tag:theconversation.com,2011:/fr/topics/sustainable-design-7/articles
Sustainable design – The Conversation
2024-03-11T13:10:43Z
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/224293
2024-03-11T13:10:43Z
2024-03-11T13:10:43Z
Three ways your wardrobe could help you avoid fast fashion
<p>Think about the clothes you are wearing right now. How long have you had them? How often do you wear them? Like me, you’re probably wearing favourites that you always reach for, despite having <a href="https://wrap.org.uk/resources/report/citizen-insights-clothing-longevity-and-circular-business-models-receptivity-uk">a wardrobe stuffed with rarely worn clothes</a>. </p>
<p>But still, you might feel the irresistible urge to buy more. In high-income countries, <a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmenvaud/1952/report-summary.html">overconsumption</a> of clothing contributes to the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43017-020-0039-9">climate crisis</a> throughout the accelerating cycle of fashion, from production and distribution to <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/africa/en/blog/54589/how-fast-fashion-is-fuelling-the-fashion-waste-crisis-in-africa/">mountains of barely worn clothing waste</a>. It might be true that <a href="https://hotorcool.org/unfit-unfair-unfashionable/">the most sustainable clothes are the ones we already own</a>, but has the industry convinced you that’s boring? </p>
<p>Caring about what’s inside your wardrobe, while resisting the urge to buy more clothes, might be more fun than you think. As part of my PhD research into what our relationships with our clothes might mean for sustainability in fashion, I’ve been experimenting with these simple and positive ways to reconnect with clothing:</p>
<h2>1. Put pen to paper</h2>
<p>In 2018, campaign group <a href="https://www.fashionrevolution.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/FashRev_LoveStory_18.pdf">Fashion Revolution</a> encouraged supporters to write a love story about their most-loved garment. Writing about your clothes can uncover <a href="https://wornstories.com/books/">personal stories</a>, gaps in your knowledge and a deeper understanding of why you wear <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/1362704X.2022.2100481">what you wear</a>.</p>
<p>I have written poems about some of my clothes and started to write break-up letters to each garment that leaves my wardrobe. It’s a mindful process that reminds me of places I’ve been and people I’ve met in a much more vivid way than scrolling through photos on my phone. </p>
<p>A recent break-up letter to a rarely worn jacket helped me to pinpoint exactly why I wasn’t wearing it, and hopefully will ensure I don’t repeat the same mistake. </p>
<p>Whenever I have invited people to write about their clothes, either at public events or during workshops that form part of my PhD, I’ve been surprised by how willingly they share their stories and the positive actions the writing has inspired. Some people have talked about digging garments out of wardrobes to be worn again and others have found better ways to dispose of unwearable clothes. </p>
<h2>2. Daily stitches</h2>
<p>On average, <a href="https://wrap.org.uk/resources/report/citizen-insights-clothing-longevity-and-circular-business-models-receptivity-uk">each person wears just 74% of their wardrobe</a> and a <a href="https://hotorcool.org/unfit-unfair-unfashionable/">recent report</a> suggested a wardrobe size of just 85 items in order to limit carbon emissions and <a href="https://theconversation.com/global-heating-may-breach-1-5-c-in-2024-heres-what-that-could-look-like-220877">stay within 1.5°C warming</a>.</p>
<p>Curious about the size of my own wardrobe, I did a thorough check and counted 205 garments. I <a href="https://clothingresearch.oslomet.no/2024/01/15/an-arts-practice-approach-to-wardrobe-audits/">began to log</a> which ones I wear by hand sewing a stitch into each garment worn that day, using a different colour thread each season to create a visual marker. </p>
<p>At a glance, I can see which garments I’m wearing, how regularly and at which times of the year. I can more easily decide which clothes to keep, know where the gaps are in my wardrobe and choose the clothes I can part with. </p>
<p>This is just one form of <a href="https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/wardrobe-tracking">wardrobe tracking</a>, an activity that’s gaining popularity in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2024/jan/05/how-digitally-tracking-clothes-fashion-consumption-taking-off-online">digital form</a> with <a href="https://whering.co.uk/">apps</a> and <a href="https://hubbub.org.uk/off-the-hanger">online campaigns</a> that help people to track their wearing habits.</p>
<h2>3. Wardrobe portraits</h2>
<p>Making drawings of my clothes helps me notice overlooked details and understand what a garment means to me on a personal level. </p>
<p>While drawing one <a href="https://blogs.shu.ac.uk/c3riimpact/wendy-ward-researcher-blog-a-fashion-for-keeping/">recent picture</a> of a favourite jacket, the fluff of a forgotten jumper caught in the velcro reminded me to wear that jumper again. And once, carefully mapping the creases in a pair of leather gloves that used to be my dad’s, I noticed how the leather had moulded to the shape of his hands and I feel like he’s holding my hands whenever I wear them.</p>
<p>Drawing has long been used to study historical finds and museum collections, often exposing <a href="https://doi.org/10.3366/cost.2020.0164">undocumented details</a>. But if drawing isn’t your thing, most of us have a camera in our pocket. Take a beautiful photograph of your favourite garment or document your fashion revelations on Instagram. </p>
<p>At a garment drawing workshop I hosted in 2022 in the testing phase of my PhD, the small group of volunteers shared stories and noticed new things about their clothes that had previously been overlooked. Some suddenly saw the potential for easy repairs that could make a garment wearable again.</p>
<p>What’s the point of a slowly crafted, organic, recycled garment if nobody wants to wear, keep and love it? Perhaps reconnecting with unworn clothes lurking at the back of your wardrobe could inspire you to wear them again or let them go to someone else while freeing up some much-needed storage space. The key to sustainable fashion could already be inside your wardrobe. </p>
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<img alt="Imagine weekly climate newsletter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p><strong><em>Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?</em></strong>
<br><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/newsletters/imagine-57?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=Imagine&utm_content=DontHaveTimeTop">Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead.</a> Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/newsletters/imagine-57?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=Imagine&utm_content=DontHaveTimeBottom">Join the 30,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.</a></em></p>
<hr><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/224293/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Wendy Ward does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Every wardrobe tells a story and reconnecting with the clothes you already own could reduce your need to buy more fast fashion. Here are three ways to fall back in love with your wardrobe.
Wendy Ward, PhD Candidate, Sheffield Hallam University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/220290
2024-01-11T19:10:32Z
2024-01-11T19:10:32Z
A prefab building revolution can help resolve both the climate and housing crises
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568777/original/file-20240111-26-fi1gdb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=650%2C0%2C3231%2C2150&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/real-estate-ecology-concept-1781843480">Sergey Nivens/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The world faces an increasing shortage of housing and an escalating climate emergency. These <a href="https://issuu.com/monkeymediamagazines/docs/energy_november_2023_web_magazine/62">urgent global issues</a> call for quick action and innovative solutions. </p>
<p>The numbers show us how stark things are. Construction activities and building operations produce <a href="https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/41133/Building_Construction_2022.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y">more than 40% of the carbon emissions</a> driving global warming. </p>
<p>At the same time, <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/10/un-expert-urges-action-end-global-affordable-housing-crisis">1.6 billion people</a> live in subpar housing. An alarming 100 million have no house at all. In both Australia and globally, the housing crisis is a pressing and unresolved issue.</p>
<p>Prefabricated building technology offers promising alternative solutions to this dual crisis. Prefab housing modules are made offsite in a factory. The finished components/modules can then be transported and assembled swiftly at the site of the building.</p>
<p>This approach could transform the housing scene. Affordable dwellings could be produced on a massive scale, while greatly reducing the environmental impacts.</p>
<p>This is not merely about building homes. A shift to prefab construction would be a strategic move in line with the Paris Agreement to mitigate climate change.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-world-needs-to-build-more-than-two-billion-new-homes-over-the-next-80-years-91794">The world needs to build more than two billion new homes over the next 80 years</a>
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<h2>Cost-efficient and eco-friendly</h2>
<p>Prefab modular construction could be considered a greener alternative in the construction sector. By greatly reducing construction waste (which accounts for <a href="https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2983477707/view">40% of landfill</a>) and carbon emissions, it tackles these major environmental concerns head-on. A <a href="https://www.acenet.co.uk/news/industry/mmc-cuts-carbon-emissions-by-up-to-45-academic-study-reveals/">2022 study</a> showed modular construction can slash carbon emissions by up to 45% compared to conventional techniques.</p>
<iframe title="Emissions from construction and building operations" aria-label="Pie Chart" id="datawrapper-chart-yvLU9" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/yvLU9/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border: none;" width="100%" height="720" data-external="1"></iframe>
<p>The controlled factory-based environment of prefab construction makes it more efficient. This includes integrated <a href="https://theconversation.com/building-activity-produces-18-of-emissions-and-a-shocking-40-of-our-landfill-waste-we-must-move-to-a-circular-economy-heres-how-206188">reclamation and recycling</a> of construction waste. </p>
<p>This approach is highly cost-effective. It’s about being resource-savvy and reducing waste to the bare minimum. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/turning-the-housing-crisis-around-how-a-circular-economy-can-give-us-affordable-sustainable-homes-208745">Turning the housing crisis around: how a circular economy can give us affordable, sustainable homes</a>
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<p>Using standardised designs and components on a large scale also cuts the cost of incorporating energy-efficient elements such as better insulation and renewable energy. Building in this way creates structures that are effective, efficient, resilient and help us combat climate change.</p>
<p>Among many possible construction materials, wood or timber is among the most preferred for prefab modular buildings. Timber is <a href="https://greenreview.com.au/mag/NOVEMBER2023.html#pdfflip-PDFF/16/">renewable and an efficient carbon sink</a>. The timber in buildings locks away the CO₂ the trees absorbed from the atmosphere when they were growing.</p>
<p>One creative and sustainable solution to housing shortages is to build modular, adjustable prefab dwelling units. These units are robust and can be adapted to various climates and housing needs with ease. </p>
<p>In a world where cities are growing fast and housing needs are pressing, prefab construction can deliver quality, affordable homes at an impressive pace. It’s an efficient solution for a budget-conscious, carbon-constrained world. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A house constructed from prefabricated timber parts." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568782/original/file-20240111-29-vfolkl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568782/original/file-20240111-29-vfolkl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568782/original/file-20240111-29-vfolkl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568782/original/file-20240111-29-vfolkl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568782/original/file-20240111-29-vfolkl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568782/original/file-20240111-29-vfolkl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568782/original/file-20240111-29-vfolkl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Timber is a sustainable material for building prefab homes.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/house-building-made-by-prefabricated-parts-2346858557">voffka23/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<h2>Prefab buildings take many forms</h2>
<p>The beauty of prefab construction lies in its adaptability, making it the building industry’s chameleon. </p>
<p>It can look good almost anywhere, from bustling cityscapes to serene countryside. Imagine a building technique that can seamlessly transition from a cozy mountain cabin to a stylish metropolitan apartment building.</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/not-just-daggy-dongas-time-to-embrace-prefabricated-buildings-43120">Not just daggy dongas: time to embrace prefabricated buildings</a>
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<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1422633366604554240"}"></div></p>
<p>Modular homes can be enlarged, modified or even disassembled and moved as communities grow and needs change. </p>
<p>This approach promotes long-term resilience by being adaptable to changes in the climate and housing needs. These buildings are constructed not only for the present, but also for the high-performance requirements of the future.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/prefab-revolution-factory-houses-are-the-secret-to-green-building-42622">Prefab revolution? Factory houses are the secret to green building</a>
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<h2>Leading examples from overseas</h2>
<p>We can learn from success stories overseas.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A crane lifts a module into position in a Berlin office block being built using a modular timber construction process." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568780/original/file-20240111-21-lne5r7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568780/original/file-20240111-21-lne5r7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=348&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568780/original/file-20240111-21-lne5r7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=348&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568780/original/file-20240111-21-lne5r7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=348&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568780/original/file-20240111-21-lne5r7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=437&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568780/original/file-20240111-21-lne5r7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=437&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568780/original/file-20240111-21-lne5r7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=437&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">A building module is lifted into position in a Berlin office block built using a modular timber construction process.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/crane-lifting-wooden-building-module-position-2119644065">Jarama/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p><strong><a href="https://www.cchpr.landecon.cam.ac.uk/Research/Start-Year/2020/modular_homes_homeless">A community-focused project</a> in England:</strong> the prefab modular homes in Cambridge are more than just buildings; they are community cornerstones. As well as providing roofs over heads, the project is about creating a sense of belonging. These units, meticulously designed and sustainably built, are shaping the narrative of affordable housing.</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.dwell.com/article/prefab-homes-scandinavia-765e7456">Scandinavian eco-friendly living</a>:</strong> Scandinavians have taken modular construction to heart. In this region, known for its design prowess and environmental stewardship, many modular homes are architectural marvels that embody sustainability. Cozy, energy-efficient homes with sleek designs prove that eco-friendly living can be both stylish and functional.</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://blog.prefabium.com/2018/01/prefab-modular-house-wikkelhouse-holland.html">Versatile modular solutions</a> in the Netherlands:</strong> Finch Buildings offers a kaleidoscope of sustainable housing. Here, modular construction is about flexibility and diversity, catering to a range of needs and styles. These timber modular solutions can adapt to different lifestyles and preferences. Housing can be as diverse as the people it shelters.</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www1.bca.gov.sg/buildsg/productivity/design-for-manufacturing-and-assembly-dfma/prefabricated-prefinished-volumetric-construction-ppvc">Singapore’s urban blueprint</a>:</strong> the city-state is a showcase for the incredible possibilities of prefab modular construction. It’s seamlessly woven into urban planning. Imagine a city where buildings are not just structures, but pieces of a larger, sustainable puzzle. It is a model of how urban development can co-exist with environmental consciousness.</p>
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<img alt="Larhe modular apartment complex on a green hillside" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568783/original/file-20240111-27-1z2jwd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568783/original/file-20240111-27-1z2jwd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568783/original/file-20240111-27-1z2jwd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568783/original/file-20240111-27-1z2jwd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568783/original/file-20240111-27-1z2jwd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568783/original/file-20240111-27-1z2jwd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568783/original/file-20240111-27-1z2jwd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">The Interlace is a 1,040-unit apartment complex in Singapore.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">huntergol hp/Shutterstock</span></span>
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<h2>So what’s stopping Australia?</h2>
<p>Australia has been slower than many countries to adopt prefab modular construction. The <a href="https://www.architectureanddesign.com.au/features/comment/barriers-to-prefab-construction-in-australia-and-h">challenges</a> include:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>limited government support and incentives compared to other countries</p></li>
<li><p>a need for more training and expertise in designing and implementing prefab modular construction</p></li>
<li><p>the traditional procurement process in construction is not well suited for prefab methods, so a shift in thinking and approach from construction managers and suppliers is required</p></li>
<li><p>the Australian regulatory environment needs to evolve to promote productivity and support modern construction methods like prefabrication </p></li>
<li><p>a cultural shift within the industry is also needed, so owners and developers demand more sustainable and efficient construction methods.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>The <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/12/9/1355">situation is changing in Australia</a> as the housing crisis has intensified. Recognition of the need for more sustainable, efficient construction methods is growing, leading to a gradual shift in government support and industry adoption. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/building-in-the-same-old-ways-wont-end-the-housing-crisis-we-need-innovation-to-boost-productivity-206862">Building in the same old ways won't end the housing crisis. We need innovation to boost productivity</a>
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<h2>Making development sustainable</h2>
<p>The potential role of prefab modular construction in tackling the challenges of climate change and housing shortages cannot be overstated. </p>
<p>Prefab building is charming not just because it is flexible but also because the architectural features have been thoughtfully considered. Every module can be carefully crafted to complement its surroundings. </p>
<p>Adopting this strategy demonstrates a dedication to development that is ecologically conscious, promotes resilience and sustainability and, by meeting house needs, improves community wellbeing.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/220290/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Modular building techniques offer sustainable, affordable and adaptable solutions for a rapidly changing world.
