A Changing Climate and Advancing Architecture
Bretton Pratt ’27
The consequences of a warming planet are plaguing our world, and addressing this crisis demands more than a single solution. In fact, 36% of all global energy is concentrated in buildings, and 8% of global emissions is produced by cement alone (Walsh, 2021). Undoubtedly, the architectural community is deeply rooted in systems of recycling, redesigning, and adopting sustainable materials. And amidst this deepening climate crisis, there are 3 simple innovations that architects can utilize to establish new standards towards the fight against rising temperatures.
In recent years, architects have increasingly begun to model their innovative designs in accordance to the energy demands of the changing world. These innovations have led to recognizing that energy-efficient buildings, predictably, are some of the most effective tools for combating rising temperatures (Equans, 2024). Such buildings are defined by their ability to minimize carbon emissions to save energy costs by using only the energy necessary to operate. To achieve this ambition, architects are turning to innovative technology, sustainable materials, and smart designs. For example, recently, Purdue University engineers designed a white paint to cool off the surfaces of a building, potentially eliminating the need for air conditioning (Purdue, 2020). The researchers suggest that the paint will absorb minimal solar energy and reflect heat away from the building. Similarly, the Bullitt Center in Seattle, Washington, exemplifies energy efficiency by producing more than 30% of the energy it consumes in a year (Engelson, 2023). The building achieves this through its automatically controlled blinds that autonomously adjust themselves to the location of the sun, natural ventilation, and a ground source heat pump.
A second advancement in the archaeological field is centered around climate-responsive designing. This approach considers the local climate to design a building appropriate for the specific environment. The key to this approach and successfully integrating it is utilizing passive design. A passive design strategy is an approach that uses natural elements to reduce dependency on mechanical and electrical systems. Accordingly, a climate-responsive design for a building in a hot and arid climate will lean on shading and ventilation to minimize the need for air conditioning. Conversely, buildings situated in cooler climates will use passive solar design, which uses the building’s materials to capture and store the sun’s energy to naturally heat indoor spaces.
Another way in which architects have challenged the climate crisis is through the net-zero buildings–buildings that produce as much energy as they consume (WGBC, 2024). Combined with climate-responsive and energy-efficient designing to first minimize energy demands, these infrastructures allow for the remaining needs to be supplied by on-site energy sources. Not only do net-zero buildings have high-performance design, but it is also used in renewable energy operations like the solar panel array system.
The burden of rising global temperatures presses the world for a solution. Although many possible answers appear abstract and demanding to achieve, modern-day architects are continuously setting a new benchmark for our global participation and efforts to halt the climate crisis. Their innovations bridge creativity with productivity, and thanks to their advancements in the field, we are beginning to find new ways to combat global warming.
References
What are energy efficient buildings? (2024). Equans.com.
https://www.equans.com/glossary/what-are-energy-efficient-buildings
Service, P. N. (2020). This white paint could reduce the need for air conditioning by keeping surfaces cooler than surroundings.
Engelson, A. (2023, August 9). Ten Years Later, the Bullitt Center Still Sets the Standard for Green Office Buildings - The Urbanist.
Www.theurbanist.org. https://www.theurbanist.org/2023/08/09/ten-years-later-the-bullitt-center-still-sets-the-standard-for-green-office-buildings/
Walsh, N. P. (2021, August 18). The Facts about Architecture and Climate Change. ArchDaily.
https://www.archdaily.com/931240/the-facts-about-architecture-and-climate-change
Architecture Masterprize. (2023, June 6). Architects and Climate Change: The Role of Architects. Architecture MasterPrize /
Architecture, Interior & Landscape Design Awards 2022 - Architecture Awards 2023 - Celebrating Excellence in
Architecture, Interior & Landscape Design. https://architectureprize.com/the-role-of-architects-and-climate-change/
What is a net zero carbon building? (2024, August 19). World Green Building Council.
https://worldgbc.org/climate-action/what-is-a-net-zero-carbon-building/
