ABSTRACT
Cultural Relationships with Nature, Ecology, Biodiversity, Energy, and Resource Systems we summarize the issues societies face due to the often-unhealthy relationship between human behavior and ecological systems. Humans, in contrast to other species, have a very unique role on this planet. We dominate the Earth and operate in a way that affects ecosystems in a manner that no other species has ever done in history. Furthermore we have the fairly unique ability to be cognizant of that fact. Yet we are still subject to the planet’s ecology, energy, and resources systems and processes – despite the artificial built environments that we are capable of producing. The chapter acknowledges that dramatic climate destabilization, more commonly referred to as ‘climate change,’ is clearly attributable to human activities, and the fact that, regardless of cause, humans are uniquely positioned to intervene in Earth’s ecological systems. We have sole responsibility to remediate the conditions the planet is experiencing. In the chapter we look at the close relationships between humans and other organisms with energy and resource systems. A brief history of energy mixes over time gives historic context to the current energy system. Multiple sources innumerate the great ecological impact of the built world, and underscore the leverage for change that the built environment possesses. Growing from the idea of reduced demand as a form of efficiency, the chapter addresses the series of concepts for evaluating energy use, production and efficiency throughout the lifecycle, or multiple phases of construction, use, and destruction of a building. Inputs and outputs throughout the phases of a building’s lifecycle frame the exploration of ideas such as operational and embodied energy and un-designed outputs from a building’s energy system. The chapter concludes by defining the energy problem faced by contemporary society in terms of energy volume, energy source and the scale of the problem, in parallel with the three goals for improvement.