Ehsan Noroozinejad, Senior Researcher, Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney University
Parisa Ziaesaeidi, Associate Lecturer in Architecture, Western Sydney University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/216304
2023-11-15T23:14:16Z
2023-11-15T23:14:16Z
What designers can do to make textiles healthier for people and the planet
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555594/original/file-20230927-29-m4ke9q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=4%2C0%2C994%2C720&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The glamourous aspect of fashion obscures the health and socio-environmental issues of the textile industry.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwp0Bx0awoE">pollution caused by the textile industry</a> is often discussed, but its <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30278363/">impact on health</a> is less emphasized. Nevertheless, the petrochemical compounds used in the manufacturing of our clothes have harmful effects on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onD5UOP5z_c">workers</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxVq_38BoPE">surrounding communities</a>, and <a href="http://www.cec.org/files/documents/publications/11777-furthering-understanding-migration-chemicals-from-consumer-products-en.pdf">consumers</a>. This issue has a <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/static/planet4-international-stateless/2012/11/317d2d47-toxicthreads01.pdf">global impact</a>, but its assessment is complex due to our low chronic exposure to a <a href="https://www.leslibraires.ca/livres/perturbateurs-endocriniens-la-menace-invisible-marine-jobert-9782283028179.html">“cocktail” of synthetic substances</a> whose cause-and-effect relationships are difficult to identify.</p>
<p>Moreover, most of these substances prove to be toxic through interaction or degradation, as is the case with <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/chemical-substances/substance-groupings-initiative/aromatic-azo-benzidine-based.html">azo dyes</a> that are ubiquitous and persistent in the environment.</p>
<p>Through my research in sustainable textile design, I explore how design can contribute to making the textile industry more environmentally friendly, focusing on raising ecological awareness among designers, decision-makers, and the general public.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551518/original/file-20231002-15-cu6ppt.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="textile dyes" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551518/original/file-20231002-15-cu6ppt.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551518/original/file-20231002-15-cu6ppt.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=221&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551518/original/file-20231002-15-cu6ppt.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=221&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551518/original/file-20231002-15-cu6ppt.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=221&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551518/original/file-20231002-15-cu6ppt.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=277&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551518/original/file-20231002-15-cu6ppt.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=277&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551518/original/file-20231002-15-cu6ppt.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=277&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Dyes made from agri-food waste and inspired by Pantone.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Vanessa Mardirossian)</span>, <span class="license">Fourni par l'auteur</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Design-led solutions</h2>
<p>In the 1960s, designer <a href="https://papanek.org/archivelibrary/victor-papanek/">Victor Papanek</a> was the first to address <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/190560.Design_for_the_Real_World">environmental issues related to industrial product design</a>. Meanwhile, biologist <a href="https://www.rachelcarson.org/silent-spring">Rachel Carson</a> initiated the emergence of ecological consciousness, shedding light on the profound impact of human activity on the environment. </p>
<p>Then in the 1990s, <a href="https://www.epa.gov/greenchemistry/basics-green-chemistry">green chemistry</a> facilitated collaboration between design and biology to develop <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1278402">ecological textiles</a>. Aligned with <a href="https://mcdonough.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Hannover-Principles-1992.pdf">The Hannover Principles</a>, these textiles aimed to enhance waste management and preserve water purity. Intending to harmonize the interdependence between human activity and the natural world by eliminating toxic inputs at their source, these principles also gave rise to the “<a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780865475878/cradletocradle">Cradle to Cradle</a>” ecodesign philosophy that popularized the concept of circular design in the early 2000s.</p>
<h2>An inspired approach from nature</h2>
<p>Humanity has always drawn inspiration from nature to create. </p>
<p>However, in the late 20th century, biologist <a href="https://biomimicry.org/janine-benyus/">Janine Benyus</a> invited us to <a href="https://biomimicry.org">observe the operating mechanisms of living organisms</a>, encouraging a reevaluation of manufacturing processes through <a href="https://biomimicry.org/chapterone/">biomimicry</a> — a concept that draws inspiration from nature’s designs and processes to create more sustainable technologies.</p>
<p>Could we, for example, produce dyes at room temperature and without toxic molecules? This approach leads to a shared reflection between design, science and engineering. This multidisciplinary vision of design, where ecology, medicine, and politics play a role in the design process to better meet the needs of society, was already advocated by Papanek in 1969.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551520/original/file-20231002-30-2h1680.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="diagram" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551520/original/file-20231002-30-2h1680.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551520/original/file-20231002-30-2h1680.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551520/original/file-20231002-30-2h1680.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551520/original/file-20231002-30-2h1680.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551520/original/file-20231002-30-2h1680.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551520/original/file-20231002-30-2h1680.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551520/original/file-20231002-30-2h1680.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Concept of ‘minimal design,’ by Victor Papanek.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Diagram taken from the work of Victor Papanek)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Developing ecological literacy</h2>
<p>In 1990, educator <a href="https://blogs.ubc.ca/lled3662017/files/2017/08/Orr_Environmental-Literacy-Ecoliteracy.pdf">David Orr</a> introduced the concept of ecoliteracy to address a major gap in traditional education, centered on humans and ignoring their interconnectedness with nature. He advocated for environmental education to develop a sense of belonging to one’s living environment and establish production models that promote the resilience of ecosystems. This concept helps to understand the intricate connections between human activities and ecological systems, to foster a sense of responsibility and informed decision-making.</p>
<p>In the 2000s, fashion design researcher <a href="https://katefletcher.com">Kate Fletcher</a> supported the development of this ecological literacy to help stakeholders in the industry (designers, consumers and manufacturers) understand the implicit interconnection of industrial and living systems, showing that fashion maintains a vital relationship with nature. </p>
<p>Then, in 2018, the sustainable design researcher <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/ca/design-ecology-politics-9781350258778/">Joanna Boehnert </a>emphasized that ecological literacy not only promotes the development of new, more sustainable ways of producing, but also broadens our social, political, and economic vision to systemically address transdisciplinary sustainability challenges. </p>
<p>This is also supported by biologist Emmanuel Delannoy who offers a <a href="http://permaeconomie.fr/author/edelannoy">permaeconomy</a> model, blending permaculture and economics to establish a symbiotic relationship between economic systems and the natural environment, fostering resilience and prompting a reevaluation of our connection with living organisms</p>
<h2>A colourful heritage to rediscover</h2>
<p>My <a href="https://hexagram.ca/fr/qu-est-ce-que-la-recherche-creation/">research-creation</a> proposes a critical reflection on textile dyeing. </p>
<p>This field of investigation leads me to explore colouring beyond its aesthetic to raise ecological, economic and pedagogical questions. </p>
<p>While the glamourous aspect of fashion obscures the health and socio-environmental issues of the textile industry, I direct my thinking toward a more global understanding of dyeing, including its origins, manufacturing methods and interactions with living organisms. </p>
<p>I explore the development of non-toxic dyes by studying, on one hand, literature on <a href="https://www.belin-editeur.com/le-monde-des-teintures-naturelles">natural dyes since prehistory</a>, and, on the other hand, by meeting experts in the field such as scientific historian <a href="https://www.cnrs.fr/sites/default/files/download-file/CardonD.pdf">Dominique Cardon</a> or ecoliterate artisan <a href="https://fibershed.org/staff-board/">Rebecca Burgess</a>, founder of the <a href="https://fibershed.org">Fibershed</a> concept, which aims to produce biodegradable clothing in a limited geographical space. </p>
<p>I also study field practices, including those of the Textile Laboratory of <a href="https://www.luma.org/arles/atelierluma.html">Atelier Luma</a>, which works at the intersection of ecology, textiles and regional economic development. </p>
<p>And, I keep an eye on <a href="https://www.arts.ac.uk/subjects/textiles-and-materials/postgraduate?collection=ual-courses-meta-prod&query=!nullquery&start_rank=1&sort=relevance&f.Subject-test%7Csubject=Textiles%20and%20materials&f.Course%20level%7Clevel=Postgraduate">design education programs </a>that offer an art-science approach where deep ecology is integrated into the design process. </p>
<h2>Symbiosis between nature and the textile industry</h2>
<p>Additionally, in the <a href="https://speculativelifebiolab.com/2022/04/03/cooking-and-culturing-colour-part-iv/">research laboratory</a> where I work, I experiment with the intersection of traditional and prospective dyeing recipes.</p>
<p>Inspired by the concept of <a href="https://www.scirp.org/(S(lz5mqp453edsnp55rrgjct55))/reference/ReferencesPapers.aspx?ReferenceID=1999041">industrial ecology</a> (precursor of the <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/conservation/sustainability/circular-economy.html">circular economy</a>), that values the waste of one industry as resources for another, I use <a href="https://www.lapresse.ca/societe/mode-et-beaute/2021-03-30/quand-les-dechets-se-melent-de-la-mode.php">agri-food waste</a> as a colouring source, combined with the use of <a href="https://hexagram.ca/en/demo2-vanessa-mardirossian-the-culture-of-color-an-ecoliteracy-of-textile-design/">pigment-producing bacteria</a> to expand the colour palette. </p>
<p>Thus, tannins from various waste materials can be used in dye recipes. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551537/original/file-20231002-25-qtiisx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="bits of coloured fabric" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551537/original/file-20231002-25-qtiisx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551537/original/file-20231002-25-qtiisx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551537/original/file-20231002-25-qtiisx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551537/original/file-20231002-25-qtiisx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551537/original/file-20231002-25-qtiisx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551537/original/file-20231002-25-qtiisx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551537/original/file-20231002-25-qtiisx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Fabric dyed from waste and bacteria.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Vanessa Mardirossian)</span>, <span class="license">Fourni par l'auteur</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But colouring a textile is only the visible part of the iceberg, as fibre preparation takes place upstream to ensure the colour’s resistance to light and washing, known as “mordanting.” Whether the fibre is animal or vegetable, different mordants will be used. </p>
<p>This expertise acquired iteratively between theory, prototyping, and results analysis contributes to gaining “textile ecoliteracy.” Coupled with a knowledge of biology, this allows for understanding the deleterious interactions between the material and living worlds. </p>
<p>Ultimately, the synthesis of ecoliteracy and biomimicry concepts has led me to reflect on a macro-vision of the fashion industry ecosystem, and to consider the concept of “textile ecoliteracy” as a means to deploy a network of intersectoral collaborations between design, health, education, and industry. </p>
<p>My research aims to show that <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2752/175693810X12774625387594">textile materiality must harmonize symbiotically with natural ecosystems</a> so that both parties benefit from their interaction.</p>
<p>In conclusion, the textile industry’s environmental and health impacts necessitate urgent attention and innovative solutions. This article has delved into the historical context, explored interdisciplinary approaches, and proposed the concept of “textile ecoliteracy” as a collaborative means to address these challenges. </p>
<p>By focusing on sustainable design, education, and the utilization of innovative practices, designers can play a pivotal role in reshaping the industry. The synthesis of ecological awareness and biomimicry principles highlights the potential for a harmonious coexistence between textile materiality and natural ecosystems. </p>
<p>As we move forward, fostering a symbiotic relationship between the textile industry and the environment is not just a choice but a collective responsibility — one that promises a healthier future for both people and the planet.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/216304/count.gif" alt="La Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Vanessa Mardirossian is a member of Acfas, Hexagram and Concordia University's Textiles & Materiality and Critical Practices in Material and Materiality research laboratories. She has received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Concordia University and Université du Québec à Montréal.</span></em></p>
The production, use and end-of-life of clothing all have an impact on our health. But greater ecological awareness could turn the tide.
