Architecture and Climate Change
Nearly 40% of the world’s carbon footprint results from emissions associated with construction, operation, and demolition of buildings. Despite many examples of innovative and sustainable design, research shows that global warming and diversity loss can be effectively counteracted only if climate-friendly construction takes place on a much larger scale. This could be accomplished with the help of a paradigm shift: we need to understand buildings not as mere objects, but as transitory stages in ongoing processes. During this talk, we will look at various ways in which architecture can be considered as a part of such a larger, regenerating and self-sustaining system - from sourcing of renewable raw materials, to design concepts supportive of the environment, to repurposing at the end of buildings’ life cycle. Examples will come from all over the world, but our focus will be on developments in Switzerland and Basel.