The cities of the future
Skyscrapers made of bamboo. Green roofs. Smart glass. Houses that are cool in summer and warm in winter without burning through loads of energy. All around the world, the future of cities and urbanization looks to bring smarter, more energy-efficient, healthier buildings to the urban environment. An unattainable utopia or simply a necessity in a rapidly urbanizing world that needs to find sustainable solutions to the cities of the future?
The building industry is a significant contributor to global CO2 emissions with estimates by the International Energy Agency (IEA) showing that the buildings and construction sectors together account for approximately 39% of global energy-related CO2 emissions. This includes both operational emissions from energy use in buildings and embodied emissions from the construction and manufacturing of building materials.
Worryingly the emissions from the sector have also been on a rising trend as growth in urbanization, population, and building stock, especially in rapidly developing countries, has driven higher energy demand and associated emissions. What is more, the use of energy-intensive materials, inefficient building systems, and a lack of energy-saving measures have come together in a perfect storm that leads to rising emissions.
Inverting this trend will rely on policy frameworks, technological advancements, and the adoption of sustainable practices that can redefine the way we think about the buildings in which we live, work and play. This includes rethinking the way we certify the sustainability of buildings.
In fact, there is a growing recognition of the deep interconnection between decarbonization in the building sector and our ability to address climate change leading to increasing emphasis on energy-efficient building design, renewable energy integration, and sustainable building materials.
Governments and organizations worldwide are implementing policies and regulations to promote energy efficiency and low-carbon buildings. This includes building codes, energy performance standards, and financial incentives for sustainable construction practices. And it isn’t just about climate change but also about ensuring that the people living in cities, which are some of the most exposed to the impacts of climate change, lead healthier and more prosperous lives.
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Climate Foresight is published by the CMCC Foundation , a research center that develops models and predictions to study the interaction between changes in the climate system and social, economic and environmental changes. Climate Foresight is an observatory on tomorrow, a digital magazine that collects ideas, interviews, articles, art performances, and multimedia to tell the stories of the future.