Vanessa Mardirossian, PhD Candidate and educator in sustainable fashion, Concordia University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/209142
2023-07-12T20:03:50Z
2023-07-12T20:03:50Z
Fungi could be the next frontier in fire safety
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536957/original/file-20230712-21-of56i6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5422%2C3571&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Australia is no stranger to fire-related disasters. The country <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221133552200167X">experiences more than</a> 17,000 residential fires each year.</p>
<p>Each winter brings an increase in potential fire hazards due to the use of heaters and candles. Couple this with our already fire-prone vegetation, and a generally hot and dry climate, and you can see why there’s an urgent need to develop effective and sustainable fireproofing methods.</p>
<p>This is what inspired our research team to <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-19458-0?fbclid=IwAR3wYYY-fml-OasZVHARLKbi4wjJKCXwNDZ9kaT7n-o7o3yL6Xy61fiQU9Y">create fireproofing materials</a> made from edible fungi. These materials can withstand flames to protect the integrity of a building’s structure (and any occupants).</p>
<p>Our work presents an exciting opportunity for an industry that has spent too long using materials that are harmful to human health and the environment.</p>
<h2>Fireproofing through the decades</h2>
<p>In the 1970s, construction companies in Australia widely used chemicals categorised as “<a href="https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/flame_retardants/">halogenated flame retardants</a>” to fireproof buildings, furnishings and electronics.</p>
<p>These flame retardants, which <a href="https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/whatwestudy/assessments/cancer/ongoing/hfr#:%7E:text=Halogenated%20flame%20retardants%20encompass%20a,%2C%20structural%2C%20and%20chemical%20properties">largely consist</a> of bromide or chlorine-containing chemicals, are effective in interrupting combustion. But many have been associated with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21268442/">adverse health effects</a> including immunotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, cancer and impaired neurological function. </p>
<p>Phosphorus and nitrogen-based flame retardants are preferred over their halogenated counterparts and are still used for fireproofing today, including in Australia. However, these too pose some risk to human health and to nature (through toxicity and accumulation in the environment).</p>
<h2>Exploring a better alternative</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0141391023001714?dgcid=coauthor">Our team has</a> produced a material made entirely out of mycelium, which shows great promise for fireproofing. </p>
<p>Mycelium is the root-like structure of fungi. It’s made up of many thin, branched filaments. The cell walls of these filaments are largely composed of a natural polymer called chitin (which you can also find in <a href="https://theconversation.com/5-ways-fungi-could-change-the-world-from-cleaning-water-to-breaking-down-plastics-157320">crab shells and insect exoskeletons</a>). </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536955/original/file-20230712-17-pcvo4b.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536955/original/file-20230712-17-pcvo4b.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536955/original/file-20230712-17-pcvo4b.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536955/original/file-20230712-17-pcvo4b.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536955/original/file-20230712-17-pcvo4b.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536955/original/file-20230712-17-pcvo4b.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536955/original/file-20230712-17-pcvo4b.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536955/original/file-20230712-17-pcvo4b.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Mycleium is the vegetative root-like structure of fungi. It’s usually hidden from view underground.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Our mycelium-based material is lightweight, eco-friendly, biodegradable and has a relatively long ignition time.</p>
<p>When exposed to intense fire or heat, the material can transform to char – a black high-carbon residue that remains when all the water and volatile compounds have burned off. This is similar to the charcoal that remains when wood is burned. This char protects any underlying flammable material by slowing down heat transfer and preventing further combustion. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/535988/original/file-20230706-25-vu83ie.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/535988/original/file-20230706-25-vu83ie.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=222&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535988/original/file-20230706-25-vu83ie.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=222&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535988/original/file-20230706-25-vu83ie.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=222&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535988/original/file-20230706-25-vu83ie.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=279&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535988/original/file-20230706-25-vu83ie.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=279&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535988/original/file-20230706-25-vu83ie.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=279&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Our mycelium material can be used as a thin, wallpaper-like fireproofing layer.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Unlike current fireproofing materials, our material releases only harmless natural products when exposed to fire, such as water and carbon dioxide.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/scientists-create-new-building-material-out-of-fungus-rice-and-glass-98153">Scientists create new building material out of fungus, rice and glass</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>A versatile material</h2>
<p>Our material is flexible and can be manipulated to varying thinness, including down to a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0141391023001076">1mm thin wallpaper</a>. This makes it more useful than the bulky fungal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fam.2637">bricks</a> our group previously created. </p>
<p>It could be used as thin wallpaper-like sheets, or consolidated into thicker and stronger core materials that resemble timber or cladding.</p>
<p>We showcase two possible applications for the building and construction industry (although there would be other uses in industries such as automotive and aerospace engineering):</p>
<ol>
<li><p>fungal-only sheets as laminates, where the thickness can be customised, which would be ideal for use as insulation panels</p></li>
<li><p>fungal layers attached to the surface of flammable structures, in the same way wallpaper is applied to walls, to enhance fire protection.</p></li>
</ol>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/535990/original/file-20230706-26-g3zktn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/535990/original/file-20230706-26-g3zktn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=456&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535990/original/file-20230706-26-g3zktn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=456&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535990/original/file-20230706-26-g3zktn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=456&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535990/original/file-20230706-26-g3zktn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=573&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535990/original/file-20230706-26-g3zktn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=573&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535990/original/file-20230706-26-g3zktn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=573&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The material could be used as a consolidated laminate with a thickness of about 4.5mm.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The next steps</h2>
<p>Although mycelium-based materials are currently used globally for construction, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8934219/">packaging and insulation</a>, none are so far commercially available. Moreover, none have been used or approved for fireproofing.</p>
<p>We’ve been approached by the mushroom industry to develop our material and its feasibility for commercialisation. Collaboration will be crucial to creating a closed-loop industry where agricultural waste can be up-cycled into sustainable biomaterials that meet fire safety needs. </p>
<p>There’s a long way to go before our product can be bought off-the-shelf, and we’ll need to address various large-scale manufacturing challenges in the process.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, we hope our work can eventually contribute to a future where building fires are significantly reduced, and where our homes are safer and more sustainable spaces to live in.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/5-ways-fungi-could-change-the-world-from-cleaning-water-to-breaking-down-plastics-157320">5 ways fungi could change the world, from cleaning water to breaking down plastics</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/209142/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Everson Kandare receives funding from the Australian Research Council, Sustainability Victoria, Tyre Stewardship Australia, and Coorperative Research Centres.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nattanan Chulikavit receives funding from Australian Research Council. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tien Huynh does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
For decades, construction companies have used fireproofing chemicals associated with risks to human health and the environment. We need safer alternatives.
Tien Huynh, Associate Professor, School of Sciences, RMIT University
Everson Kandare, Associate Professor, School of Engineering, RMIT University
Nattanan Chulikavit, PhD student, School of Engineering, RMIT University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/193953
2023-01-05T13:27:11Z
2023-01-05T13:27:11Z
Green jobs are booming, but too few employees have sustainability skills to fill them – here are 4 ways to close the gap
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/500868/original/file-20221213-26864-q2772b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=39%2C2%2C1857%2C1063&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">U.S. universities now have over 3,000 sustainability programs.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://news.asu.edu/20211014-garbage-gold-circular-economy-research-makes-plastic-more-sustainable">Andy DeLisle/ASU</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>To meet today’s global sustainability challenges, the corporate world needs more than a few chief sustainability officers – it needs <a href="https://aka.ms/ClosingtheSustainabilitySkillsGap">an army of employees</a>, in all areas of business, thinking about sustainability in their decisions every day.</p>
<p>That means product designers, supply managers, economists, scientists, architects and many others with the knowledge to both recognize unsustainable practices and find ways to improve sustainability for the overall health of their companies and the planet.</p>
<p>Employers are increasingly looking for those skills. We analyzed job ads from a <a href="https://lightcast.io/">global database</a> and found a tenfold increase in the number of jobs with “sustainability” in the title over the last decade, reaching 177,000 in 2021.</p>
<p>What’s troubling is that there are not enough skilled workers to meet the rapid growth in green and sustainability jobs available.</p>
<p>While the number of “<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/learning/green-jobs-for-sustainable-careers/what-is-a-green-job">green jobs</a>” grew globally at a <a href="https://linkedin.github.io/global-green-report-2022/">rate of 8%</a> per year over the last five years, the number of people listing green skills in their profiles only <a href="https://economicgraph.linkedin.com/content/dam/me/economicgraph/en-us/global-green-skills-report/global-green-skills-report-pdf/li-green-economy-report-2022-annex.pdf">grew by 6%</a> per year, according to a LinkedIn analysis of its nearly 800 million users.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A man stands beside a 3-D printer in a university lab." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/500870/original/file-20221213-21589-wcwzhh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/500870/original/file-20221213-21589-wcwzhh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500870/original/file-20221213-21589-wcwzhh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500870/original/file-20221213-21589-wcwzhh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500870/original/file-20221213-21589-wcwzhh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500870/original/file-20221213-21589-wcwzhh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500870/original/file-20221213-21589-wcwzhh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">When employees are trained to think about sustainable materials and processes, they can improve corporate innovation and the bottom line.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://fullcircle.asu.edu/fulton-schools/stimulating-manufacturing-innovation-in-asus-made-science-and-technology-center/">Sona Srinarayana/ASU</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>As professors who train future workers in sustainability principles and techniques, we see several effective ways for people at all stages of their careers to gain those skills and increase those numbers.</p>
<h2>Where sustainability jobs are growing fastest</h2>
<p>In the U.S., jobs in the <a href="https://www.energy.gov/policy/us-energy-employment-jobs-report-useer">renewable energy and environment sectors</a>, <a href="https://economicgraph.linkedin.com/content/dam/me/economicgraph/en-us/global-green-skills-report/global-green-skills-report-pdf/li-green-economy-report-2022-annex.pdf">grew by 237%</a> over the last five years. Globally, the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is forecast to result in <a href="https://eos.org/articles/forecast-8-million-energy-jobs-created-by-meeting-paris-agreement">a net increase in jobs</a> for the energy sector. </p>
<p>But green jobs go well beyond solar panel installation and wind turbine maintenance. </p>
<p>Sustainable fashion is one of the fastest-growing green jobs sectors, averaging a <a href="https://economicgraph.linkedin.com/content/dam/me/economicgraph/en-us/global-green-skills-report/global-green-skills-report-pdf/li-green-economy-report-2022-annex.pdf">90% growth rate</a> annually between 2016 and 2020. </p>
<p>The rapid expansion of ESG investing – environment, social and governance – and portfolio management is opening up new jobs in sustainable finance. In 2021, the accounting firm PwC announced that it would invest US$12 billion and create <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/sustainable-business/pwc-planning-hire-100000-over-five-years-major-esg-push-2021-06-15/">100,000 new jobs</a> in ESG investing by 2026. </p>
<p><iframe id="WlHBV" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/WlHBV/7/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>There is also a growing demand for urban sustainability officers who can help transition cities to be net-zero carbon and more resilient. After all, the world is adding <a href="https://population.un.org/wup/publications/Files/WUP2018-Report.pdf">1 million people to cities every five days</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab4b71">building 20,000 American football fields’ worth of urban areas</a> someplace on the planet every day. </p>
<p>In 2013, when the Rockefeller Foundation <a href="https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/100-resilient-cities/">launched 100 Resilient Cities</a>, a network to help cities become more sustainable, few cities had a resilience or sustainability officer. Today, more than 250 communities and 1,000 local government professionals are part of the <a href="https://www.usdn.org/index.html">Urban Sustainability Directors Network</a>. </p>
<p>The number of companies with <a href="https://businesschief.com/sustainability/charting-rise-chief-sustainability-officer">chief sustainability officers</a> in executive positions also <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/sustainable-business/number-company-sustainability-officers-triples-2021-study-2022-05-04/">tripled</a> from 9% to 28% between 2016 and 2021. But given the <a href="https://www.ey.com/en_gl/sustainability/how-can-slowing-climate-change-accelerate-your-financial-performance">scale and business opportunities of sustainability</a>, these skills are needed much more widely within organizations.</p>
<h2>So, where can you find training?</h2>
<p>Most sustainability and green jobs require creative problem-solving, synthesizing and <a href="https://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/publication/whos-fit-for-the-low-carbon-transition-emerging-skills-and-wage-gaps-in-job-ad-data/">technical skills</a>. Some of those skills can be learned on the job, but boosting the number of qualified job applicants will <a href="https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/strengthening-sustainability-programs-and-curricula-at-the-undergraduate-and-graduate-levels">require more effective and accessible training</a> opportunities that target employers’ needs. Here are a some training sources to consider.</p>
