materials than it can give back in its recycling, it has failed to meet the definition of sustainability.

Furthermore, the building should be well-and-elegantly-designed, and from the looks of these photos, this new center is a box with pre-fab square windows on one side: not very elegant.

Despite this good news, however, there is a higher standard that was set out by William McDonough: Cradle to Cradle. Again, I will say that I am proud to see institutions aiming to meet 0-energy standards, but frankly there is no real victory without a Cradle-to-Cradle solution. The simple fact is that if a building in any stage of its construction, life-cycle, or disposal, uses more energy than it collects, or more materials than it can give back in its recycling, it has failed to meet the definition of sustainability.

Furthermore, the building should be well-and-elegantly-designed, and from the looks of these photos, this new center is a box with pre-fab square windows on one side: not very elegant.