Town planning and cultural heritage regulatory framework report

1.

Town planning and cultural heritage regulatory framework
report
Topic: Technological innovation and climate change(how digital age can
accelerate climate action)
Professor: Lauri.C
Students: Suleimenova Aizada, Mambetova Salima,Chichinadze Ekaterina

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Main question of topic:
• How digital age can accelerate climate action?
• How technological innovations in built construction sphere can contribute
controlling climate change?
• What kind of advantages can bring technological innovations to
architecture field to control climate change?
• What building reforms can benefit people to control climate change using
innovative technologies?
• What kind of projects already have been constructed with innovative
solutions?
• Is there real-world cases of technological innovation reforms in
architecture that have been used to control climate change?

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How digital age can accelerate climate action?
Our modern world is characterized by two central, human-driven forces: the digital age and climate change.
• Digital innovations have influenced the lives of humans around the globe, pushing multiple levers of systems change. For
example, the digital age has altered the global economy and labor markets, societal norms, flows of goods and
information, and even our individual mindsets, influencing what we buy, who we listen to, and what we believe.
Meanwhile, the impacts of climate change are increasingly affecting more of the global population, with continuing sea
level rise, glacial retreat, increased forest fires, negative impacts on crop yields, changes to the frequency and intensity of
extreme weather events, and more. Further, dated governance structures and institutions are unable to adequately
address the scale and complexity of the challenges climate change poses.
• The opportunity to leverage digital age transformations for climate action
This digital age has the potential to unleash some of the large-scale societal transformations necessary to achieve the Paris
Agreement on Climate Change and other global sustainability goals. However, this will only be possible if there is a concerted
effort to overcome the risks associated with digital age transformations, which include the ecological footprint of digital
technologies and threats to privacy and human dignity, and to encourage new forms of collaboration so that the digital
disruptions underway help to advance a sustainable, climate-safe, and equitable world.
5 priorities for planetary intelligence:
1) Creating essential actionable
insights,
2) Re-imagining environmental
governance
3) Developing new business models
4) Enabling inclusivity
5) Building trust

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How technological innovations in built construction sphere can contribute
controlling climate change?
Technological innovations in built construction can contribute significantly to controlling climate change. Examples of how these innovations
can help mitigate the impact of climate change:
• High-performance Insulation: Improved insulation materials and techniques help reduce heat transfer between the interior and exterior of
buildings. This reduces the need for heating and cooling, leading to energy savings and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
• Green Building Materials: The development and use of sustainable building materials, such as recycled steel, engineered wood products,
and low-carbon concrete alternatives, can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of construction. These materials often have lower
embodied energy and emit fewer greenhouse gases during production.
• Prefabrication and Modular Construction: Prefabrication involves constructing building components off-site and assembling them on-site.
This method reduces construction waste, improves quality control, and speeds up construction time. Modular construction, a form of
prefabrication, allows for greater flexibility, adaptability, and reuse of building components.
• Renewable Energy Integration: Buildings can be designed and equipped with renewable energy systems such as solar panels, wind
turbines, or geothermal systems. These systems generate clean energy on-site, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and lowering greenhouse
gas emissions.
• Smart Building Automation: Advanced automation and control systems can optimize energy consumption in buildings. Smart thermostats,
occupancy sensors, and building management systems enable efficient regulation of heating, cooling, lighting, and other systems, based on
occupancy and external conditions.
• Efficient Lighting Solutions: The adoption of energy-efficient lighting technologies such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can significantly
reduce electricity consumption. LED lights consume less energy, have longer lifespans, and offer greater control options compared to
traditional lighting systems.
• Water Conservation Technologies: Water-saving technologies like low-flow fixtures, dual-flush toilets, and rainwater harvesting systems can
help minimize water consumption in buildings. Efficient irrigation systems with moisture sensors and weather-based controllers can also
reduce water usage in landscaping.
• Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS): BEMS encompass energy monitoring, control, and optimization of various building systems.
These systems provide real-time data on energy usage, identify inefficiencies, and enable proactive energy management strategies to
optimize building performance and reduce energy waste.
• Zero Waste Construction: Innovative construction techniques aim to minimize waste generation and maximize resource efficiency. This
includes strategies such as recycling construction waste, utilizing reclaimed materials, and implementing circular economy principles.
• Carbon Capture and Utilization: Technologies that capture and utilize carbon dioxide emissions from the construction process can help
reduce the carbon footprint. Carbon capture and utilization methods can transform captured CO2 into useful materials or store it
underground to prevent its release into the atmosphere.