<p><strong>University programs:</strong> Sustainability is increasingly being incorporated into a wide range of university programs. Fifteen years ago, sustainability training was mostly ad hoc – a product designer or economist might have taken a class in sustainability approaches from the environmental science department. Today, U.S. universities have <a href="https://hub.aashe.org/browse/types/academicprogram/">about 3,000 programs</a> with a “sustainability” label, up from 13 in 2008.</p>
<p>A National Academies <a href="https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/strengthening-sustainability-programs-and-curricula-at-the-undergraduate-and-graduate-levels">report</a> recommends looking for a competency-based approach to sustainability learning that blends content with skills and links knowledge to action to solve problems and develop solutions.</p>
<p><strong>Micro-credentials:</strong> For mid-career employees who <a href="https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2021/10/plug-the-gap-retrain-for-net-zero/">don’t have the time</a> to reinvest in full-fledged degrees, short courses and micro-credentials offered by universities, colleges or professional groups offer one way to develop sustainability skills.</p>
<p>A micro-credential might involve taking a series of courses or workshops focused on a specific skill, such as <a href="https://www.farmingdale.edu/provost/microcredentials/wind-energy-technology-mc.shtml">in wind energy technology</a> or <a href="https://www.tcd.ie/courses/microcredentials/by-school/micro-credentials---business/creating-value-with-esg---micro-credential/">how to incorporate ESG criteria</a> into business operations.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A group of people wearing hard hats install a large window." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501166/original/file-20221214-14279-49z6wq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501166/original/file-20221214-14279-49z6wq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501166/original/file-20221214-14279-49z6wq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501166/original/file-20221214-14279-49z6wq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501166/original/file-20221214-14279-49z6wq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501166/original/file-20221214-14279-49z6wq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501166/original/file-20221214-14279-49z6wq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">U.S. architect Michael Reynolds holds four-week, hands-on training sessions, primarily for architects, in sustainable design principles, construction methods and philosophy. Participation can count toward Western Colorado University’s Master in Environmental Management graduate degree.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/trainees-work-during-the-construction-of-an-auto-news-photo/509595572">Pablo Porciuncula/AFP via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Short courses and micro credentials take up less time and are much less expensive than college degree programs. That may also help <a href="https://uwlpress.uwl.ac.uk/newvistas/article/id/193/">lower-income individuals</a> train for sustainability jobs and diversify the field.</p>
<p><strong>Specializations:</strong> A similar option is jobs-focused online certificate programs with a sustainability specialization. </p>
<p>For example, Google teamed up with universities to provide online courses for project managers, and Arizona State University is offering a <a href="https://grow.google/certificates/project-management">sustainability specialization</a> to accompany it. Project management is an area where the <a href="https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/13-1199.05">U.S. Department of Labor</a> expects to see fast job growth, with <a href="https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/13-1199.05">100,000 job openings</a> in the next decade.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A pile of boxes of various sizes ready for shipping at a FedEx shipping distribution center." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501167/original/file-20221214-16547-g5r5q3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501167/original/file-20221214-16547-g5r5q3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501167/original/file-20221214-16547-g5r5q3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501167/original/file-20221214-16547-g5r5q3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501167/original/file-20221214-16547-g5r5q3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501167/original/file-20221214-16547-g5r5q3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501167/original/file-20221214-16547-g5r5q3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Sustainable packaging design that reduces costs and reuses materials is an area ripe for innovation in many companies as consumer shipping increases.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/fedex-worker-sorts-packages-being-uloaded-from-a-truck-on-a-news-photo/56304610">Justin Sullivan/Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>Corporate training:</strong> Some companies have developed their own internal sustainability training in <a href="https://fortune.com/2022/04/11/companies-embrace-employee-sustainability-education-to-tackle-climate-emergency/">climate science</a>, <a href="https://group.bnpparibas/en/news/we-engage-sustainable-finance-internal-training-social-environmental-challenges">sustainable finance</a>, <a href="https://home.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/pdf/2016/03/30072014_Sustainability_Training_Brochure.pdf">sustainability reporting</a> and other skills.</p>
<p>Integrating sustainability across all functions of companies will require some level of sustainability training and understanding for most if not all employees. Companies like <a href="https://www.starbucksglobalacademy.com/greener-apron/">Starbucks</a>, <a href="https://sustainability-academy.org/tag/hsbc/">HSBC</a>, <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/news/stories/sustainability-core-value/">Salesforce</a> and <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/sustainability/learning-center">Microsoft</a> have created internal training programs to spread sustainability knowledge and practice throughout their companies, not just for employees who have sustainability in their titles.</p>
<h2>Closing the gap</h2>
<p>A recent <a href="https://aka.ms/ClosingtheSustainabilitySkillsGap">survey by Microsoft and BCG</a> of major companies found that only 43% of sustainability professionals in businesses had sustainability-related degrees, and 68% of sustainability leaders were hired internally. </p>
<p>It’s clear that on-the-job sustainability training and up-skilling will be necessary to fill the growing number of roles inside of companies.</p>
<p>To meet the sustainability skills gap, we believe more training will be required – at colleges and universities, by professional organizations and from employers. Achieving global sustainability and meeting climate change challenges will become more likely as legions of people commit their working hours to sustainability solutions.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/193953/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Christopher Boone receives funding from the National Science Foundation and the George and Cynthia Mitchell Foundation. He serves on the board of directors for the Global Council for Science and the Environment. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Karen Seto receives funding from NASA and NSF. She is a member of the US National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering. </span></em></p>
Green jobs go beyond solar panel installation and wind turbine maintenance. They’re found in fields from design to economics and in many types of management.
Christopher Boone, Professor of Sustainability, Arizona State University
Karen C. Seto, Professor of Geography and Urbanization Science, Yale University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/189409
2022-08-30T16:23:47Z
2022-08-30T16:23:47Z
Wooden housing boom needed to boost climate goals, says new study – but is it possible?
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/481809/original/file-20220830-31761-1isx65.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3840%2C2160&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/close-dof-unrecognizable-male-builder-picks-1961969287">Flystock/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Housing 90% of people moving to cities in mid-rise buildings made from engineered wood could save the construction industry 106 billion tonnes of CO₂ by 2100, according to <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-32244-w">a new study</a>. This, the researchers argued, would rein in the industry’s total emissions, which threaten to consume between 35% and 60% of the remaining carbon budget for halting global heating at 2°C with the continued use of cement and steel.</p>
<p>I did not contribute to this study, but I work in the same field as its authors. My research also involves accounting for the greenhouse gas emissions of buildings. Not just the operational emissions, such as those resulting from burning fossil gas for heating, but the embodied emissions too: the atmosphere-warming gases that were released when the bricks were fired or when the steel in its girders was produced. </p>
<p>I am always looking for elegant solutions to the many challenges climate change presents. And while I admire the ambition of these proposals, I am sceptical as to whether they are feasible.</p>
<p>Engineered wood (unlike timber, which is wood that has been cut into boards or beams) describes a number of composite construction materials made by gluing wood together to give it uniform and predictable qualities. One well-known engineered wood product is cross-laminated timber, or CLT, which is made from perpendicularly arranged wood panels. </p>
<p>The increased stability and strength with which this endows CLT makes it a suitable replacement for conventional materials such as concrete and brick, and it can bear the necessary load to make mid-rise buildings (typically between five and ten storeys tall) as the study suggests. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="The wooden frame of an incomplete mid-rise building that is five storeys tall." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/481810/original/file-20220830-21491-q5adad.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/481810/original/file-20220830-21491-q5adad.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/481810/original/file-20220830-21491-q5adad.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/481810/original/file-20220830-21491-q5adad.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/481810/original/file-20220830-21491-q5adad.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/481810/original/file-20220830-21491-q5adad.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/481810/original/file-20220830-21491-q5adad.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A mid-rise building under construction in Toronto, Canada.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/toronto-canada-june-16-2019-view-1425924893">JHVEPhoto/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The manufacturing process for engineered wood requires more energy than cutting wood into timber, however, and so it generates more emissions. Some bonding adhesives may also be toxic. So would a woody construction boom really benefit the environment and keep enough carbon in buildings and out of the atmosphere?</p>
<h2>Construction lifetimes</h2>
<p>There are two things to consider when working out the emissions involved in using engineered wood. First, the CO₂ captured by the growing tree from which the wood originated. This sets a negative carbon balance: the material at this stage absorbs more carbon than it releases. </p>
<p>Second, the manufacturing process which produces engineered wood uses energy and so emits carbon. The balance between the two is still negative, meaning manufacturing emits less than is absorbed by the wood during growth. And so more carbon is stored overall at the start of the building’s lifetime. </p>
<p>What happens at the end of that lifetime will ultimately determine if a building predominantly constructed with engineered wood remains carbon negative. If the material from a deconstructed building is sent to landfill and left to rot without the gases being captured, or if it is incinerated, the carbon stored in the engineered timber will return to the atmosphere, and there will be no net carbon storage.</p>
<p>According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, homes and other buildings like offices have a <a href="https://www.rics.org/globalassets/rics-website/media/news/whole-life-carbon-assessment-for-the--built-environment-november-2017.pdf">whole life carbon cycle</a> of roughly 60 years. This is how long the building is expected to last and accounts for carbon stored and emitted during construction, use and deconstruction.</p>
<p>Only if engineered timber is completely recycled into new products will the assumptions about carbon storage in harvested wood products hold. But a building built from engineered wood will still contain numerous conventional materials, including metal fasteners, screws, nails, tiles and glass. These can contain a significant amount of embodied carbon that the article does not seem to account for.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="The partially demolished wooden frame of a building." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/481811/original/file-20220830-33816-u3jh7b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/481811/original/file-20220830-33816-u3jh7b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/481811/original/file-20220830-33816-u3jh7b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/481811/original/file-20220830-33816-u3jh7b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/481811/original/file-20220830-33816-u3jh7b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/481811/original/file-20220830-33816-u3jh7b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/481811/original/file-20220830-33816-u3jh7b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">All that wood will need to find a second life elsewhere.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/demolition-building-deconstruction-site-debris-remains-2185193867">Piotr Milewski/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Building to net zero</h2>
<p>According to the study, plantations expanding by 3.6 million hectares each year would provide enough engineered wood to create housing for new urban residents until 2100. At the moment, the world’s plantations expand at roughly 2 million hectares annually, according to the study.</p>
<p>Significantly increasing the area of land dedicated to producing timber may not be possible in all countries, particularly where land is scarce and competition with food production is fierce. Any new plantations may not grow according to expectations due to droughts or wildfires.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A pile of logs with a stand of trees and a lorry laden with wood behind it." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/481813/original/file-20220830-27-8zmlc6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/481813/original/file-20220830-27-8zmlc6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=391&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/481813/original/file-20220830-27-8zmlc6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=391&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/481813/original/file-20220830-27-8zmlc6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=391&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/481813/original/file-20220830-27-8zmlc6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=491&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/481813/original/file-20220830-27-8zmlc6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=491&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/481813/original/file-20220830-27-8zmlc6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=491&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Space for new timber plantations is not guaranteed.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/plantation-eucalyptus-bluegum-trees-being-harvested-145232647">Sirtravelalot/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Some countries might struggle to afford the investment in an engineered wood construction sector on their own. National planning regulations vary too, so that the large-scale expansion of cities using engineered wood may be difficult to approve and achieve. The plan described by the researchers would also require concerted action across lots of different countries.</p>
<p>The study inspires optimism for a future in which the world’s growing urban population will find shelter in new, climate-neutral housing. But it makes assumptions which will be difficult to realise. Perhaps its greatest contribution is illuminating the tremendous challenges which must be overcome to build a net zero world.</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="Imagine weekly climate newsletter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong><em>Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?</em></strong>
<br><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/newsletters/imagine-57?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=Imagine&utm_content=DontHaveTimeTop">Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead.</a> Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/newsletters/imagine-57?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=Imagine&utm_content=DontHaveTimeBottom">Join the 10,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.</a></em></p>
<hr><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/189409/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ljubomir Jankovic received funding from EPSRC, EU, EUREKA, ARTEMIS, KTP, Innovate UK, Research England and AHRC.</span></em></p>
Engineered wood is a sustainable alternative to cement and steel in construction.
