Can architects help save our planet?

This article was originally published in Fast Company.

More and more world leaders, actors in the building industry, and non-profits are beginning to commit to the innovative potential of architects across the globe as crucial to the prevention of catastrophic climate change.

Climate change refers to the change in climate patterns caused by the “greenhouse effect”—that is, greenhouse gas emissions trapping heat within the earth’s atmosphere. Trapped gasses raise the overall global temperature, warming the planet like a car with the windows up on a warm day. These emissions are primarily caused by natural systems—forest fires, permafrost, oceans, and volcanoes, for example—and human activities like forestry practices, energy production, and industrial activities.

According to a special report published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 90 climate experts from 40 countries conclude that if humans fail to take immediate collective action to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2040, the consequences could be irreversible and deadly: extreme droughts, wildfires, floods, hurricanes, and widespread famines that will become as commonplace as seasonal changes. 

Globally, building practices account for about 40% of carbon emissions. This means that the building and construction industry could have a significant impact on the reduction of carbon emissions and climate change. But what can be done to help mitigate the impact of construction’s carbon footprint?

In an effort to meet the Paris Agreement’s 1.5˚C increase limit, the International Energy Agency has called for the stop of all new fossil fuels development. Since nearly half of all carbon emissions globally are generated by the building industry, for this to be successful, there would need to be an immediate, fundamental, worldwide shift in the way fossil fuels are employed in the construction process. This puts architects in the unique position to be impactful in the effort to stop—or at minimum, limit—global warming.

Some forward-thinking experts in the field have been working on ways in which they can help. One such initiative is Architecture 2030, a nonprofit dedicated to changing the face of the building sector by proposing annual incremental reductions in carbon emissions with the end goal of creating zero-carbon-emission structures. 

Digital technologies have also made new frontiers a possibility, especially when it comes to bridging the gap between data and the design and construction of the built environment. Leveraging the insights these technologies could bring to site development, material selection, and design optioneering could unravel a broad range of alternatives previously unknown to designers and builders. They can also empower architects to validate that a proposed final solution is the most optimal one and makes the best use of resources while meeting project goals.

The necessity of carbon-neutral construction has never been clearer, more urgent, or more attainable than it is today. Fortunately, architects are not the only ones paying close attention to the building sector as a major contributor to carbon emissions; world leaders are beginning to take note and discuss this issue as an international problem to be solved by all. 

More and more world leaders, actors in the building industry, and non-profits are beginning to commit to the innovative potential of architects across the globe as crucial to the prevention of catastrophic climate change. Meeting the goal of zero-carbon-emission construction earlier than anticipated should be viewed as not only attainable, but as imperative.