5.

What kind of advantages can bring technological innovations to architecture field to
control climate change?
Technological innovations in architecture have the potential to significantly impact the climate in several ways. Here are some examples of
how these innovations can bring about positive changes:
• Energy Efficiency: New technologies allow for the development of more energy-efficient buildings. This includes advancements in insulation
materials, smart heating and cooling systems, efficient lighting, and the use of renewable energy sources like solar panels or geothermal
systems. By reducing energy consumption, these innovations can lower greenhouse gas emissions and decrease the carbon footprint of
buildings.
• Sustainable Materials: Innovations in architecture can promote the use of sustainable and eco-friendly building materials. For instance, the
development of new materials such as recycled steel, engineered wood, or bio-based composites can reduce the environmental impact
associated with traditional construction materials. Using sustainable materials reduces the depletion of natural resources and lowers
carbon emissions during the production process.
• Smart Building Management: The integration of smart technologies in buildings allows for more efficient monitoring and control of energy
usage. Automated systems can optimize lighting, heating, and cooling based on occupancy or weather conditions, reducing energy waste.
Additionally, advanced sensors and data analytics can identify areas for improvement, enabling proactive energy management strategies
and optimizing building performance.
• Water Management: Technological innovations can also improve water management in buildings. Features such as rainwater harvesting
systems, graywater recycling, and efficient plumbing fixtures help conserve water resources. Smart irrigation systems can adjust watering
schedules based on weather conditions, soil moisture levels, and plant needs, reducing water waste in landscaping.
• Green and Living Architecture: Innovations in green architecture promote the integration of plants and natural elements into buildings.
Vertical gardens, green roofs, and living walls provide insulation, improve air quality, mitigate the urban heat island effect, and enhance
biodiversity. These features can contribute to cooling urban environments and reducing energy demands for air conditioning.
• Resilient Design: With the increasing frequency of extreme weather events due to climate change, architecture can incorporate resilient
design strategies. Innovations in materials and construction techniques can enhance the durability and resistance of buildings against
storms, floods, and other natural disasters. This ensures the longevity of structures and reduces the need for rebuilding, thereby minimizing
the associated carbon emissions.

6.

What building reforms can benefit people to control climate change using innovative
technologies?
Technological innovations in architecture can play a crucial role in controlling climate change. Reforms and innovations that can
help mitigate the impact of climate change:
• Net-Zero Energy Buildings
• Passive Design Strategies
• Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS): CCS technologies capture and store carbon dioxide emissions from buildings and other sources.
Innovations in architecture can incorporate CCS systems into building materials, such as concrete or insulation, to capture and
sequester carbon. This helps reduce the overall carbon footprint of buildings.
• Smart Grid Integration: Integrating buildings into smart grids allows for better energy management and optimization.
• Circular Economy and Building Lifecycle
• Climate-responsive Building Skins
• Water Management and Conservation
• Green Infrastructure
It is important to note that while technological innovations are crucial, they must be implemented alongside sustainable design
practices and a broader transition to renewable energy sources. Additionally, supportive policies, incentives, and collaboration
between architects, engineers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders are necessary to drive these reforms and make a significant
impact on climate change.

7.

Projects with Innovative Solutions
1.Self-sustainable Floating Pavilion in Rijnhaven, Rotterdam
In order to address the challenges of global climate change, and aiming to be the world capital of reduction of CO2 by reducing 50% of its
carbon emissions, Rotterdam developed a set of self-sustainable floating structures in 2013, with ambitious plans to adapt to rising sea levels.
The project is a catalyst for combating climate change, operating from three connected domes anchored within the Dutch city’s old harbor. The
pavilion was designed by DeltaSync and Publicdomain Architects and is an unprecedented example of innovative, sustainable and climateproof architecture. The idea is that the structures host different uses, but above all a community of floating houses. The translucent shelter
relies on solar energy and its structure is made of anti-corrosive plastic ETFE, which is 100 times lighter than glass and therefore ideal for a
floating structure.
2.Humanscapes Habitat Urban Living / Auroville Design Consultant
Built in India, this housing project is an applied research and demonstration project of Sustainable and Integrated Urban Living
Project, used for benchmarking in housing. Appropriated due to the present global crisis of energy and climate change, it presents
solutions in order to achieve a sustainable development, seeking to upgrade the capability of the currently unorganized construction
sector of India, encouraging the transition of buildings with high embodied energy materials to technology and building materials that
may reduce the carbon footprint.