Ljubomir Jankovic, Professor of Advanced Building Design, University of Hertfordshire
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/179685
2022-03-21T15:18:05Z
2022-03-21T15:18:05Z
The inspiring architect from Burkina Faso who lifted world’s biggest prize
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/453306/original/file-20220321-13-5p72ex.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Burkinabe architect Diébédo Francis Kéré.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Photo by ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><em><a href="https://www.kerearchitecture.com/">Diébédo Francis Kéré</a> has become <a href="https://www.pritzkerprize.com/laureates">the first African</a> and the first black person to be <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/mar/15/it-is-unbelievable-francis-kere-becomes-first-black-architect-to-win-the-pritzker-prize">awarded</a> architecture’s highest international honour, the 2022 <a href="https://www.pritzkerprize.com/">Pritzker Architecture Prize</a>. Kéré was born in Burkina Faso, West Africa, and built his <a href="https://www.kerearchitecture.com/work">architectural practice</a> designing schools and medical facilities that were most often built by local communities with minimal resources and a very careful selection of affordable and sustainable materials. It was this approach that led to his architecture <a href="https://www.kerearchitecture.com">firm</a> receiving global recognition. We asked architect and African architecture researcher Paulo Moreia to tell us more about Kéré and his win.</em></p>
<hr>
<h2>An introduction to Francis Kéré</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.kerearchitecture.com/about-us">Francis Kéré</a> is a 56-year-old internationally renowned architect. He was born in Gando, a small village in Burkina Faso. He turned his destiny around through education, becoming one of the most representative figures in the African diaspora. </p>
<p>As a child, Francis had to leave his family to attend school in the nearest town. Driven by his own optimism, and by the awareness that in his home country only education could make a difference, Kéré moved to Berlin on a carpentry scholarship and to study architecture. Even before he finished his studies, he designed a primary school in Gando. </p>
<p>In Germany he founded an association to raise funds to build the school, translated as ‘Bricks for Gando’, it was later renamed the <a href="https://www.kerefoundation.com/">Kéré Foundation</a>.</p>
<h2>What kind of architecture is he known for?</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.archdaily.com/785955/primary-school-in-gando-kere-architecture">Gando school</a> is a model of sustainable building. Its features include allowing cooling air to pass through and around the building. Another is its innovative use of widely available local resources – both materials and unskilled labour.</p>
<p>It has become an example of the power of architecture to uplift and inspire.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.dezeen.com/2017/10/17/movie-diebedo-francis-kere-gando-school-burkina-faso-interview-video/">first school</a> built using this model – in Gando in 2001 – encouraged the implementation of further projects: another school, then a library. These buildings, in turn, have attracted other buildings around them – and even the neighbouring villages have built their own schools following Gando’s cooperative approach. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/453308/original/file-20220321-23-1nrmukz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/453308/original/file-20220321-23-1nrmukz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/453308/original/file-20220321-23-1nrmukz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/453308/original/file-20220321-23-1nrmukz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/453308/original/file-20220321-23-1nrmukz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/453308/original/file-20220321-23-1nrmukz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/453308/original/file-20220321-23-1nrmukz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The Village-Opera school designed by Kéré, in Laongo in Gabon.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT/AFP via Getty Images</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>When architecture has such an impact in the context where it operates, it can only be described as a powerful type of architecture. The impact extended to the whole nation. Less than 15 years after building his first school, Kéré was invited to design Burkina Faso’s <a href="https://www.dezeen.com/2017/07/03/movie-burkina-faso-parliament-building-national-assembly-diebedo-francis-kere-video-interview/">national parliament</a>. It also extended beyond the country’s borders – across the continent and then further afield. In Africa there have been projects in Benin, Kenya, Mali and Mozambique. Worldwide there have been projects in Europe, America and Asia. Kéré’s school inspired <a href="http://paulomoreira.net/projects/kapalanga-school/">my own work</a> as an architect in Angola.</p>
<h2>What is the Pritzker Prize?</h2>
<p>It is architecture’s highest honour. It’s granted each year to architects whose work has achieved excellence. This year it is in its <a href="https://www.pritzkerprize.com/">45th edition</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/homage-to-the-forest-tree-architect-francis-kere-pays-tribute-to-his-african-roots-74332">Homage to the forest tree: Architect Francis Kéré pays tribute to his African roots</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Historically, the prize honoured the designers of iconic buildings, but in the last few years this seems to have changed. In 2021 a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2021/mar/16/lacaton-vassal-unflashy-french-architectures-pritzker-prize">French duo Lacaton & Vassal</a> were recognised for their advocacy of social justice and sustainability. In 2016 the Chilean <a href="https://www.pritzkerprize.com/laureates/ale-jan-dro-ara-ve-na">Alejandro Aravena</a> won the award for his design of several social housing projects and in <a href="https://www.dezeen.com/2014/03/24/shigeru-ban-wins-pritzker-prize-2014/">2014 it was awarded to</a> Japanese architect Shigeu Ban. Besides creating architecture, Shigeu Ban also volunteers for disaster relief.</p>
<h2>Why does Kéré’s win matter?</h2>
<p>In these convoluted times, Kéré’s work is a magnificent example of the potential of architecture to provide a better future and to catalyse progress on a local scale. His <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kerearchitecture/?hl=en">projects</a> show how the architect’s role is not just to design walls, doors, windows and roofs – although he does all of those too, with great quality, elegance, rigour and beauty. His work shows strong climate and budget concerns, along with the will to engage local communities in the design and construction of the buildings themselves.</p>
<p>Kéré’s work suggests that only once buildings are inhabited can we know if their architecture truly suits them. For instance, an oversailing metal roof which provides shade from the brutal sun and protects the walls from the rain might become an unintended playground for children, who like to climb roofs as if they were trees. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/453324/original/file-20220321-25-80bqjk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/453324/original/file-20220321-25-80bqjk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=350&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/453324/original/file-20220321-25-80bqjk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=350&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/453324/original/file-20220321-25-80bqjk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=350&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/453324/original/file-20220321-25-80bqjk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/453324/original/file-20220321-25-80bqjk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/453324/original/file-20220321-25-80bqjk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The design of London’s 2017 Serpentine Pavilion was commissioned from Kéré.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>His sensibility for using local resources and adapting buildings to their surroundings has become an inspiration for many other architects.</p>
<h2>How could Kéré’s work make the world a better place?</h2>
<p>Kéré’s work resonates on a global scale. His buildings are acts of social transformation. Above and beyond any architectural discourse, they create the conditions for cultivating civic responsibility and promoting self-empowerment.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/young-female-south-african-architect-reinvents-serpentine-pavilion-in-london-161444">Young female South African architect reinvents Serpentine Pavilion in London</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Once again, looking back to the beginning of his career, which set the basis for his approach to architecture, Kéré’s decision to compensate the support for his childhood studies with a school building was not coincidental. He knew that as a first public institution, the school would enable the population to begin to acquire a proper civic voice – eventually becoming participants in the destiny of their village and country, instead of merely being affected by it.</p>
<p>If this vision was applied elsewhere, the world would definitely be a better place.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/179685/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Paulo Moreira was a post-doctoral fellow in the research project Africa Habitat (2020-21), coordinated by the Faculty of Architecture, University of Lisbon, funded by FCT and Aga Khan Development Network (Knowledge for Development Initiative programme). Previously, he received a doctoral grant from FCT - Portugal (2010-2014). He owns Paulo Moreira Architectures and is the founder and artistic director of INSTITUTO, a cultural space in Porto, Portugal.
</span></em></p>
Kéré shows how architecture can build better futures by embracing communities to help catalyse progress.
Paulo Moreira, Researcher, Universidade de Lisboa
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/157320
2021-03-31T11:20:45Z
2021-03-31T11:20:45Z
5 ways fungi could change the world, from cleaning water to breaking down plastics
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/391874/original/file-20210326-15-1w9lypa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=114%2C114%2C5349%2C3522&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Fungi — a scientific goldmine? Well, that’s what a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2021.03.002">review</a> published today in the journal Trends in Biotechnology indicates. You may think mushrooms are a long chalk from the caped crusaders of sustainability. But think again. </p>
<p>Many of us have heard of fungi’s role in creating more sustainable leather substitutes. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amadou">Amadou</a> vegan leather crafted from fungal-fruiting bodies has been around for some 5,000 years. </p>
<p>More recently, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-020-00606-1">mycelium leather substitutes</a> have taken the stage. These are produced from the root-like structure mycelium, which snakes through dead wood or soil beneath mushrooms.</p>
<p>You might even know about how fungi help us make many fermented food and drinks such as beer, wine, bread, soy sauce and tempeh. Many popular vegan protein products, including <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/mycoprotein">Quorn</a>, are just flavoured masses of fungal mycelium. </p>
<p>But what makes fungi so versatile? And what else can they do?</p>
<h2>Show me foamy and flexible</h2>
<p>Fungal growth offers a cheap, simple and environmentally friendly way to bind agricultural byproducts (such as rice hulls, wheat straw, sugarcane <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/bagasse">bagasse</a> and molasses) into biodegradable and carbon-neutral foams.</p>
<p>Fungal foams are becoming increasingly popular as sustainable packaging materials; <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/fr/content/mushroom-fungi-packaging-ikea-decompose-ecovative/">IKEA</a> is one company that has indicated a commitment to using them. </p>
<p>Fungal foams can also be used in the construction industry for insulation, flooring and panelling. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127519308354">Research</a> has revealed them to be strong competitors against commercial materials in terms of having effective sound and heat insulation properties.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/390362/original/file-20210318-21-92brk8.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/390362/original/file-20210318-21-92brk8.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=389&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390362/original/file-20210318-21-92brk8.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=389&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390362/original/file-20210318-21-92brk8.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=389&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390362/original/file-20210318-21-92brk8.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=489&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390362/original/file-20210318-21-92brk8.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=489&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390362/original/file-20210318-21-92brk8.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=489&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Rigid and flexible fungal foams have several construction applications including (a) particle board and insulation cores, (b) acoustic absorbers, (c) flexible foams and (d) flooring.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Jones et al</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Moreover, adding in industrial wastes such as glass fines (crushed glass bits) in these foams can improve their fire resistance.</p>
<p>And isolating only the mycelium can produce a more flexible and spongy foam suitable for products such as facial sponges, artificial skin, ink and dye carriers, shoe insoles, lightweight insulation lofts, cushioning, soft furnishings and textiles.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/scientists-create-new-building-material-out-of-fungus-rice-and-glass-98153">Scientists create new building material out of fungus, rice and glass</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Paper that doesn’t come from trees? No, chitin</h2>
<p>For other products, it’s the composition of fungi that matters. Fungal filaments contain chitin: a remarkable polymer also found in crab shells and insect exoskeletons.</p>
<p>Chitin has a fibrous structure, similar to cellulose in wood. This means fungal fibre can be processed into sheets the same way paper is made. </p>
<p>When <em>stretched</em>, <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.biomac.9b01141">fungal papers</a> are stronger than many plastics and not much weaker than some steels of the same thickness. We’ve yet to test its properties when subject to different forces.</p>
<p>Fungal paper’s strength can be substituted for <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0266353820311738">rubbery flexibility</a> by using specific fungal species, or a different part of the mushroom. The paper’s transparency can be customised in the same way.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/390364/original/file-20210318-19-cs3uup.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/390364/original/file-20210318-19-cs3uup.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390364/original/file-20210318-19-cs3uup.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390364/original/file-20210318-19-cs3uup.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390364/original/file-20210318-19-cs3uup.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390364/original/file-20210318-19-cs3uup.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390364/original/file-20210318-19-cs3uup.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Paper sheets with varying transparency derived from the brown crab’s shell <em>(C. pagurus)</em> (column 1), fungi <em>Daedaleopsis confragosa</em> (column 2) and the mushroom <em>Agaricus bisporus</em> (column 6). Columns 3, 4 and 5 show fungal papers of varying transparencies based on mixtures of the two species.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Wan Nawawi et al</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Growing fungi in mineral-rich environments results in inherent <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.biomac.9b00791">fire resistance</a> for the fungus, as it absorbs the inflammable minerals, incorporating them into its structure. Add to this that water doesn’t wet fungal surfaces, but rolls off, and you’ve got yourself some pretty useful paper.</p>
<h2>A clear solution to dirty water</h2>
<p>Some might ask: what’s the point of fungal paper when we already get paper from wood? That’s where the other interesting attributes of chitin come into play — or more specifically, the attributes of its derivative, chitosan. </p>
<p>Chitosan is chitin that has been chemically modified through exposure to an acid or alkali. This means with a few simple steps, fungal paper can adopt a whole new range of applications.</p>
<p>For instance, chitosan is electrically charged and can be used to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1381514819308867">attract heavy metal ions</a>. So what happens if you couple it with a mycelium filament network that is intricate enough to prevent solids, bacteria and even viruses (which are much smaller than bacteria) from passing through?</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/391319/original/file-20210324-19-1hy6i88.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="White-button mushroom" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/391319/original/file-20210324-19-1hy6i88.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/391319/original/file-20210324-19-1hy6i88.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/391319/original/file-20210324-19-1hy6i88.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/391319/original/file-20210324-19-1hy6i88.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/391319/original/file-20210324-19-1hy6i88.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/391319/original/file-20210324-19-1hy6i88.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/391319/original/file-20210324-19-1hy6i88.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Fungal chitin paper derived from white-button mushrooms is an eco-friendly alternative to standard filter materials.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The result is an environmentally friendly membrane with impressive <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/german-scientists-use-fungi-to-clean-soil-water/a-15894506">water purification</a> properties. In our research, my colleagues and I found this material to be stable, simple to make and useful for <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0144861720314466">laboratory filtration</a>. </p>
<p>While the technology hasn’t yet been commercialised, it holds particular promise for reducing the environmental impact of synthetic filtration materials, and providing safer drinking water where it’s not available.</p>
<h2>Mushrooms in modern medicine</h2>
<p>Perhaps even more interesting is chitosan’s considerable biomedical potential. Fungal materials have been used to create <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/18/1/64">dressings</a> with active wound healing properties.</p>
<p>Although not currently on the market, these have been proven to have antibacterial properties, stem bleeding and support cell proliferation and attachment. </p>
<p>Fungal enzymes can also be used to combat bacteria active in tooth decay, enhance bleaching and destroy compounds responsible for bad breath. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/vegan-leather-made-from-mushrooms-could-mould-the-future-of-sustainable-fashion-143988">Vegan leather made from mushrooms could mould the future of sustainable fashion</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Then there’s the well-known role of <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/biology/a-deep-dive-into-the-genomes-of-penicillin-fungi-reveals-a-trove-of-potential-drugs/">fungi in antibiotics</a>. Penicillin, made from the <a href="https://mycology.adelaide.edu.au/descriptions/hyphomycetes/penicillium/"><em>Penicillium</em> fungi</a>, was a scientific breakthrough that has saved millions of lives and become a staple of modern healthcare. </p>
<p>Many antibiotics are still produced from fungi or soil bacteria. And in an age of increasing antibiotic resistance, genome sequencing is finally enabling us to identify fungi’s <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/04/170420090038.htm">untapped potential</a> for manufacturing the antibiotics of the future.</p>
<h2>Mushrooms mending the environment</h2>
<p>Fungi could play a huge role in sustainability by remedying existing environmental damage. </p>
<p>For example, they can help clean up contaminated industrial sites through a popular technique known as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoremediation">mycoremediation</a>, and can break down or absorb oils, pollutants, toxins, dyes and heavy metals.</p>
<p>They can also compost some synthetic plastics, such as <a href="https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/your-old-sofa---and-much-more---could-be-composted-say-scientists/">polyurethane</a>. In this process, the plastic is buried in regulated soil and its byproducts are digested by specific fungi as it degrades. </p>
<p>These incredible organisms can even help <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35612554">refine bio fuels</a>. Whether or not we go as far as using <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/sep/15/first-funeral-living-coffin-made-mushroom-fibre-netherlands">fungal coffins</a> to decompose our bodies into nutrients for plants — well, that’s a debate for another day. </p>
<p>But one thing is for sure: fungi have the undeniable potential to be used for a whole range of purposes we’re only beginning to grasp. </p>
<p>It could be the beer you drink, your next meal, antibiotics, a new faux leather bag or the packaging that delivered it to you — you never know what form the humble mushroom will take tomorrow.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-secret-life-of-fungi-how-they-use-ingenious-strategies-to-forage-underground-156610">The secret life of fungi: how they use ingenious strategies to forage underground</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/157320/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mitchell P. Jones does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Forgot tempeh. The humble shroom has the potential to be used across industries, in ways we’re only beginning to grasp.
