Dr Tim Forman, Senior Teaching Associate and Course Director of the Interdisciplinary Design for the Built Environment (IDBE) postgraduate course at the Institute for Sustainability Leadership at the University of Cambridge, discusses the challenges of reducing emissions in the built environment sector.
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First published on December 15, 2023. CISL Website.
Incontrovertible evidence that greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings and infrastructure are a major driver of climate change and thereby damage to ecosystems, making it difficult to produce, operate and maintain our built environment. industries are poised for transformative change.
As global CO2 emissions continue to rise, including a 1.1% increase in emissions from fossil fuels last year, atmospheric CO2 concentrations today are about 50% higher than pre-industrial levels, helping the planet remain stable. far beyond my ability to do so. climatic conditions. This is mainly due to emissions from energy combustion and industrial processes (see diagram below). Buildings and construction contribute significantly to this, accounting for around 37% of CO2 emissions and a similar proportion of greenhouse gases (commonly referred to as ‘carbon emissions’). Emissions in this sector are at an all-time high.
Figure 1: Global CO2 emissions from energy combustion and industrial processes, 1900–2022
This is moving us towards an existential crisis at an alarming rate. We are approaching climate tipping points, including the loss of Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets and permafrost around the world, disruption of atmospheric circulation in the North Atlantic, and loss of coral reefs that threaten ecosystem integrity and increase the likelihood of domino events. is rapidly approaching. Effect affects. The built environment sector unintentionally poses significant risks to the world’s food, economic, social and political security.
The path forward for the built environment sector to solve this problem is clear, but we are not on our current trajectory. The International Energy Agency (IEA) outlines a path to net-zero emissions, which is achievable but requires significant reductions in carbon emissions by 2030 (see chart below). Without fundamental changes to business as usual, we cannot decarbonize and naturally move towards a positive future. Innovation and scaling up lean and green practices are urgent priorities.
Figure 2: Global CO2 emissions from building operations in a net-zero scenario (2010-2030)
Last year, the IEA outlined milestones for 2030, including:
- All countries are targeting zero-carbon buildings in their building standards.
- Approximately 20% of existing buildings will be renovated to make them zero-carbon compatible
- Approximately 600 million heat pumps will be installed to meet 20% of global heating demand
- Approximately 100 million households rely on rooftop solar power generation
- Approximately 40% of the electricity used in the building is supplied by solar and wind power generation.
- 350 million building units will be connected to district energy networks, meeting approximately 20% of heating needs
The sector is on the brink of transformation in all aspects, from the design, material production, construction, operation and end of life of structures, to the form and organization of the urban and rural built environment, and society It enables denser living with increased physical and economic opportunities, while reducing dependence on transportation and energy-intensive living patterns.
Many have described the challenge this poses for the industry as akin to a “moonshot.” That’s pretty ambitious. Decarbonizing buildings and rural and urban infrastructure is a global challenge of monumental scale. Industrialized countries must radically reduce the environmental footprint of buildings while minimizing the need for new construction and finding new construction materials, components, and services for necessary maintenance and construction activities. . At the same time, industrialized economies must enable improved living standards and reduced poverty, and many regions must accommodate rapidly increasing populations while embracing new ways of constructing and managing the built environment. .
We know how to reduce the carbon associated with the operation of the built environment, but it will require significant increases in investment, workforce mobilization, and political leadership, which are not yet happening. not. Electrification, decarbonization of the power grid, behavior change, and large-scale retrofitting of existing buildings to reduce demand for energy efficiency are enormous and largely unmet challenges. In most cases, new buildings must virtually eliminate operational energy demands.
Even more challenging is the need to reduce solidified carbon, the carbon associated with the production and transportation of building materials and products, the construction, maintenance, and end-of-life of buildings, to near zero. This means reducing the use of materials without compromising functionality, using bio-based and other “carbon storage” materials, using low-energy materials such as stone and soil, and using parts and materials such as steel, cement, and stone. It means making material reuse mainstream. Circular economy.
This is much more than just a moonshot. We are just beginning to make meaningful progress in the transition to a zero-carbon built environment, and we urgently need to accelerate this progress to achieve a sustainable future. Innovation, collaboration, and transformation give us our greatest hope.
Do you want to make a difference in the built environment sector? Learn more about the Master’s degree or Graduate Certificate in Interdisciplinary Design for the Built Environment (IDBE). Applications for her 2024 admission for master’s degrees, postgraduate certificates, and associated scholarships and bursaries are now welcomed. To find out more about his CISL work in the built environment sector, visit our Building Change hub.
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