Building for a Changing Climate

Building for a Changing Climate PDF Author: Peter F. Smith
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1136546359
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 199

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Book Description
There is now a practically universal consensus that our climate is changing rapidly, and as a direct result of human activities. While there is extensive debate about what we can do to mitigate the damage we are causing, it is becoming increasingly clear that a large part of our resources will have to be directed towards adapting to new climatic conditions, with talk of survivability replacing sustainability as the new and most pressing priority. Nowhere is this more evident than in the built environment – the stage on which our most important interactions with climatic conditions are played out. In this frank yet pervasively positive book, sustainable architecture guru Peter Smith lays out his vision of how things are likely to change, and what those concerned with the planning, design and construction of the places we live and work can and must do to avert the worst impacts. Beginning with the background to the science and discussion of the widely feared graver risks not addressed by the politically driven IPCC reports, he moves on to examine the challenges we will face and to propose practical responses based on real world experiences and case studies taking in flood and severe weather protection, energy efficient retrofitting, distributed power generation and the potential for affordable zero carbon homes. He ends with a wider discussion of options for future energy provision. This will be a provocative, persuasive and – crucially – practical read for anyone concerned with the measures we must take now to ensure a climate-proofed future for humanity.

Building for a Changing Climate

Building for a Changing Climate PDF Author: Peter F. Smith
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1136546359
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 199

Get Book Here

Book Description
There is now a practically universal consensus that our climate is changing rapidly, and as a direct result of human activities. While there is extensive debate about what we can do to mitigate the damage we are causing, it is becoming increasingly clear that a large part of our resources will have to be directed towards adapting to new climatic conditions, with talk of survivability replacing sustainability as the new and most pressing priority. Nowhere is this more evident than in the built environment – the stage on which our most important interactions with climatic conditions are played out. In this frank yet pervasively positive book, sustainable architecture guru Peter Smith lays out his vision of how things are likely to change, and what those concerned with the planning, design and construction of the places we live and work can and must do to avert the worst impacts. Beginning with the background to the science and discussion of the widely feared graver risks not addressed by the politically driven IPCC reports, he moves on to examine the challenges we will face and to propose practical responses based on real world experiences and case studies taking in flood and severe weather protection, energy efficient retrofitting, distributed power generation and the potential for affordable zero carbon homes. He ends with a wider discussion of options for future energy provision. This will be a provocative, persuasive and – crucially – practical read for anyone concerned with the measures we must take now to ensure a climate-proofed future for humanity.

Adapting Buildings and Cities for Climate Change

Adapting Buildings and Cities for Climate Change PDF Author: David Crichton
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1136444564
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 398

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Book Description
From the bestselling author of Ecohouse, this fully revised edition of Adapting Buildings and Cities for Climate Change provides unique insights into how we can protect our buildings, cities, infra-structures and lifestyles against risks associated with extreme weather and related social, economic and energy events. Three new chapters present evidence of escalating rates of environmental change. The authors explore the growing urgency for mitigation and adaptation responses that deal with the resulting challenges. Theoretical information sits alongside practical design guidelines, so architects, designers and planners can not only see clearly what problems they face, but also find the solutions they need, in order to respond to power and water supply needs. Considers use of materials, structures, site issues and planning in order to provide design solutions. Examines recent climate events in the US and UK and looks at how architecture was successful or not in preventing building damage. Adapting Buildings and Cities for Climate Change is an essential source, not just for architects, engineers and planners facing the challenges of designing our building for a changing climate, but also for everyone involved in their production and use.