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Using local building materials and skills, the residences become a net energy-positive habitat by generating their own renewable energy. Some
crucial items of the project are: zero-discharge of water, reduction and recycling of solid waste, local endemic species landscaping, and growing
organic food. In addition, some natural consequences of the campus set-up are the reduction of journeys by integrating work and living spaces,
coordinating community and infrastructure, as well as the adoption of clean mobility options like e-vehicles for external contact.
3. Makoko Floating School / NLÉ Architects
Taking into account the impact of climate change and sea-level rise in the last few years, and the coastal erosion and tropical rains that have
overloaded the current system, NLÉ Architects developed this project for Makoko school. It was designed as a floating prototype to encourage
architecture and urbanism of the coastal cities of Africa, creating houses, community centers and playgrounds with the same system.
Designed for 100 students and their teachers, the school offers 100m² of area and 10 meters of ceiling height. The project uses around 256
recycled plastic barrels to float on the water and reused wood structure. The electricity relies on solar panels, while the rainwater collection
facilitates the use of odorless composting, installed as a solution for the nonexistent sewer system, making it self-sustainable.

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4. Archifest Zero Waste Pavilion / WOW Architects
Using zero waste as a constructive strategy, this project was developed around two highly rapidly deployable and reusable systems. The zerowaste strategy considered time, materials, costs and the afterlife of the elements. The box-truss system, including the roof, takes a maximum
of approximately 7 days to deploy. The membrane takes a maximum of approximately 3 days to install. Overall, the time frame to complete
Wonder|Wall would be of about 10-15 days. The cellular membrane once taken down can be reused for other functions.
5. Oceanix City / Bjarke Ingels Group
As part of UN-Habitat’s New Urban Agenda, this project developed by Bjarke Ingels Group seeks to respond to the imminent threat of
climate change, proposing the creation of the world’s first resilient and sustainable floating community, designed to accommodate 10.000
people. “Oceanix City” is a response to the prediction that by 2050, 90% of the world’s largest cities will be exposed to rising seas,
resulting in mass displacement, and the destruction of homes and infrastructure. The scheme is anchored in the UN Sustainable
Development Goals, enacting circular flows of food, energy, water, and waste, becoming self-sustainable.

10.

Real-world cases of technological innovation reforms in architecture that have been used to
control climate change
1.One Angel Square, Manchester, UK: This building is known for its innovative design and energy-efficient features. It incorporates a
combined heat and power plant, rainwater harvesting system, and advanced building management system to optimize energy usage.
It achieved a BREEAM Outstanding rating, making it one of the most sustainable buildings in the world.
2.The Edge, Amsterdam, Netherlands: This office building is renowned for its smart and sustainable features. It utilizes a vast array of
sensors to collect data on occupancy, temperature, humidity, and light levels. This data is used to control lighting, heating, and
cooling, ensuring energy efficiency and occupant comfort. The Edge has achieved the highest BREEAM score ever recorded.
3. Shanghai Tower, Shanghai, China: This skyscraper incorporates various sustainable design features. It has a double-skin façade that
provides insulation and reduces heat gain. Wind turbines integrated into the building harness wind energy, and geothermal heat
pumps contribute to the building's heating and cooling. The Shanghai Tower achieved a LEED Platinum certification for its sustainable
design and operations.
4.Bullitt Center, Seattle, USA: The Bullitt Center is a six-story office building designed to be energy-positive, meaning it generates
more energy than it consumes. It incorporates features like solar panels, rainwater collection, composting toilets, and a geothermal
system. The building's energy consumption is approximately 80% lower than that of a typical office building
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Conclusion
-Cities and human settlements are the heart of humanity, and humanity is at a
tipping point.
-Climate change, inequality, and emerging technologies like AI are all reaching
phase changes that guarantee dramatic shifts in how we live and participate in
society.
-Ultimately, cities cannot be built when so many people are excluded from the
digital world