Tackling climate change: Identifying global opportunities in response to the IPCC AR6

The IPCC AR6 report highlights the opportunity that we, as designers, must apply all our skillsets towards carbon-neutral buildings. In August 2021, the New Buildings Institute of North America identified only 143 certified or verified net zero energy building projects in North America, with another 582 in progress. If we consider that, per Architecture 2030, two-thirds of the total building area predicted to be in place in 2050 already exists. It is clear we must pay attention to not only the design, construction, and operation of new buildings but also the opportunities to carry out carbon-neutral retrofits of existing buildings.

As an industry framework, we must continue to make progress towards The 2030 Challenge—moving the needle on new and existing building emission reductions from 80% in 2020, to carbon-neutral by 2030.

The most effective way to support this change is to ensure collaboration across building design, science, technology, and policy. On the design side, this includes fusing nature and technology. Designing to the fundamental principles of nature-based solutions to maximize carbon sequestration potential and enhance human health benefits.

Using intelligent building technology and controls in highly insulated building envelopes increases the ability to support change. There is also the opportunity to apply building science-informed construction techniques—such as low-carbon structural systems. When combined into a holistic approach to building design and construction, the responsible application of nature-based solutions, smart building technology, and building science will pivot the industry in the right direction, drive the market, and support regulatory change. Together, these opportunities will begin to bend the graph of CO2 emissions downwards.

Climate Risk, Resilience, and Adaptation Planning – Dylan Hemmings, Vice President, Environmental Services, Ottawa

Across much of the globe, extreme weather events are becoming commonplace. We regularly hear about unusual heatwaves, winter storms, rainstorms, flooding events, landslides, drought, and forest fires. Inevitably, this will mean a gradual shift in our seasons and lifestyles. And it can have a significant impact on our health.

Scientific publications—like the AR6—highlight the need to understand, address, and act to limit the devastating effects and frequency of these climate change-related events. We must continue to shift and evolve our design culture so we can be informed and prepared for a future of climate uncertainty.  

To do this, we need to assess and understand the increased risk that climate change poses to our infrastructure, systems, and communities. At the same time, we need to quantify how our individual behaviors and actions shape community patterns and contribute to climate change. By understanding these relationships, we can both mitigate and adapt to climate change. We can also become more resilient and support a safer, healthier society—one that protects people and ecosystems.

As citizens, governments, and shareholders shift their thinking around climate change, adaptation allows us to become more resilient to uncertainties. This minimizes damage, loss of life, and mounting recovery costs. As professionals, we are committed to addressing the climate emergency by designing and building more resilient communities and supporting environmental justice initiatives. After all, identifying the risks of climate change today helps prepare our communities for tomorrow.

International and Community Development – Christophe Leroy, Operations Director, Brussels

Looking at the topics above, we can see the cumulative impacts that climate change has on the environment, our communities, economies, and basic human needs (food/shelter/water). More and more, we continue to see the compounding impacts of weather, including sea-level rise scenarios, and the challenges this will create for communities living in coastal areas—like the tropics.

The IPCC AR6 report identifies that Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) will suffer the worst consequences of climate change. Over the coming decades, there will be a need for global development banks to continue to invest hundreds of billions of dollars towards new investments to support SIDS and LDCs to adapt and mitigate these consequences. The private sector will need to play a critical role in delivering smart, agile, and impactful services to support those nations.

Many of the opportunities to assist these developing nations is related to engagement and education. Groups like the Global Climate Change Alliance+—a worldwide initiative by the European Union—helps to facilitate the global sharing of knowledge around climate change. The ability to support developing communities by transferring knowledge to local stakeholders is critical to their success. Whether it is through consultations, workshops, developing policy frameworks, doing critical risk assessments, supporting planning processes, or building partnerships, increased local knowledge can only support the further resilience and mitigation of these communities and their inhabitants. 

The IPCC AR6 Report and November's COP26 conference articulate the need for continued and increased capital to be reoriented towards sustainable investment in developing nations. This work will support adaptation to natural disasters, reduce environmental degradation, and address related social issues. Moreover, it will help local and global economies understand and address the associated financial risks of extreme climate weather events—events that may affect global food supplies, natural resources, infrastructure, loss of life, and more. Supporting knowledge share of mitigation opportunities, adaptation practices (including nature-based solutions), climate risk assessments, and scaling innovation will help ease the shift for developing countries, ultimately supporting implementation.