Solutions for Climate Change Challenges in the Built Environment

by Booth, Colin A.; Hammond, Felix N.; Lamond, Jessica; Proverbs, David G.

• ISBN13: 9781405195072
• ISBN10: 140519507X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2012-03-12
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

The multi-disciplinary perspective provided here offers a strategic view on built environment issues and improve understanding of how built environment activities potentially induce global warming and climate change. It also highlights solutions to these challenges. Solutions to Climate change Challenges in the Built Environment helps develop an appreciation of the diverse themes of the climate change debate across the built environment continuum. A wide perspective is provided through contributions from physical, environmental, social, economic and political scientists. This strategic view on built environment issues will be useful to researchers as well as policy experts and construction practitioners wanting a holistic view. This book clarifies complex issues around climate change and follows five main themes: climate change experiences; urban landscape development; urban management issues; measurement of impact; and the future. Chapters are written by eminent specialists from both academic and professional backgrounds. The main context for chapters is the developed world but the discussion is widened to incorporate regional issues. The book will be valuable to researchers and students in all the built environment disciplines, as well as to practitioners involved with the design, construction and maintenance of buildings, and government organisations developing and implementing climate change policy.

Author Biography

Colin Booth, Senior Lecturer, Construction and Infrastructure, School of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of Wolverhampton

Felix N. Hammond, Lecturer, Construction and Infrastructure, School of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of Wolverhampton

Jessica Lamond, Post Doctoral Research Fellow, Construction and Infrastructure, School of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of Wolverhampton

David G. Proverbs, Professor and Head of Department, Construction and Property, Faculty of Environment and Technology, University of the West of England

