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To challenge the climate emergency, we think about designing sustainable buildings, recyclable construction materials, using renewable energy resources, with our focus being zero carbon emissions. The built environment can be made more sustainable by using locally available materials, reusing buildings' interiors, designing energy-efficient buildings and within the structures for natural air circulation. Building multi-purpose spaces go a long way, so does using prefabricated construction. Also, using materials with high thermal mass which can decrease the use of HVAC challenges the climate emergency, focusing on SDG 7 and SDG 12 and recycling electronic waste and using renewable energy by incorporating systems like a solar panel, tidal energy, windmills etc. When designing buildings and spaces within the built environment, we should consider the c02/ environmental impact right from the start and make use of thermal mass and solar gain as natural warming /cooling methods and use natural light to diminish the need for artificial lighting. These ideas work best when they are implemented right from the start of the design process, therefore we, as architects, can do our best to challenge the climate emergency.

Dharmalya Institute

Dharmalya Institute is situated in the hills of the Bir Forest of India. The institute tries to tackle the idea of resilience by being a resilient zero-energy, zero-waste building producing and recycling most of its resources. Primarily designed by Ar. Didi Contractor, the institute is run by Mark Moore through a mix of volunteer participation and local artisans. By utilizing the excavated soil of the site, the construction is carried out manually and introduces the participants to a sustainable lifestyle accompanied by a workshop on adobe construction. Since the material used is earth bricks, the building can be demolished and the materials can be recycled. Thick load-bearing mud walls provide a large thermal mass, cutting down the need to rely on electricity. Therefore, Dharmalya Institute tries to reduce its carbon footprint and embodied energy to become a self-reliant building.

ACROS Fukuoka

ACROS FUKUOKA, designed by Emilio Ambasz, and Nikhol Sekkei, is in Fukuoka Japan. The programme and structure of the building creates a symbolic structure for the city and presents a great precedent for future sustainable buildings.

ACROS Fukuoka features a stratification of low landscape terraced garden for meditations, relaxation, and escape from the city’s congestion. It provides fresh air, reducing pollution and noise. The building’s glass façade utilises variety of glass panes for ventilation system, solar control and mitigate energy consumption. The structure of the building and the landscape significantly reduces the surrounding urban heat. The complex vertical landscape captures rainwater on site, which is then reused in the vertical gardens, which created its own ecosystem, with varieties of plants, and attracting wildlife back into the city. Lastly, the vertical garden and green roofs lower operational costs as it has lower energy consumption for heating and cooling strategies.

Sustainable design to improve patient wellbeing

Alder Hey Children’s Health Park, which was built in 2015 and designed by BDP, is an example of an evidence-based design project which implements the use of its ecological environment to improve patient health and wellbeing. BDP project architect Ged Couser defines the brief for the project as focussing on ‘greenery and views’ to create a ‘therapeutic and innovative context’.

The plan was developed around its build in Springfield Park which is abundant in green space and adjacent to the former hospital, which had found itself in a dilapidated state with a leaky roof and had views onto brick walls. After the end of construction, the former hospital was knocked down to provide green space back to Springfield Park. Now, the world class facility sits centrally in Springfield Park where most patients have their own single rooms, allowing them to take ownership of their windows to not only enjoy the views of nature but to also experience the parkland for themselves.

Bio-Bricks

The precedent we studied today is a project by scholar Priyabrata Rautray at the IIT Hyderabad. It is a building made by using Bio-Bricks, which are bricks made from agro-waste, on-site. The building is a prototype for a guard cabin, supported by a metal framework and cement plastered to protect the bricks from rain. It is a significant innovation, especially for rural farmers who no longer require to be dependent upon mechanical and industrial goods. This innovation combats air pollution as the farmers don’t have to burn the waste from their produce, and the whole process of brick making is carbon negative. They are cheaper than the clay bricks and can also serve as a supplement income for farmers during the off season. According to the researchers, this material exhibits excellent thermal insulation and fire-retardant properties and when used in roofing and wall panelling, it can effectively reduce heat gain by 5 – 6 degrees. Even though it can’t be used for heavy structures yet, it is a prominent invention for small, cost-effective structures, like many in rural India.