The Power of Existing Buildings

The Power of Existing Buildings PDF Author: Robert Sroufe
Publisher: Island Press
ISBN: 164283050X
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 234

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Book Description
Your building has the potential to change the world. Existing buildings consume approximately 40 percent of the energy and emit nearly half of the carbon dioxide in the US each year. In recognition of the significant contribution of buildings to climate change, the idea of building green has become increasingly popular. But is it enough? If an energy-efficient building is new construction, it may take 10 to 80 years to overcome the climate change impacts of the building process. New buildings are sexy, but few realize the value in existing buildings and how easy it is to get to “zero energy” or low-energy consumption through deep energy retrofits. Existing buildings can and should be retrofit to reduce environmental impacts that contribute to climate change, while improving human health and productivity for building occupants. In The Power of Existing Buildings, academic sustainability expert Robert Sroufe, and construction and building experts Craig Stevenson and Beth Eckenrode, explain how to realize the potential of existing buildings and make them perform like new. This step-by-step guide will help readers to: understand where to start a project; develop financial models and realize costs savings; assemble an expert team; and align goals with numerous sustainability programs. The Power of Existing Buildings will challenge you to rethink spaces where people work and play, while determining how existing buildings can save the world. The insights and practical experience of Sroufe, Stevenson, and Eckenrode, along with the project case study examples, provide new insights on investing in existing buildings for building owners, engineers, occupants, architects, and real estate and construction professionals. The Power of Existing Buildings helps decision-makers move beyond incremental changes to holistic, results-oriented solutions.

Managing the Climate Crisis

Managing the Climate Crisis PDF Author: Jonathan Barnett
Publisher: Island Press
ISBN: 1642832006
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 298

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Book Description
Natural disasters from heat waves to coastal and river flooding will inevitably become worse because of greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere. Managing them is possible, but planners, designers, and policymakers need to advance adaptation and preventative measures now. Managing the Climate Crisis: Designing and Building for Floods, Heat, Drought and Wildfire by design and planning experts Jonathan Barnett and Matthijs Bouw is a practical guide to addressing this urgent national security problem. Barnett and Bouw draw from the latest scientific findings and include many recent, real-world examples to illustrate how to manage seven climate-related threats: flooding along coastlines, river flooding, flash floods from extreme rain events, drought, wildfire, long periods of high heat, and food shortages.

Climate Change as Class War

Climate Change as Class War PDF Author: Matthew T. Huber
Publisher: Verso Books
ISBN: 1788733894
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 321

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Book Description
How to build a movement to confront climate change The climate crisis is not primarily a problem of ‘believing science’ or individual ‘carbon footprints’ – it is a class problem rooted in who owns, controls and profits from material production. As such, it will take a class struggle to solve. In this ground breaking class analysis, Matthew T. Huber argues that the carbon-intensive capitalist class must be confronted for producing climate change. Yet, the narrow and unpopular roots of climate politics in the professional class is not capable of building a movement up to this challenge. For an alternative strategy, he proposes climate politics that appeals to the vast majority of society: the working class. Huber evaluates the Green New Deal as a first attempt to channel working class material and ecological interests and advocates building union power in the very energy system we need to dramatically transform. In the end, as in classical socialist movements of the early 20th Century, winning the climate struggle will need to be internationalist based on a form of planetary working class solidarity.

Climate Adaptability of Buildings

Climate Adaptability of Buildings PDF Author: Mitja Košir
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3030184560
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 249

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Book Description
This book examines bioclimatic design with a focus on the application of climate adaptability in the design of future buildings and renovation of existing energy-efficient buildings. It addresses the challenge of how to construct and renovate buildings so that they maintain desired performance even as the climate changes in future decades. The book is divided into six chapters that guide the reader from basic concepts to discussions on specific aspects of bioclimatic design, including: Why do we construct buildings and why do they matter? Where should we get started with bioclimatic design? The opportunities and potential held by climate for the by bioclimatic architecture and design. How and why should we design bioclimatic buildings to accommodate future climatic conditions? Climatic changes and implications for the bioclimatic design of buildings. The author presents an overview of effective bioclimatic design strategies that enable climate-adaptable buildings. He also addresses the problems of designing with climate, which are relevant for all types of building design—in particular, the implications for bioclimatic buildings that are intrinsically connected to the climate they were adapted to. The book combines representative examples, diagrams, and illustrations, and concludes each chapter by reviewing the most important findings and concepts discussed. The book offers a valuable source of information for researchers and architectural engineers, who will gain essential insights into the process of using the available tools and data to design buildings that can respond to future climate challenges, as well as a general introduction into the field of bioclimatic building design. The book will also be of interest to graduate students and architects, as it approaches bioclimatic design with a particular focus on the analytical design process for such buildings.