Table of Contents

Contributors	p. xiii
Introductory Insights to Climate Change Challenges	p. 1
Introduction	p. 1
Climate Change Theory	p. 2
The Controversy and Context	p. 5
Organisation of the Book	p. 8
Climate Change: Nature and Emerging Trends	p. 11
Introduction to the Climate System and Changes to the Radiative Forcing	p. 11
Emerging Trends (Global)	p. 13
Emerging Trends (UK)	p. 17
Climate Trends and the Built Environment	p. 19
Solutions	p. 20
Regional Implications	p. 23
Introduction	p. 23
Climate Modelling	p. 23
Projections of Future Climate Change	p. 27
Solutions to the Challenges of Interpreting Climate Change Projections for the Characterisation of Climatic Risks	p. 30
Urbanization and Climate Change	p. 33
Introduction	p. 33
State of the World's Urbanization	p. 33
Impact of Urbanization on Climate Change	p. 35
How Does Urbanization Affect Climate Change?	p. 36
Solutions for Change	p. 39
Conclusion	p. 41
Global Political Initiatives and Overtones	p. 45
Introduction	p. 45
Climate and the Built Environment	p. 45
Background to Political Initiatives	p. 47
Mitigation and Adaptation Policies	p. 50
Solutions to Climate Change Challenges for the Built Environment	p. 53
Green Economics Dialogue and the Built Environment	p. 57
Introduction	p. 57
Examples of Unsustainable Building Practices	p. 59
The Choices We Face	p. 62
Green Projects in Action	p. 68
Conclusions	p. 72
Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment	p. 75
Introduction	p. 75
Strategic Environmental Assessment	p. 76
Contributions of SEA to Climate Change Solutions	p. 77
Concluding Remarks	p. 84
Methods for Valuing Preferences for Environmental and Natural Resources: An Overview	p. 87
Introduction	p. 87
Monetary Evaluation of Environmental Preferences: Theory	p. 89
Methods for Monetary Evaluation of Environmental Preferences	p. 91
Solutions to Valuation of Environmental and Natural Resources	p. 95
Ecological Value of Urban Environments	p. 99
Introduction	p. 99
Ecological Value	p. 100
Urban Habitats	p. 101
Landscape Scales and Urban Areas	p. 106
Ecological Implications of Climate Change	p. 107
Implications of Climate Change for Urban Ecology	p. 108
Solutions to Climate Change Challenges for the Built Environment	p. 108
The Pedological Value of Urban Landscapes	p. 113
Introduction	p. 113
Urban Soils: The 'Grey Areas' on Soil Maps	p. 113
Policy Responses for Urban Soils	p. 119
Insights and Perceptions of Sustainable Design and Construction	p. 127
Introduction	p. 127
Sustainable Construction	p. 128
Drivers for Sustainable Construction	p. 130
Rethinking Construction	p. 135
Thoughts for Change	p. 137
Concluding Remarks	p. 138
Progress in Eco and Resilient Construction Materials Development	p. 141
Introduction	p. 141
Concrete	p. 142
Brick and Masonry	p. 144
Glass	p. 145
Timber and Bamboo	p. 145
Steel	p. 146
Polymer-based Materials	p. 147
Nanotechnology	p. 148
Future Trends	p. 149
Energy Efficiency: Alternative Routes to Mitigation	p. 153
Introduction	p. 153
Energy Efficiency	p. 153
Carbon Sequestration and Climate Engineering	p. 155
A Sustainable, Low-Carbon Future?	p. 157
Solutions: Abatement Costs	p. 161
The Benefits of Green Infrastructure in Towns and Cities	p. 163
Introduction	p. 163
Integrating Vegetation into the Built Environment	p. 163
Intercepting Rainfall and Reducing Flood Risk	p. 167
Enhancing Urban Biodiversity	p. 168
Limiting the Overheating of Buildings	p. 169
Improving Human Health and Wellbeing	p. 171
Sequestering Carbon to Offset CO2 Emissions	p. 172
'Green Infrastructure' Solutions for Climate Change Challenges	p. 173
Conclusions	p. 176
Particulate-Induced Soiling on Historic Limestone Buildings: Insights and the Effects of Climate Change	p. 181
Introduction	p. 181
Urban Particulate Pollution	p. 182
Soiling of Buildings	p. 182
The Bath Study	p. 184
Insights from the Bath Study	p. 186
Effects of Climate Change on the Soiling of Buildings	p. 188
Conclusions	p. 188
Sustainable Transportation	p. 193
Introduction	p. 193
Climate Change and Sustainable Transportation	p. 194
Perspectives of Sustainable Transportation	p. 195
Development of Sustainable Transportation Systems	p. 197
Solutions for Sustainable Transportation	p. 203
Linkages of Waste Management Strategies and Climate Change Issues	p. 207
Introduction	p. 207
Integrated Solutions Approach	p. 209
Key Policy Drivers: A European Perspective	p. 216
Solutions for the Waste Management Sector	p. 219
Climate Change and the Geotechnical Stability of 'Engineered' Landfill Sites	p. 223
Introduction	p. 223
Ground Instability Effects	p. 224
Stability of Soil Slopes	p. 225
Soil Shear Strength	p. 229
Landfill Sites	p. 231
Insights and Solutions	p. 235
Water Resources Issues and Solutions for the Built Environment: Too Little versus Too Much	p. 237
Introduction	p. 237
Too Little Water: Water Supply Shortages	p. 238
Too Much Water: Urban Flooding	p. 242
Property-Level Flood Resistance versus Resilience Measures	p. 246
Present and Future Water Resources Solutions	p. 247
Conclusions	p. 248
Organisational Culture and Climate Change Driven Construction	p. 251
Introduction	p. 251
Climate Change and Construction	p. 251
Climate Change Driven Construction	p. 252
The Role of Culture	p. 253
The Culture of the UK Construction Industry	p. 256
Achieving and Sustaining a Culture of Sustainability	p. 257
Theory to Practice - Case Study	p. 263
Emerging Solutions for a More Responsive Climate Change Culture in Construction	p. 265
Preparing for Extreme Weather Events: A Risk Assessment Approach	p. 269
Introduction	p. 269
What Is an Extreme Weather Event?	p. 270
Relationship between Vulnerability, Resilience and Adaptive Capacity	p. 271
A Risk Assessment Framework Model	p. 276
Solutions: A New Risk Framework Model	p. 277
Final Thoughts	p. 279
The Socio-environmental Vulnerability Assessment Approach to Mapping Vulnerability to Climate	p. 283
Introduction	p. 283
The SEVA Approach	p. 284
Results	p. 291
Conclusions	p. 299
Mitigation via Renewables	p. 303
Introduction	p. 303
Current World Sustainable Energy Provision	p. 304
Solar Power	p. 305
Photovoltaics	p. 308
Wind Power	p. 308
Wave Power	p. 310
Large-Scale Hydropower	p. 310
Tidal Power	p. 313
Biomass	p. 314
Geothermal	p. 316
Nuclear: Fast Breeders and Fusion	p. 317
The Hydrogen Economy and Fuel Cells	p. 318
Solutions	p. 319
Complexities and Approaches to Managing the Adaptation of Climate Change by Coastal Communities	p. 321
Introduction - What's Special about the Coast?	p. 321
Coastal Landforms and Process	p. 322
Challenges Facing Coastal Communities	p. 323
Ways of Managing Coastal Challenges	p. 324
Shoreline Management Plans	p. 325
Case Study: The North Sefton Coast	p. 326
Solutions for Coastal Communities	p. 333
Lessons for the Future	p. 337
Introduction	p. 337
Technological Solutions	p. 338
Working with the Natural Environment	p. 339
Enabling Change	p. 340
Final Remarks	p. 342
Index	p. 343
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