The survey identified a low of 39% of the architects asked in Spain to a high of 71% of the architects surveyed in the UK that thought that sustainability will become the standard in building design and construction. The other percentages were 69% of Italian architects, 65% of Dutch architects, 64% of those in France, and 58% of German architects. A large percentage of all the architects surveyed claimed that it was difficult to identify truly sustainable products and systems because of the claims now made by suppliers and manufacturers.

While the European survey is difficult to decipher as to what sustainability concerns are really doing to the standard of care applicable to the services of architects, it is clear that in Europe, as in the U.S., there are heightened public expectations, a recognition by design professionals, and an evolution in legal systems that concern for the environment and energy and water usage will affect how architects and other design professionals will be evaluated.

In the 1970s, the oil embargo, the introduction of Earth Day, and other disruptions to the wasteful practices of both developers and design professionals caused a temporary change in the expected knowledge and practice of the design and construction industry. In today’s environment, concerns over energy and water use and other aspects of sustainability seem to be affecting codes, standards, and practices in a dramatic way. Even if third-party validation systems such as LEED are not being used as the metric for design sufficiency, the standard of care appears to be changing. Firms need to be careful in their contracts and discussions with clients to clearly establish expectations and procedures.

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