Building for a Changing Culture and Climate

Building for a Changing Culture and Climate PDF Author: Ulrich Pfammatter
Publisher: Dom Pub
ISBN: 9783869222820
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 583

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Book Description
The author of this book aims to encourage an awareness of sustainability as it is implemented across all areas of planning and design, and the ability to think and act on this knowledge. This book will explore in genuine depth the sustainable strategies that could be applied, along with the practical work of key figures in the built environment, setting these against historical experiences and traditional cultures. It also aimes to revive the discourse around these subjects. Achieving this will require the involvement of architects and structural, energy and environmental engineers, construction businesses and specialists, research institutes and universities. The five chapters and 333 show-cased projects reflect important stages in the architectural and engineering-based design process, stages which need to be addressed when dealing with sustainable strategies in the built environment.

Design for Climate Change

Design for Climate Change PDF Author: Katie Puckett
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1000708063
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 187

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Book Description
Ford architects, contractors, engineers and specialists in the field, this book uses real-world evidence from a Technology Strategy Board-funded research project to develop a set of tools for architects and other building designers to meet a growing need to anticipate future climate change. Built on in his seminal future climate change report for the TSB, identifies three broad categories of climate change impacts on building design – comfort and energy performance, construction, and managing water.

Climate Adaptation and Resilience Across Scales

Climate Adaptation and Resilience Across Scales PDF Author: Nicholas B. Rajkovich
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1000470997
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 277

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Book Description
Climate Adaptation and Resilience Across Scales provides professionals with guidance on adapting the built environment to a changing climate. This edited volume brings together practitioners and researchers to discuss climate-related resilience from the building to the city scale. This book highlights North American cases that deal with issues such as climate projections, public health, adaptive capacity of vulnerable populations, and design interventions for floodplains, making the content applicable to many locations around the world. The contributors in this book discuss topics ranging from how built environment professionals respond to a changing climate, to how the building stock may need to adapt to climate change, to how resilience is currently being addressed in the design, construction, and operations communities. The purpose of this book is to provide a better understanding of climate change impacts, vulnerability, and resilience across scales of the built environment. Architects, urban designers, planners, landscape architects, and engineers will find this a useful resource for adapting buildings and cities to a changing climate.

Reducing Poverty, Protecting Livelihoods, and Building Assets in a Changing Climate

Reducing Poverty, Protecting Livelihoods, and Building Assets in a Changing Climate PDF Author: Dorte Verner
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 0821383787
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 460

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Book Description
Climate change is the defining development challenge of our time. More than a global environmental issue, climate change and variability threaten to reverse recent progress in poverty reduction and economic growth. Both now and over the long run, climate change and variability threatens human and social development by restricting the fulfillment of human potential and by disempowering people and communities in reducing their livelihoods options. Communities across Latin America and the Caribbean are already experiencing adverse consequences from climate change and variability. Precipitation has increased in the southeastern part of South America, and now often comes in the form of sudden deluges, leading to flooding and soil erosion that endanger people s lives and livelihoods. Southwestern parts of South America and western Central America are seeing a decrease in precipitation and an increase in droughts. Increasing heat and drought in Northeast Brazil threaten the livelihoods of already-marginal smallholders, and may turn parts of the eastern Amazon rainforest into savannah. The Andean inter-tropical glaciers are shrinking and expected to disappear altogether within the next 20-40 years, with significant consequences for water availability. These environmental changes will impact local livelihoods in unprecedented ways. Poverty, inequality, water access, health, and migration are and will be measurably affected by climate change. Using an innovative research methodology, this study finds quantitative evidence of large variations in impacts across regions. Many already poor regions are becoming poorer; traditional livelihoods are being challenged in unprecedented ways; water scarcity is increasing, particularly in poor arid areas; human health is deteriorating; and climate-induced migration is already taking place and may increase. Successfully reducing social vulnerability to climate change and variability requires action and commitment at multiple levels. This volume offers key operational recommendations at the government, community, and household levels with particular emphasis placed on enhancing good governance and technical capacity in the public sector, building social capital in local communities, and protecting the asset base of poor households.