Sustainability approaches for incarceration architecture

Incarceration architecture by definition negates many aspects of sustainability. Natural and humane values embedded in the penal system can be in many ways ambiguous. Throughout history, it was mainly the role of sociologists to advance theories and applications of incarceration architecture. Sustainability in this type of architecture however tends to rely heavily on technical solutions. There are many different definitions for sustainable architecture. Recent publications claim that the root of sustainable architecture goes back to Ruskin and Morris. This paper argues that the sustainable features of natural and human values on the one hand and the technical issues on the other are inseparable in this type of buildings. Historical review of prison buildings reflects the emergence of new kinds of architecture associated with reform. This paper critically evaluates the design theories of prison buildings. A historical review of prison design is carried out in order to verify the sustainable factors that affected the development of prison design. The review traces sustainable issues in the development of prison buildings. The argument in this paper stems from the theory of space as an aspect of social life. The paper stresses the need to apply social factors as well as technical aspects of energy conservation to achieve sustainable architecture for prison buildings