Adapting Buildings and Cities for Climate Change: A 21st Century Survival Guide - Softcover

Roaf, Susan; Crichton, David; Nicol, Fergus

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0750659114 ISBN 13: 9780750659116

Publisher: Architectural Press, 2004

Synopsis

From the author of the bestseller "Ecohouse", this challenging and exciting text gives you an insight into the real changes that are necessary to give our modern day built environment both 'sustainability' and 'survivability'. The book is based on the premise that climate change is going to happen and its impacts on our lives are going to be far worse than generally expected. Sue Roaf argues that many modern buildings are not only 'unsustainable' in themselves but are also having a catastrophic effect on the global climate. In a unique argument, she illustrates that the only way we can hope to survive the following century in tact is if we not only begin to radically reduce CO2 emissions from our buildings and stop building climatically disastrous building types but also build only the buildings that can survive in the changed climates of the future. Throughout the book, traditional and modern building types are used to: explain the history and impacts of climates past, present and future on buildings; set the scene in terms of the history of building development of where we are now and where we are going in terms of sustainability and survivability of buildings; develop two main scenarios of future building development with the 'business as usual' model and the 'survival plan' model, and to make a list of recommendations based on the two scenarios of what actions should be taken by architects, planners and engineers as well as local and national governments, businesses and ordinary people in ensuring the true sustainable nature of the built environment. It is a unique text that reassesses the fundamentals of sustainable design; a discussion and design guide providing you with the full picture of true sustainability; and includes case studies supporting the argument that challenges orthodox architectural design.

About this title

About the Author

Sue Roaf is Professor of Architectural Engineering at Heriot Watt University and Visiting Professor at the Open University. She publishes widely on traditional; technologies, sustainable buildings, ecohouse design and adapting buildings and cities for climate change. She designed and lives in the Oxford Ecohouse, the first UK building with a photovoltaic roof and does much to promote resilient low impact buildings through the conferences she organises on Solar Cities, Carbon Counting, Architectural Education, Thermal Comfort and Post Occupancy Evaluation. She is currently co-chairing the Westminster and Scottish Carbon Accounting Groups with Colin Challen MP and Sarah Boyak MSP.

Edition details

• Publisher: Architectural Press
• Publication date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0750659114
• ISBN 13: 9780750659116
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 384