Pathways to decarbonization, or, the dissolution of our illusions.
A critical manifesto for innovation towards a construction ecosystem within planetary boundaries.
The building and construction sector is not on track to achieve decarbonization by 2050. The gap between actual climate performance in the sector and its decarbonization pathway is widening even as the adverse effects of climate change are becoming painfully obvious, pointing to significant risks to climate stability, healthy ecosystems, and human well-being.
We need to change the way we live, design, and utilise our buildings. To enable this, architects, engineers, and construction professionals must work together in new ways to rethink how we design and deliver projects. We must develop the built environment in a way that respects our planetary boundaries as an ecological ceiling that ensures that we do not overshoot our pressure on Earth’s life-supporting systems while also securing a social foundation to ensure that no human being falls short on life’s essentials.
The built environment is risk averse and slow to change. Construction projects come with high complexity, large costs, and a fragmented value chain. In this environment risks scale quickly and moving from idea to implementation is tricky when challenging the status quo.
However, increasing environmental demands from regulators, investors and building occupiers means that business as usual does not seem like such great business anymore. There is a growing uncertainty amongst investors and developers about how to secure the viability of buildings and their long-term value.
Integrating research into the design and delivery of buildings can enable new productive ways of securing value while balancing the needs of the planet and people. New technologies hold the promise of making design smarter and more informed, reducing material and carbon impacts, improving building performance, linking design and construction, enhancing circular materiality, and documenting building use and value.
But true and scalable innovation requires the alignment of technical and social systems. The multiple challenges we are facing as a sector are organisational as much as technical; ensuring that new technologies deliver the promised impact requires rethinking of the processes of design and construction. Reconsidering design, research, technology, and project delivery is prerequisite to ensuring that architecture continues to deliver value for people while respecting the boundaries of our planetary systems.
Contextualise the content of the master within a critical framework focussed on real world deployment scenarios;
Unpack the complexities of bringing cutting edge research into the realm of practice and the associated tangible and intangible barriers.
Collect and frame critical thinking learnings into action based proposals with a strategic nature, potentially, but not limited to guidelines.
Use scenario building as a design tool in order to test feasibility or tangibility of critical and strategic thinking, as well as using this for the basis of a comparative exercise with the goal of further underlining critical and strategic aspects.
“How can we employ innovative materials and techniques to construct an ecosystem that is instrumental in decarbonising our environment?” Mycelium in Construction for Catalonia – IAAC BLOG Natural Terracotta Air Conditioners – NTAC
Pathways to decarbonization or the dissolution of our illusions. In the midst of a scorching summer, a weary homeowner welcomed the arrival of a shiny new air conditioner, seeking respite from the oppressive heat. Grateful for the cool breeze that soon filled the living room, they savored the relief it brought. However, unbeknownst to them, … Read more
CONTEXT Consequences of carbon emission Building operations are responsible for approximately 27% annually, while the embodied carbon of just four building and infrastructure materials – cement, iron, steel, and aluminum – are responsible for an additional 15% annually EuropeanClimateLaw The European Climate Law writes into law the goal set out in the European Green Deal for Europe’s economy and society to become climate-neutral by 2050. The law also sets the intermediate target of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. Climate neutrality by 2050 means achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions for EU countries as a whole, mainly by cutting emissions, investing in green technologies and protecting … Read more
The integration of a rover or swarm of rovers into construction demolition sites represents a paradigm shift in waste management practices. Equipped with advanced sensors and AI algorithms, this rover possesses the capability to accurately identify and segregate valuable materials such as steel and metal amidst debris and rubble. These rovers operate seamlessly alongside human … Read more
Throughout this blog we will highlight each section and we hope to inspire others like the way we have been inspired. We will present a progressive material, then show how we get this material integrated into the construction world. Proposition “ We propose that the usage of Mycelium should be legalised in the Code for … Read more
Revolutionizing Construction: The Oura Project’s Path to Sustainability through Digital Solutions Introduction The construction industry stands at a critical crossroads in the face of escalating global climate challenges. As a significant contributor to worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, it is imperative for this sector to undergo a transformation. The Oura Project emerges as a pioneering initiative, … Read more
The construction sector is responsible for more than 35% of the waste generated in the European Union. At the same time, the materials and products used in this sector can have a life span of several decades. In the long term, having data on the origin of each material would be ideal to promote its … Read more
This hypothetical study aims to reduce CO2 emissions in the construction sector by incorporating cutting-edge technologies during the foundational stage. Our focus is on ensuring 100% renewable energy usage and optimizing energy consumption. Our focus Addressing all foundation types and their associated components and processes would be too broad for us to effectively handle. To … Read more
In this proposal, our objective is to explore the synergies and interconnectedness of various systems. Specifically, we have grouped together to investigate how coral reef restoration techniques, autonomous rovers, and sustainable foundation systems can collaborate to develop compelling decarbonization proposals. Reef Platform + Rover Submersive Rovers to detect fishing nets and remove it in Punta … Read more
Coral reefs play a pivotal role in the ocean’s capacity to sequester carbon dioxide, acting as natural carbon sinks. Through the process of calcification, corals convert carbon dioxide from the water into limestone (calcium carbonate) structures, which comprise the coral skeleton. This not only helps in reducing the amount of CO2 in the ocean but … Read more
