Written By:
John Jackson
Industry Editor
Industry Editor, John Jackson, discusses the invisible challenge of tackling climate change, holding the built environment partially accountable. Following this, John highlights the essential demand for a significant shift in thinking and actions when it comes to urban regeneration.
After the Second World War it would have been unavoidably evident that the most fundamental rebuilding programme was needed. People could physically see the destruction caused by the bombing campaigns, and this created the impetus needed for comprehensive urban regeneration. Significant work ensued to provide new housing on an unprecedented scale and urban centres were, to varying extents, redeveloped. Today we can still see the poignant silhouette of the ruins of the original Coventry Cathedral standing adjacent to its unapologetically modernist replacement. At a glance allowing you to be reminded of the horrors of the past and the post-war vision for the future that followed.
Today we face a challenge that isn’t as visible. It's the damage pollution is inflicting on our planet, and in this respect the built environment is responsible for the CO2 emissions that are increasing global temperatures. I don’t know if it's because of the upcoming Cop26 UN Climate Change conference taking place in Glasgow this autumn, or whether it's the increasingly frequent warnings about the impact of climate change, but either way it seems the threat that climate change poses is being taken more seriously than ever. The increasing volume of reports, including a leaked draft of what will be a landmark report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is warning “that global heating will trigger tipping points in Earth’s natural systems, which will lead to widespread and possibly irrevocable disaster, unless action is taken urgently.” Most recently we’ve also been able to see the map produced by Climate Central, that puts Cardiff firmly on the list of cities being most vulnerable to rising sea levels.
Set against the backdrop of the 2050 net carbon emission target, the move away from talk and reports to action is also increasing. Notably here in Wales, Lee Waters, MS, Deputy Minister for Climate Change has announced that new road-building projects would be frozen as part of plans to tackle the climate emergency.
This announcement sends a clear signal that in order to meet the emissions target, and to create a sustainable future, significant changes to the way people live are needed. In this respect, whilst Wales as a nation has embraced recycling, the time has come to embrace the fundamental structural changes that need to be made across our built environment to ensure we can meet the emissions target. It also demands a significant shift in thinking and actions when it comes to urban regeneration. Ongoing it will be imperative to ensure that all urban regeneration activity is fully supportive of transforming our built environment into one that is truly sustainable, and this needs to happen quickly as time isn't on our side.
New research by TFT Consultants, based on the responses of 200 senior decision-makers in commercial property investor, developer and occupier businesses found that: “only 70% of all respondents consider environmental criteria to guide their investment decisions today, compared to 94% who use location.” This presents a challenge to move the mindset to one where the environment ceases to be a “criteria” to consider and instead becomes a fundamental essential to achieve. When you consider that in order to achieve net zero will mean changes to all existing buildings and changing the way we undertake construction, the need to implement the most substantial urban regeneration programme becomes apparent.
Critically it will demand a shift in thinking, for example in Wales there are some 27,000 private homes that are sitting empty at a time of acute housing shortage. Here’s an opportunity to bring them back into use whilst at the same time having a lower carbon footprint than the construction of a new home. Likewise we’ve become accustomed to urban regeneration projects that involve demolition to make way for new developments and this is both wasteful and harmful to the environment. This practice is increasingly being questioned, and illustrates the need to be more considered about any new buildings we add to the built environment, as highlighted by the current Refit First campaign being spearheaded by Architects Journal. Importantly, the buildings we construct or refurbish today need to be futureproofed to ensure they can be adapted to meet the changes our built environment will experience in years to come.
Our need to live in a sustainable built environment will influence what we consider to be urban regeneration. This will place an increased focus on: ensuring climate change resilience, the generation and use of energy, construction processes, the liveability of homes and their surroundings, the shift towards active travel, and green infrastructures. This represents a fundamental shift that, whilst daunting in scale, has the potential to create exceptional business opportunities across Wales as we transition to become a net zero carbon nation.
