leading energy efficiency (YEC Office Building) minimum site disturbance (Maurer House) air, light and plants (parkade Algunder Kellerei) Environmental degradation is the severest threat facing us today. A wasteful "the-sky-is-the-limit attitude" has brought us into this mess. We have given up control of our affairs to economics. To turn things around we must change our attitude to one that doesn't see wealth as the highest goal, but good stewardship of our lands and relationships to its inhabitants. This kind of consciousness is needed, and it must be present in everything we do! Can we give the word "wealth" a new meaning? Architects can only do what their clients allow them. But architecture is an activity where both problem and possible solutions become very visible. Hence architects have an obligation to educate themselves and their clients. Allen+Maurer Architects Ltd. are committed to this goal. By being a LEED™ Accredited Professional he supports the educational strategies of the Canadian and US Green Building Councils (CGBC and USGBC) and their LEED™ (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building rating system, which bestows recognition to energy efficient and sustainable building designs. But attaining "recognition" and meeting criteria is only the beginning. We must go further and start asking questions like: do I need 5 bathrooms? Do I need this much space? A double garage? Otherwise a LEED™ Platinum rated building makes as much sense as buying a fuel efficient vehicle and driving twice as much as before. Still not enough! The buildings we design must show the love that is behind making them practical, energy efficient and sustainable. They must be inspiring, respond to their surrounding, make us want to live another day. They should not assert human dominance over nature. Environmental degradation has a side which cannot be quantified. Slick, impersonal, mass produced looks have become our aesthetic standards. Perfection is expected. The result is ugliness. Intimacy with the things we create and use is needed for true beauty. Without it even the greenest design is meaningless. green design buildings that flow with the land (Maurer House)    home philosophy portfolio industrial design landscape design green design awards publications about us Allen+ Maurer Architects Ltd.