Mitchell P. Jones, Postdoctoral researcher, TU Wien
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/143988
2020-09-07T20:11:33Z
2020-09-07T20:11:33Z
Vegan leather made from mushrooms could mould the future of sustainable fashion
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353527/original/file-20200819-25336-k8lpjy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=36%2C183%2C4867%2C3081&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Seven millennia since its <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/leather">invention</a>, leather remains one of the most durable and versatile natural materials. However, some consumers question the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2016/mar/13/is-it-time-to-give-up-leather-animal-welfare-ethical-lucy-siegle">ethical ramifications</a> and <a href="https://www.ethicalgallery.com.au/blogs/ethical-gallery-blog/the-environmental-impact-of-animal-leather-vs-faux-leather">environmental sustainability</a> of wearing products sourced from animals.</p>
<p>This shift in social standards is the main reason we’re seeing a wave of synthetic substitutes heading for the market.</p>
<p>Leather alternatives produced from synthetic polymers fare better in terms of <a href="https://www.ethicalgallery.com.au/blogs/ethical-gallery-blog/the-environmental-impact-of-animal-leather-vs-faux-leather">environmental sustainability</a> and have achieved considerable <a href="https://leatherpanel.org/content/future-trends-and-expected-status-world-leather-and-leather-products-industry-and-trade-2010">market share</a> in recent years. </p>
<p>But these materials face the same disposal issues as any synthetic plastic. So, the leather market has begun to look to other innovations. As strange as it might sound, the latest contender is the humble fungus.</p>
<p>Research by my colleagues and I, published today in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-020-00606-1">Nature Sustainability</a>, investigates the history, manufacturing processes, cost, sustainability and material properties of fungus-derived renewable leather substitutes – comparing them to animal and synthetic leathers.</p>
<h2>How unsustainable is animal leather, actually?</h2>
<p>How sustainable leather is depends on how you look at it. As it uses animal skins, typically from cows, leather production is correlated with animal farming. Making it also requires environmentally toxic chemicals. </p>
<p>The livestock sector’s <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190806-how-vaccines-could-fix-our-problem-with-cow-emissions">sustainability issues</a> are well known. <a href="http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/197623/icode/">According to</a> the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, the sector is responsible for about 14% of all greenhouse emissions from human activity. Cattle rearing alone represents about 65% of those emissions. </p>
<p>Still, it’s worth noting the main product of cattle rearing is meat, not leather. Cow hides account for just 5-10% of the market value of a cow and about 7% of the animal’s weight. </p>
<p>There’s also no proven correlation between the demand for red meat and leather. So a reduction in the demand for leather may have no effect on the number of animals slaughtered for meat.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Cattle looking at the camera" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353392/original/file-20200818-14-12ze6ih.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353392/original/file-20200818-14-12ze6ih.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353392/original/file-20200818-14-12ze6ih.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353392/original/file-20200818-14-12ze6ih.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353392/original/file-20200818-14-12ze6ih.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353392/original/file-20200818-14-12ze6ih.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353392/original/file-20200818-14-12ze6ih.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">According to 2019 figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, about 49% of all Australian farms carry beef cattle and these manage more than 79% of all agricultural land.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">freestocks.org/Pexels</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>That said, leather tanning is still energy- and resource-intensive and produces a lot of <a href="https://leatherpanel.org/sites/default/files/publications-attachments/leather_carbon_footprint_p.pdf">sludge waste</a> during processing. </p>
<p>This gives leather a higher environmental impact than other minimally processed animal products such as blood, heads and organs (which can be sold as meat products or animal feed).</p>
<h2>From spore to mat</h2>
<p>Fungus-derived leather technologies were first patented by US companies <a href="https://www.mycoworks.com/">MycoWorks</a> and <a href="https://ecovativedesign.com/">Ecovative Design</a> about five years ago.</p>
<p>These technologies take advantage of the root-like structure of mushrooms, called <a href="https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/the-mycelium-revolution-is-upon-us/">mycelium</a>, which contains the same polymer found in crab shells.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353524/original/file-20200819-42876-4aie85.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A root-like mycelium structure grows underground." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353524/original/file-20200819-42876-4aie85.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353524/original/file-20200819-42876-4aie85.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353524/original/file-20200819-42876-4aie85.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353524/original/file-20200819-42876-4aie85.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353524/original/file-20200819-42876-4aie85.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353524/original/file-20200819-42876-4aie85.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353524/original/file-20200819-42876-4aie85.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Mycelium is the vegetative body for fungi that produces mushrooms. Fungal colonies made of mycelium can be found in and on soil and wood.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>When mushroom roots are grown on sawdust or agricultural waste, they form a thick mat that can then be treated to resemble leather. </p>
<p>Because it’s the roots and not the mushrooms being used, this natural biological process can be carried out anywhere. It does not require light, converts waste into useful materials and stores carbon by accumulating it in the growing fungus.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A petri dish with fungal spores on the left and a natural fungal mat on the right." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353396/original/file-20200818-20-k4jqvk.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353396/original/file-20200818-20-k4jqvk.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=378&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353396/original/file-20200818-20-k4jqvk.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=378&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353396/original/file-20200818-20-k4jqvk.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=378&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353396/original/file-20200818-20-k4jqvk.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=475&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353396/original/file-20200818-20-k4jqvk.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=475&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353396/original/file-20200818-20-k4jqvk.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=475&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Going from fungal spores on a Petri dish (left) to a natural fungal mat (right) takes just a couple of weeks.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Antoni Gandia</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Going from a single spore to a finished “fungi leather” (or “mycelium leather”) product takes a couple of weeks, compared with years required to raise a cow to maturity.</p>
<p>Mild acids, alcohols and dyes are typically used to modify the fungal material, which is then compressed, dried and embossed. </p>
<p>The process is quite simple and can be completed with minimal equipment and resources by artisans. It can also be industrially scaled for mass production. The final product looks and feels like animal leather and has <a href="https://www.madewithreishi.com/">similar durability</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353525/original/file-20200819-42876-ikr13l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Mycelium-derived leather hanging from wire" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353525/original/file-20200819-42876-ikr13l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353525/original/file-20200819-42876-ikr13l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353525/original/file-20200819-42876-ikr13l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353525/original/file-20200819-42876-ikr13l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353525/original/file-20200819-42876-ikr13l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353525/original/file-20200819-42876-ikr13l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353525/original/file-20200819-42876-ikr13l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">MOGU is one company producing materials and products from fungal mycelium.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/arselectronica/42706992340/in/photolist-284SuW9-2aPHL5V-26SBgCj-2j3jYqF/">Ars Electronica/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Mushroom for progress</h2>
<p>It’s important to remember despite years of development, this technology is still in its infancy. Traditional leather production has been refined to perfection over thousands of years. </p>
<p>There are bound to be some teething problems when adopting fungal leather. And despite its biodegradability and low-energy manufacturing, this product alone won’t be enough to solve the sustainability crisis.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/will-we-soon-be-growing-our-own-vegan-leather-at-home-68498">Will we soon be growing our own vegan leather at home?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>There are wider environmental concerns over animal farming and the proliferation of plastics – both of which are independent of leather production.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, using creativity to harness new technologies can only be a step in the right direction. As the world continues its gradual shift towards sustainable living, perhaps seeing progress in one domain will inspire hope for others.</p>
<h2>Will I be wearing it anytime soon?</h2>
<p>Commercial products made with fungi-derived leather are expected to be on sale soon – so the real question is whether it will cost you an arm and a leg. </p>
<p>Prototypes were released last year in the <a href="https://boltthreads.com/technology/mylo">US</a>, <a href="http://pura.mogu.bio/">Italy</a> and <a href="https://mycl.bio/mylea">Indonesia</a>, in products including watches, purses, bags and shoes.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353800/original/file-20200820-14-1vgpe5j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A black and brown mycelium leather bag." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353800/original/file-20200820-14-1vgpe5j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353800/original/file-20200820-14-1vgpe5j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=778&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353800/original/file-20200820-14-1vgpe5j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=778&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353800/original/file-20200820-14-1vgpe5j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=778&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353800/original/file-20200820-14-1vgpe5j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=977&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353800/original/file-20200820-14-1vgpe5j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=977&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353800/original/file-20200820-14-1vgpe5j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=977&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">US-based startup Bolt Threads has used myceliym leather to successfully create products such as this bag.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://boltthreads.com/technology/mylo/">Bolt Threads</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>And while these fundraiser items were a little pricey – with one designer bag selling for US$500 – manufacturing cost estimates indicate the material could become economically competitive with traditional leather once manufactured on a larger scale. </p>
<p>The signs are promising. MycoWorks raised US$17 million in venture capital <a href="https://vcnewsdaily.com/mycoworks/venture-capital-funding/sgvptckpch">last year</a>. </p>
<p>Ultimately, there’s no good reason fungal leather alternatives couldn’t eventually replace animal leather in many consumer products. </p>
<p>So next time you pass the mushrooms at the supermarket, make sure you acquaint yourself. You may be seeing a whole lot more of each other soon.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/could-fungi-save-the-fashion-world-122894">Could fungi save the fashion world?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/143988/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mitchell P. Jones does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Going from a single spore to a finished fungi-derived leather product takes a couple of weeks. But raising a cow to maturity for bovine leather can take several years.
