By Roderick Bates,
Roderick Bates
Building for climate change
“The topic of sustainability in architecture is not going away. A key driving factor is high energy prices, putting energy efficiency and insecurity top of the agenda. But beyond the pure performance concerns, architects now need to build for future changes in climate.
“This shifting climate has the potential to transform weather patterns in ways that could render buildings in the contemporary climate unsafe. This means the industry faces the challenge of designing buildings that are energy efficient and comfortable for the current climate, yet are also climate-resistant and able to provide protection under future conditions. For most firms, modelling future climate conditions are table stakes, but showing a proactive plan for how buildings will cope and can be adapted for their changing surroundings and purposes can help them take their designs to the next level.”
Renovation and retrofit
“We’re seeing a strong drive and interest in renovation, which is butting up against the fact that most older buildings were not initially designed to be resilient. For example, many office buildings have not been designed in order to be converted to another purpose. Zoning and code barriers are a major first obstacle. Zoning is already being addressed on a local level and grant funding is getting easier, but private funding continues to pose serious challenges – some firms are finding novel solutions to this, although not necessarily at affordable pricepoints.
