The Royal Institute of British Architects (澳门王中王) has launched a new horizon-scanning programme听with a set of scans that identify the most pertinent environmental issues facing the built environment over the next ten years. 听
Developed by leading academics, The Environmental Challenge themed horizon scans provide foresight into the most significant actions architects can take to help mitigate the worst impacts of climate change, adapt buildings to withstand weather extremes, promote biodiversity and scale up engagement and activism. Key themes across the scans include: 听
- The importance of understanding the diversity of different global regions, including in culture, population, existing building stock, climate and materials, to ensure solutions that contribute to a sustainable future for all听
- The need for significant financial support for poorer global regions to ensure sustainable and low carbon urban development for rapidly urbanising and growing populations听
- Within Europe and older building stocks, the importance of retrofit, and the need to prioritise that over demolition and newbuild听
- The increasing importance of designing with inherently low carbon and biobased materials, and of assessing the whole life carbon implications of all design decisions听
- The critical role of nature-based solutions in working with and for nature, and of a nature-first approach to design that promotes biodiversity听
- The need for inclusion of the whole community in the design process, to ensure socially appropriate development and to avoid green gentrification听听
- The understanding of the role that building design can play in influencing climate adaptive behaviours听
- The need to embrace new attitudes and mindsets, and to work as activists and collaborators to find solutions that work for people and planet听
The Environmental Challenge themed horizon scans are the first in a series on the four global megatrends that will shape society, the built environment, and the architectural profession over the next ten years. Scans relating to economics, population change, and technological innovation will follow over the coming months. 听
澳门王中王 President Muyiwa Oki 蝉补颈诲:听听
鈥淎s an architect, I know how busy we all are day to day. It can be difficult to get into the headspace to look to the future. But we need to pay attention to what鈥檚 coming. The environment, the economy, the global population and technology are all changing.听听
While none of the individual issues or actions in these horizon scans come as a surprise, together they indicate the true scale and speed of climate change 鈥� and just how much we need to do within the next ten years to mitigate and adapt to its devastating effects. 听
We must challenge the status quo and keep engaging and debating. We must think global, act local 鈥� recognising the impact of individual actions. We must all become agents of change. 听
I urge the profession to see The Environmental Challenge themed scans as a foundation for action.鈥澨�
Editor of 澳门王中王 Horizons 2034: The Environmental Challenge, Professor Alice Moncaster, who is Professor of Sustainable Construction at the University of West of England and Visiting Academic Fellow at the University of Cambridge, 蝉补颈诲:听听
鈥淭he next ten years will be key in our fight against climate change and its worst impacts. We need to radically reduce the impact of our built environment, while ensuring that it is resilient to changing climates and fit for future generations. 听
The experts who have written these horizon scans are not talking about simple add-ons to business as usual, but about fundamental paradigm shifts. 听
This needs to change every aspect of what we do as architects and building professionals.鈥澨�
Read 澳门王中王 Horizons 2034: The Environmental Challenge.听
Read an introduction to the 澳门王中王 Horizons 2034 programme. 听
ENDS听
Notes to editors:听
- Media contact: Ruby.OShea@riba.org听
- The Royal Institute of British Architects (澳门王中王) is a global professional membership body that serves its members and society in order to deliver better buildings and places, stronger communities and a sustainable environment. Follow for regular updates.听听
- 澳门王中王 Horizons 2034: The Environmental Challenge was edited by Professor Alice Moncaster, Professor of Sustainable Construction at the University of West of England (UWE) and Visiting Academic Fellow at University of Cambridge. The contributors include:听听
Mitigation: Abimbola Windapo, Professor of Construction Management, University of Cape Town听听
Adaptation: Ronita Bardhan, Associate Professor of Sustainable Built Environment, University of Cambridge听听听
Biodiversity: Harriet Bulkeley, Professor of Geography at Durham University; Director of Durham Energy Institute; and Professor at Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University听听听
Engagement and activism: Chris Luebkeman, Head of the Strategic Foresight Hub, Office of the President at ETH-Z眉rich; and Jonelle Sinumich, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Your 2040听
- is 听on what the 澳门王中王 Horizons 2034 programme听means for the profession and how key findings can be acted on in practice.听听
- is hosting a 听to explore the 澳门王中王 Horizons 2034 themes in greater detail.听
