For decades, scientists have been warning us about global warming, and the consequences of human actions on the planet in the form of environmental disasters.
The construction sector is today one of the major contributors to global warming and the climate crisis.
According to data of the United Nations (UN), currently, 36% of the global energy is dedicated to buildings and 8% of all pollutant emissions are caused by the production of concrete alone.
Therefore, the architectural community is directly related to climate change, through the energy wasted on buildings and material production for the construction sector.
Reflecting on this, we have compiled a set of five projects from different parts of the world that offer solutions to aid the fight against the climate crisis.
Designed for 100 students and their teachers, the school offers 100m² of area and 10 meters of ceiling height. The project uses around 256 recycled plastic barrels to float on the water and reused wood structure. The electricity relies on solar panels, while the rainwater collection facilitates the use of odorless composting, installed as a solution for the nonexistent sewer system, making it self-sustainable.
Green Building Africa promotes the need for net carbon zero buildings and cities in Africa. We are fiercely independent and encourage outlying thinkers to contribute to the #netcarbonzero movement. Climate change is upon us and now is the time to react in a more diverse and broader approach to sustainability in the built environment. We challenge architects, property developers, urban planners, renewable energy professionals and green building specialists. We also challenge the funding houses and regulators and the role they play in facilitating investment into green projects. Lastly, we explore and investigate new technology and real-time data to speed up the journey in realising a net carbon zero environment for our children.