Human Factors & the Sustainable Design of Built Environments

Abstract

This Panel examines the emerging relations between practice and principles of Human Factors and the popular worldwide movement towards sustainable building design. Our panelists assess the recent history of Sustainability and its impacts on Human Factors Engineering, and provide an exemplar of how Human Factors has already been included in the Minnesota Sustainable Design Guide. They will examine ‘ergo vs. eco’ design to show that human and environmental design goals are more compatible than competitive. And they will show how human factors and sustainability may finally be the ‘magic’ combination of design philosophies needed to create buildings worthy of a 21st century high technology civilization.