Buildings, Infrastructure, and Ecology Knowledge
From Common Energy UVic
Also see UVic Buildings, Infrastructure and Ecology Research
Contents |
[edit] Framing the Problem
Buildings and infrastructure contribute to climate change in several ways. For example, old construction is generally energy inefficient. New buildings can save on greenhouse gas emissions if they are constructed to be energy efficient in operation, but this is not always the case. Also, the materials that new buildings are constructed from have energy embodied in them from their manufacture and transport to the construction site. New building projects can also destroy green space. Where a building is built has significant impacts on the energy consumed to transport people, water and services to them. For example, the energy used by people commuting to a building built in a suburb, where the only mode of transport is the automobile, will equal the energy consumed by the building itself.
Dealing with climate change through buildings and infrastructure involves reducing the contribution of the built environment to climate change, and ensuring that the built environment enables appropriate behaviours. Using both new and old approaches, we can provide the community with necessary services in an efficient and environmentally friendly way.
[edit] Water Supply and Quality
Water quantity and quality are in jeopordy from human intervention. It has been estimated that a quarter of municipal water systems have problems with availability, leaks, and quality (Holtz 2004). David Shindler, an award-winning Biological Scientist warns that the componding effects of Climate Change and continued human intervention will cause "degradation of Canadian freshwater on a scale not comprehensible to the average Canadian" (2001; 19). Regardless of the current or future Canadian reality dispelling the myth of our abundant fresh water continues to be difficult. The consequences of Canadian's love affair with the abundancy myth is our previous and argueably current planning practice of creating centralized supply-side engineering solutions focusing on accesses instead of conservation.
[edit] Buildings and Infrastructure
The Buildings and Infrastructure focus area involves the design of new buildings, retrofitting of old buildings, and the ecology of the city.
For buildings, the key is to increase the efficiency of energy, materials, and water usage through improved design, sitting, construction, operation and maintenance. (Note: improved design does not necessarily mean new design. Prior to the 20th century, many techniques for utilizing energy efficiently in buildings were already in place, such as passive heating and cooling. These techniques are still relevant today).
The word infrastructure evokes a more holistic concept, in which the built environment is coupled with transportation and economics. In a nut shell, greening infrastructure involves using planning to reduce our impacts on the natural environment without inhibiting the services a community requires.
In BC, the Green Infrastructure Partnership (GIP) has already begun engaging the question "How to green municipal infrastructure?" Particularly useful in their "Green Infrastructure Supplement for Subdivisions: Report on the Green Infrastructure Consultation" 2004 workshop document are the appendices found under West Coast (Environmental Law) Land Publications. Appendix A describes what is green infrastructure and lists ways to use Municipal infrastructure resources more efficiently. Appendix E is a Table of contents from the Master Municipal Construction Document Association's Draft Design guidelines for municipal infrastructure (it lists key features of municipal infrastructure design). Appendix F follows up with issues for discussion however the main body of the report provides various synopsis of discussion followed by recommendations.
[edit] Possible Solutions
[edit] Water Soft Path Solutions
Borrowing from the energy analysis developments in the 1970's by Amory Lovins Water Soft Path management outlines three main elements; backcasting, demand-side management, and going beyond efficiency. For more information see David Brooks 2005 "Beyond greater efficiency: The concept of water soft paths "
- Drip Drop - On Water Conservation, a home guide from Umbra of Grist
- The Hose Knows - On Watering the Yard a yard watering guide from Umbra of Grist
- For Whom the Roto Tills - On Killing your Law a guide to replacing your lawn with something a bit less ... intense from Umbra Grist
[edit] Green Building and Urban Design
Recent and new building at UVic is either at LEED standard, such as the Gold-rated Medical Sciences Building, or incorporates green building features, such as the Science Buildling. Education institutions in Canada are credited with providing a major stimulus to the green building industry by creating early demand, particularly as the price of green building was still significantly higher than traditional construction.
Seattle recently approved a modification in building codes which would set a new bar for U.S. standards in urban development. For more info see: [1]
Links:
- Why are they greener than we are? in the New York Times compares American and European green building.
- West Coast Environmental Law's The Green Building Guide: Tools for Local Governments to Promote Site Sustainability
- Urban Design Web Resource Manual. From Simon Fraser University's City Program: an annotated list of key websites on urban design. http://www.sfu.ca/city/PDFs/WebResourceManual2006.pdf
[edit] Retrofiting our Building Stock
Links:
- ecoENERGY Retrofit
- The International Energy Association's report on high-rise building energy efficiency upgrade strategies in for Europe: High-Rise Refurbishment
Restoring Green Space
[edit] Program for Action
[edit] References
Holtz, S. (2004). the Soft Path of Water: Oil and Water Do Mix. Corporate Knights
Schindler, D. (2001). The cummulative effects of climate warming and other human stresses on Canadian freswater in the new millennim. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science, 58, 18-29.
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