Mitchell P. Jones, Postdoctoral researcher, TU Wien
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/141667
2020-06-30T15:24:16Z
2020-06-30T15:24:16Z
UK government pledges £1 billion to rebuild schools - here’s why they need to be sustainable
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/344820/original/file-20200630-103636-1nqc8vc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=47%2C0%2C5242%2C3492&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/little-geniuses-pleasant-smart-schoolchildren-sharing-1059640523">YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>This week the UK government announced a <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-announces-transformative-school-rebuilding-programme">£1 billion investment in new school construction</a> and an additional £560 million for school repairs and upgrades. The funding is part of a package of spending proposals intended to stimulate the economy as Britain emerges from the coronavirus lockdown. </p>
<p>School repairs and new construction are essential. According to the <a href="https://www.nao.org.uk/report/capital-funding-for-schools/">National Audit Office</a>, 60% of school facilities were built before 1976 and £6.7 billion will be needed to restore this deteriorating infrastructure. The pupil population is also growing – <a href="https://www.scapegroup.co.uk/research/the-school-places-challenge-2019">640 new schools need to be built in England</a> to keep up with demand.</p>
<p>This new school rebuilding effort is also an opportunity to invest in zero carbon schools. Green schools are a sound financial investment and will help the UK meet its commitment to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. They can have a positive impact on how children learn and help incorporate sustainability into the curriculum.</p>
<h2>How to build green schools</h2>
<p>Guidance for schools provided by environmental organisation the <a href="https://czone.eastsussex.gov.uk/media/1952/ctv019-schools-overview.pdf">Carbon Trust</a> outlines the main components of a typical school’s carbon footprint. These are heating, lighting, hot water, catering, and electricity for information and communication technology (ICT). </p>
<p>To be green, a school would need to make every effort to decrease the energy demand for heating through insulation and double-glazed windows. Better controls and zoning – for example, the ability to control the temperature in a single classroom – would also greatly improve the energy performance of a school. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/344829/original/file-20200630-103673-1xacw26.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/344829/original/file-20200630-103673-1xacw26.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/344829/original/file-20200630-103673-1xacw26.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/344829/original/file-20200630-103673-1xacw26.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/344829/original/file-20200630-103673-1xacw26.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/344829/original/file-20200630-103673-1xacw26.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/344829/original/file-20200630-103673-1xacw26.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">On-site renewables like solar panels can help a school become net-zero.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/students-listening-teacher-explaining-solar-panel-216586702">Air Images/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>To bring down electricity use, schools should be using LED lighting and all ICT equipment needs to be switched off when possible. To go fully carbon neutral, schools would need to switch out their gas boilers for electric heat pumps. They would also need to provide on-site renewables, such as rooftop solar panels. </p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.usgbc.org/resources/greening-america039s-schools-costs-and-benefits">cost-benefit analysis of green schools</a> conducted in the US found that incorporating sustainability into school design increased the construction price by less that 2%. The first year of energy savings often covered this investment. It is also up to <a href="https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/the-costs-and-benefits-of-tighter-standards-for-new-buildings-currie-brown-and-aecom/">five times cheaper</a> to construct a zero carbon building rather than retrofit a conventional building.</p>
<p>Improving the energy performance of schools is also critical if the UK is to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-energy-efficiency-survey-bees">Building Energy Efficiency Survey</a>, conducted by the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), identified 6,760 GWh of potential energy savings in schools and indicated that education is the most cost effective sector for carbon reduction. </p>
<p>Recognising this potential, a recent <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/non-domestic-smart-energy-management-innovation-competition">BEIS competition</a> involving smart metres targeted schools: one school was able to lower their gas costs by 35%.</p>
<h2>A new way to learn</h2>
<p>Green schools also provide an opportunity to make climate change a central part of the curriculum. <a href="https://www.teachthefuture.uk/">Young climate activists</a> are calling for reform of the education system to better address climate change. </p>
<p>Initiatives like <a href="http://www.lessco2.org.uk/">LESS CO2</a>, <a href="https://energysparks.uk/">Energy Sparks</a> and <a href="https://www.solarforschools.co.uk/">Solar for Schools</a> are also helping schools connect the dots between the sustainability of school facilities and the opportunities to explore sustainability in the classroom. </p>
<p>Academic and environmentalist <a href="https://islandpress.org/books/earth-mind">David Orr</a> has highlighted the hidden curriculum of our current classrooms with the phrase “architecture as pedagogy”. This means that we learn things from the buildings in which we learn. A green school is the ideal environment for children to learn about sustainability. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1277502145273704449"}"></div></p>
<p>Many of the techniques that make a school green, such as natural light and improved thermal comfort, also improve student outcomes. This approach to sustainable buildings is referred to as <a href="https://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/report/the-impact-of-biophilic-learning-spaces-on-student-success/">biophilic design</a>. It has been shown that all academic subjects (not just science and geography) benefit when students learn in a well-designed green school.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://se-ed.co.uk/edu/sustainable-schools-alliance/">UK Sustainable Schools Alliance</a> advocates for a whole school approach to sustainability which was developed by <a href="https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000245752">UNESCO</a>. This model recognises that parents can learn about environmental issues from their children. Schools also play a critical role in their communities, and green schools can bring community members together to learn about sustainability and make their community more resilient. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/344821/original/file-20200630-103688-1bpksdh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/344821/original/file-20200630-103688-1bpksdh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/344821/original/file-20200630-103688-1bpksdh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/344821/original/file-20200630-103688-1bpksdh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/344821/original/file-20200630-103688-1bpksdh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/344821/original/file-20200630-103688-1bpksdh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/344821/original/file-20200630-103688-1bpksdh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Green schools can influence the teaching that takes place in them.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/teacher-kids-school-learning-ecology-gardening-616344392">Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A large number of <a href="https://schools-energy-coop.co.uk/">school renewable energy projects</a> involve community energy groups. This is an important development in local energy systems that results in direct community benefits.</p>
<p>The UK’s new school rebuilding effort must address the needs of the education sector, which includes rising to the challenge of climate change. Building green schools will provide a post-lockdown boost to the UK economy, and help put us on a path towards net-zero emissions by 2050.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/141667/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>William Finnegan receives funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).</span></em></p>
Sustainability must be the centrepiece of the UK’s investment in school buildings.
William Finnegan, PhD Candidate in Climate Education and Activism, University of Oxford
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/132081
2020-03-17T18:49:23Z
2020-03-17T18:49:23Z
A simpler life begins at home – key tips from people who’ve done it
<p>Voluntary simplicity focuses on doing more with less. People who choose this way of life seek other riches, like personal fulfilment, free time, community and environmental benefits. They see limiting their consumption as a way to improve their quality of life and flourish. </p>
<p>We wanted to learn about people who choose this path. What lessons do they have to share? In particular, how can housing be designed to support simplicity? </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-earthships-could-make-rebuilding-safer-in-bushfire-zones-131291">How 'Earthships' could make rebuilding safer in bushfire zones</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>We talked in depth to 14 householders and 25 housing industry professionals. As well as the householders, 11 of the professionals had made housing changes to simplify their own lives. Our conversations focused on life stories and beliefs, thoughts on voluntary simplicity, and ways to overcome the challenges they faced.</p>
<p>Our <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02673037.2020.1720614">recently published research</a> shows it is possible, with a bit of work and planning, to live a simple <em>and</em> fulfilling life. We focused on housing, because housing choices are at the heart of such a life. Our social connections, incomes, transport needs and energy and water usage all link to where and <em>how</em> we live. </p>
<p>Despite <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs%40.nsf/mediareleasesbyCatalogue/6496B4739650C270CA2581F3000E3B4D?OpenDocument">continuing increases</a>, house and land prices are lower in Tasmania than on mainland Australia, but so are incomes. Just as elsewhere, housing practices here can lock householders into complicated consumption practices with negative consequences for society and the environment. Needing to work more to pay off bigger mortgages is one aspect of this. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/people-want-and-need-more-housing-choice-its-about-time-governments-stood-up-to-deliver-it-122390">People want and need more housing choice. It's about time governments stood up to deliver it</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Compromises are inevitable</h2>
<p>Some participants wanted housing that encompassed environmental best practice and closeness to nature. Some wanted to connect with like-minded people. Some wanted smaller or no mortgages.</p>
<p>But “you can’t have it all”, we were told. Compromises are inherent in striving for voluntary simplicity in housing. </p>
<p>For example, you might want an off-grid eco-haven, but that’s unlikely in the inner city. You might need public transport, but that could rule out retrofitting a bush block home. </p>
<p>The ethically sourced building materials you select from interstate or overseas might involve supply chains using multiple transport modes and all the fossil fuel these use. Locally sourced materials might not meet your ethical standards. And are you happy to buy your solar panels using credit from a Big Four bank that invests in fossil fuels?</p>
<p>So, know your deal-breakers and accept that you cannot be “a model of simplicity” in every way all the time. “Do what you can for the context you’re in.”</p>
<p>A resounding piece of advice from the professionals was “smaller is better”.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/so-you-want-to-live-tiny-heres-what-to-consider-when-choosing-a-house-van-or-caravan-129790">So, you want to live tiny? Here's what to consider when choosing a house, van or caravan</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Do your homework</h2>
<p>To find palatable compromises you must do your homework. For example, many people wanted to save money or have meaningful experiences of creating house and home. </p>
<p>That level of engagement takes a lot of work, which surprised several participants. It requires project-management skills and familiarity with regulations <em>beforehand</em>.</p>
<p>You might need specialist professionals on board from the start. A building designer told us:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>You’re doing something different from the norm, so your standard industry professional might not be experienced with the regulations for composting toilets, on-site greywater systems, or even smaller-than-average houses.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Situations might change mid-project. Participants emphasised how important it is to be prepared for regulatory reforms, technological change and unexpected costs. Communication is crucial – with family, professionals and tradespeople, councils and suppliers.</p>
<p>One owner-builder told us: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>It’s like a little treasure hunt. Ask lots of questions but gather them all together because professionals charge per hour or part thereof. Find people who have experience with a similar build or project. We asked friends for basic info, then asked the experts once we had some background.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Options and requirements might not be obvious. Finding professionals with similar values who have a talent for project administration, regulations and time management can be hugely helpful. Another building designer told us:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>It’s becoming increasingly hard to build a home without professional help. If you don’t know the order in which to do things, and how one influences the other, it can become very stressful and costly and time-consuming.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Confidence and patience are useful attributes. Another owner-builder said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>You’ll be talking with people who know their stuff (or think they do) and are used to working with other professionals. It’s hard to call someone about a product not knowing what you’re talking about, but do it anyway and don’t be scared. At the end of the day, we were responsible for every aspect of our place, so why not take control? It gets easier once you start doing it.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Be patient and know your limitations</h2>
<p>Since everything seems to “take so much longer than planned”, remember you are there for the long haul. </p>
<p>If you want to move faster, you often have to pay experts for the privilege. As one owner-builder said: “We could have gotten away without the loan if time weren’t a factor.”</p>
<p>The more you do yourself as a non-expert the more you learn. But even if you are careful, you might make mistakes that cost time and money. So “be guided by your emotions and values but don’t let them get the best of you”.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/318510/original/file-20200304-66084-3m4ahk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/318510/original/file-20200304-66084-3m4ahk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/318510/original/file-20200304-66084-3m4ahk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318510/original/file-20200304-66084-3m4ahk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318510/original/file-20200304-66084-3m4ahk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318510/original/file-20200304-66084-3m4ahk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318510/original/file-20200304-66084-3m4ahk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318510/original/file-20200304-66084-3m4ahk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">This owner-built straw bale home is a product of creativity, commitment and years of hard work. The owners wanted to be close to nature, grow some of their own food, keep animals and have composting and greywater systems.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/318514/original/file-20200304-66084-1qcwhd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/318514/original/file-20200304-66084-1qcwhd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/318514/original/file-20200304-66084-1qcwhd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318514/original/file-20200304-66084-1qcwhd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318514/original/file-20200304-66084-1qcwhd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318514/original/file-20200304-66084-1qcwhd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318514/original/file-20200304-66084-1qcwhd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318514/original/file-20200304-66084-1qcwhd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A work in progress: rendering the straw bales involved input from professional renderers, family and friends.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.facebook.com/ozearth/photos/a.1376348502409365/1387704961273719/?type=3&theater">OzEarth/Facebook</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/318508/original/file-20200304-66089-6wv1ir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/318508/original/file-20200304-66089-6wv1ir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/318508/original/file-20200304-66089-6wv1ir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318508/original/file-20200304-66089-6wv1ir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318508/original/file-20200304-66089-6wv1ir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318508/original/file-20200304-66089-6wv1ir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318508/original/file-20200304-66089-6wv1ir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318508/original/file-20200304-66089-6wv1ir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Living closer to the bush can mean more space for things like outdoor sporting equipment and sheds or garages, which some householders valued for self-sufficiency and connection to nature.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The project of a lifetime</h2>
<p>The voluntary simplicity housing journey also affects professionals. One building designer told us:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I hope to see myself as an interpreter of what people want. It might be the project of a lifetime for someone who has spent their life savings on it, so I feel a responsibility to provide some sort of pastoral care. For owner-builders, the house becomes a part of the family in some ways.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>That means being friendly, patient, communicative and paying attention to how clients experience the whole system from planning regulations to the philosophies of sustainability.</p>
<p>In practice, simple living is a huge journey. But with thought, planning and hard work, it can be extremely satisfying and rewarding. </p>
<p>Committing to voluntary simplicity in housing (or anything else) is never a complete response. But, as part of a suite of positive responses to contemporary challenges, from climate change to community cohesion, it’s worth working for as individuals and as professionals.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/bamboo-architecture-balis-green-school-inspires-a-global-renaissance-121248">Bamboo architecture: Bali's Green School inspires a global renaissance</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/132081/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Marisa McArthur works for the City of Hobart. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>From time to time Elaine Stratford receives funding from nationally competitive and other funding bodies. The work described here was not supported by any such funding bodies.</span></em></p>
Creating a simple, sustainable home isn’t as easy as it sounds. But with some planning and hard work, it can be an exciting and fulfilling journey.
