Architecture for the environment

Richard Hyams founder and director of astudio, explores how architects can build sustainability into our cities.

Paving the way for mass vaccination, the UK has become the first country in the world to approve a coronavirus vaccine. We have made successive steps to put our health first, but with the pandemic’s end in sight, we must now turn our attention back to another crisis. This year’s lockdowns have provided welcome relief for the environment, but it has long suffered from unsustainable pressure, which we now need to alleviate.

With the UK having set itself the lofty target of reaching net zero by 2050, construction has work to do if it is to achieve this goal. Our built environment accounts for 40% of the UK’s carbon footprint, while a staggering 78% of CO2 emissions in cities, such as London comes from homes and offices. There are, however, steps we can take to reduce the impact our cities have on our planet.

Chairing the Committee on Climate Change, Lord Deben recently implored the property industry to build on the environmental lifeline provided by the pandemic, in a timely reminder that much work remains to be done. Heeding this advice, we must now step up our efforts, utilising new technologies and designing for sustainability in order to reduce the impact of our buildings.

Read the full article here:

https://designbuild.nridigital.com/design_build_review_dec20/architecture_environment