Marisa McArthur, PhD Candidate, School of Technology Environments and Design, University of Tasmania
Elaine Stratford, Professor of Geography, School of Technology Environments and Design, University of Tasmania
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/131291
2020-03-05T19:07:37Z
2020-03-05T19:07:37Z
How ‘Earthships’ could make rebuilding safer in bushfire zones
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/318773/original/file-20200305-127951-vhyr52.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=1309%2C9%2C1470%2C850&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.earthshipironbank.com.au/">Earthship Ironbark</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Recent disastrous <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/bushfires-1377">bushfires</a> have rebooted debate about how to (re)build in the Australian bush. Questions are being asked about <a href="https://theconversation.com/australian-building-codes-dont-expect-houses-to-be-fire-proof-and-thats-by-design-129540">building standards</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/building-standards-give-us-false-hope-theres-no-such-thing-as-a-fireproof-house-130165">whether a fire-proof home is possible</a>, the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/government-approved-bushfire-bunkers-could-help-protect-homes-lives-20200101-p53o0m.html">value of fire bunkers</a> when it’s too late to leave, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/before-we-rush-to-rebuild-after-fires-we-need-to-think-about-where-and-how-130049">if we should even live in the bush</a> any more.</p>
<p>I suggest homes and community buildings in bushfire-prone areas can be made much more fire-resistant, perhaps even fire-proof, by adopting earth-covered, off-grid structures – known as <a href="https://www.earthshipecohomes.com.au/about.html">Earthships</a> – as the new standard.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/before-we-rush-to-rebuild-after-fires-we-need-to-think-about-where-and-how-130049">Before we rush to rebuild after fires, we need to think about where and how</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Built for survival</h2>
<p>Houses sheltered by earth have a higher chance of survival in a bushfire. This is because <a href="https://inhabitat.com/this-earth-sheltered-australian-hobbit-home-stay-cozy-all-year/">earth-based constructions are non-flammable</a> (while topsoil can burn and smoulder, clayey, sandy and gravelly soil does not). </p>
<p>A typical Earthship design has double-glazed windows to the north to let in winter sun, while mounds of earth, pushed up to roof level, protect the south, east and west walls. Taking this a step further, an earth-covered house includes a layer of earth over the roof.</p>
<p>The north-facing double-glazed windows (an essential element of <a href="https://sustainability.williams.edu/green-building-basics/passive-solar-design">passive solar design</a>) is the only part of the building that needs some other protection.</p>
<p><a href="https://hia.com.au/business-information/standards-regulations/building-in-bushfire-prone-areas">Bushfire building codes and standards</a> already demand that windows have extra-thick, toughened glass to resist burning debris and intense heat. Double glazing (two layers of glass separated by a small air gap) offers extra protection. In very high-risk areas, bushfire shutters are a requirement.</p>
<p>Although not demanded by building codes, automated sprinklers could be used to spray water on the windows. But automated systems are problematic during a bushfire when <a href="https://www.bnhcrc.com.au/news/2019/ten-years-black-saturday-what-have-we-discovered">power and water supplies are likely to fail</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/no-food-no-fuel-no-phones-bushfires-showed-were-only-ever-one-step-from-system-collapse-130600">No food, no fuel, no phones: bushfires showed we're only ever one step from system collapse</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Independent water supplies (big water tanks) and pumps (usually petrol or diesel) are often a condition of approval for new homes in fire-prone areas. However, these are difficult to automate because of choke, throttle, ignition and refuelling issues.</p>
<h2>Examples around Australia</h2>
<p>Enter the Earthship. Invented by American architect <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Reynolds_(architect)">Michael Reynolds</a>, thousands have been built all over the world, often by owner-builders.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TlntQ9EgOxg?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Earthships, invented by Michael Reynolds, are now found all over the world.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>I built Australia’s first council-approved Earthship – Earthship Ironbank - in the bushfire-prone Adelaide hills. Australian examples can be found in all states, including at <a href="http://www.earthshipironbank.com.au/">Ironbank</a> in South Australia, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-30/kinglake-black-saturday-survivor-builds-earthship/9091972">Kinglake</a> in Victoria, <a href="https://www.earthshipecohomes.com.au/east-augusta-wa.html">East Augusta</a> and <a href="https://www.earthshipecohomes.com.au/jurien-bay-wa.html">Jurien Bay</a> in Western Australia, and <a href="https://www.earthshipecohomes.com.au/suburban-earthship.html">Narara</a> and <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/news/it-geek-building-dream-home-out-of-old-tyres-bottles-and-cans/">Marulan</a> in New South Wales.</p>
<p>Earthships have an electric pump powered by solar panels and a battery for day-to-day water supply – and to fight fires. Sprinklers can then spray water on any vulnerable areas regardless of grid failures and without needing to deal with the flammable fuel that petrol and diesel pumps require. </p>
<p>The standard Earthship design has another feature that could save lives. Underground pipes called earth-tubes or cooling tubes bring fresh air into the building at a nice temperature (better than outside) due to the heat-exchanging effect of the earth around the pipes. When wet fabric is placed over the end of the pipes, these can filter out bushfire smoke. </p>
<p>Earth-covered homes are very air-tight, which combined with the earth-tubes helps keep out smoke and reduce <a href="https://www.bushfirecrc.com/sites/default/files/managed/resource/katherine-haynes.pdf">asphyxiation risks</a>. </p>
<p>Another defence mechanism is the “greenhouse”, a sunroom and corridor space on the sunny north side used for passive heating and cooling, treating wastewater and growing food. Yet another layer of double glazing isolates the greenhouse from the living spaces behind it. Adding indoor sprinklers (commonplace in commercial buildings) to the greenhouse could create a “wet buffer zone” and stop embers blowing into living areas where flammable furnishings are a hazard.</p>
<p>An iconic Earthship feature is the tyres used to form the exterior earth walls. While empty tyres are highly flammable, in this design they are not. The tyres are filled with compacted earth and protected by a layer of earth many metres thick (inside walls are rendered). There is already <a href="https://pangeabuilders.com/earthship-buildings-are-fire-resistant-not-a-total-loss/">evidence of their fire-resistant nature</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australian-building-codes-dont-expect-houses-to-be-fire-proof-and-thats-by-design-129540">Australian building codes don't expect houses to be fire-proof – and that's by design</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Safer for the planet too</h2>
<p>My PhD research focused on the energy efficiency and environmental footprint of the Earthship, comparing it to other construction systems and designs. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/V1UjbmksKYI?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">A look at the author’s Earthship Ironbark.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Earth is a low-cost, readily available material. It takes very little energy to dig it up, needs no processing and minimal (if any) transport. It is difficult to think of a more sustainable, inexpensive and non-flammable material.</p>
<p>I found off-grid homes minimise their eco-footprint by kicking three very dirty habits: the power, water and sewage grids. “Earthy” construction methods, such as Earthship, rammed earth, mudbrick and strawbale, also have much lower environmental impacts.</p>
<p>Earth-covered buildings are <a href="https://www.intechopen.com/books/energy-conservation/earth-shelters-a-review-of-energy-conservation-properties-in-earth-sheltered-housing">renowned for their energy efficiency</a>. Earth insulates and has “thermal mass”, an architectural term for dense materials (e.g. concrete, brick, rammed earth, water). Thermal mass evens out temperature changes by absorbing heat when it is too hot inside and releasing heat when it is too cold inside. This means minimal heating and cooling bills.</p>
<p>There are a few “tricks” to getting council approval. Hire an experienced structural engineer and use a private certifier or surveyor for building rules consent as they are better equipped to certify compliance with the <a href="https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/ncc-online/About">National Construction Code</a>. The one aspect of the Earthship I couldn’t get approved was an <a href="http://www.earthshipironbank.com.au/">indoor greywater garden and toilet-flushing system</a>. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/sustainable-cities-australias-building-and-planning-rules-stand-in-the-way-of-getting-there-84263">Sustainable cities? Australia's building and planning rules stand in the way of getting there</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Parts of the roof are earth-covered with fire-fighting sprinklers on the roof and windows. If I was building again I’d prioritise bushfire resilience by making it fully earth-covered with fire shutters, sprinklers and a safe room.</p>
<p>Further study is needed to scientifically validate my proposal here. However, we already have some evidence that Earthships, with a few minor design changes, might be the most sustainable, liveable, economical, fire-resistant buildings ever conceived of.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/131291/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dr Martin Freney operates Earthship Eco Homes, a design consultancy dedicated to Earthship inspired homes and Earthship Ironbank, Australia’s first council approved Earthship available for anyone to experience on Airbnb or Sustainable House Day. His PhD thesis is titled “Earthship Architecture: Post Occupancy Evaluation, Thermal Performance and Life Cycle Assessment”. Martin has received funding from Tyre Stewardship Australia (federally funded) to fund a PhD candidate at the University of South Australia to conduct a study titled “physical properties of tyre walls in residential housing construction”.</span></em></p>
Earth-covered houses are not only highly fire-resistant, but sustainable features such as off-grid power and water supplies could also be life-saving in a bushfire.
Martin Freney, Lecturer in Industrial and Sustainable Design, University of South Australia
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/130912
2020-03-05T15:38:19Z
2020-03-05T15:38:19Z
A home that will keep you warm and cool the planet – Imagine newsletter #7
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/317536/original/file-20200227-24672-1vna4s4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=701%2C473%2C4738%2C3123&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/residential-new-home-solar-panel-sunny-480056923">Shigemi okano/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>If climate change makes you want to want to stay in bed all day and forget the world outside then I have some bad news. About <a href="https://www.worldgbc.org/news-media/WorldGBC-embodied-carbon-report-published">28% of global CO₂ emissions</a> can be traced to the energy generated to light, cool and heat buildings, while a fifth of the UK’s emissions come from <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/790626/2018-provisional-emissions-statistics-report.pdf">heating and powering homes</a>. So a good chunk of your carbon footprint can be laid down before you’ve even left the house.</p>
<p>And that’s just <a href="https://theconversation.com/so-much-for-cop23-theres-a-whole-class-of-carbon-emissions-were-totally-ignoring-87544">the emissions that governments tend to count</a>. Much of housing’s greenhouse gases come at other stages in a home’s life, including construction and demolition. These are called “embodied emissions”, and can make up <a href="http://www.targetingzero.co.uk/uploads/RICS-RedefiningZero.pdf">as much as 90% of the whole-life emissions</a> of some buildings.</p>
<p>“What I mean here is the carbon emissions involved in making, renovating and then eventually dismantling the building,” <a href="https://theconversation.com/so-much-for-cop23-theres-a-whole-class-of-carbon-emissions-were-totally-ignoring-87544">says</a> Francesco Pomponi, vice chancellor’s research fellow at Edinburgh Napier University.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>This includes everything from mining the materials for the cement to chopping down the trees for the floorboards to transporting everything to the building site to digging the foundations; and then later from knocking the building down to disposing of its constituent parts.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>There are likely to be <a href="https://www.un.org/development/desa/en/news/population/world-population-prospects-2019.html">an extra 2 billion people on Earth by 2050</a>, with most being born throughout Asia and Africa. Developing countries will <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-world-needs-to-build-more-than-two-billion-new-homes-over-the-next-80-years-91794">need hundreds of millions of additional homes</a> over the coming decades, while <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/clima/citizens/eu_en">global emission will need to fall by 60%</a> to keep average warming below 2°C.</p>
<p>In this edition of the Imagine newsletter, we shore up the home front in the fight against climate change. There may be no escape from the crisis enveloping our world, but the dream of better, greener housing could help us all sleep better at night.</p>
<hr>
<p><em><strong>What is Imagine?</strong></em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/imagine-newsletter-researchers-think-of-a-world-with-climate-action-113443?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=TCUKengagement&utm_content=Imagineheader1114168">Imagine</a> is a newsletter from The Conversation that presents a vision of a world acting on climate change. Drawing on the collective wisdom of academics in fields from anthropology and zoology to technology and psychology, it investigates the many ways life on Earth could be made fairer and more fulfilling by taking radical action on climate change.</em></p>
<p><em>You are currently reading the web version of the newsletter. Here’s <a href="https://theconversation.createsend.com/campaigns/reports/viewCampaign.aspx?d=r&c=ABC789CD3C77F56A&ID=DAE22E113A41ED5B2540EF23F30FEDED&temp=False&tx=0">the more elegant email-optimised version</a> subscribers receive. To get Imagine delivered straight to your inbox, <a href="https://theconversation.com/imagine-newsletter-researchers-think-of-a-world-with-climate-action-113443?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=TCUKengagement&utm_content=Imagineheader1116320">subscribe now</a>.</em></p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/imagine-newsletter-researchers-think-of-a-world-with-climate-action-113443?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=TCUKengagement&utm_content=Imagineheader1116320banner"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/263883/original/file-20190314-28475-1mzxjur.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=140&fit=crop&dpr=1" alt="subscribe to the Imagine newsletter" width="100%"></a></p>
<h2>First, let’s ditch concrete</h2>
<p>Concrete is a wonder material, but like most of the innovations behind modern life’s conveniences, it’s carbon intensive. Fired bricks need temperatures <a href="https://www.brick.org.uk/admin/resources/g-the-uk-clay-brickmaking-process.pdf">higher than 1,000°C</a> to cause chemical changes that give the material strength, and it’s <a href="https://cembureau.eu/cement-101/the-manufacturing-process/">as high as 1,450°C for cement</a>. Just producing cement is thought to account for between <a href="http://www.nanocem.org/fileadmin/nanocem_files/documents/misc/2016-UNEP_Report.pdf">5-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions</a>. </p>
<p>Since most new homes will be built in the developing world, experts agree that a greener concrete substitute will have to be affordable, attractive and made from locally sourced ingredients. But perhaps “green” isn’t the right word. Alastair Marsh, a research fellow in civil engineering at the University of Leeds, and Venkatarama Reddy, a professor of civil engineering at the Indian Institute of Science, believe that soil could be the perfect component for geopolymers – a naturally strong and durable alternative to cement.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/216488/original/file-20180426-175069-1e80knk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/216488/original/file-20180426-175069-1e80knk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=174&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/216488/original/file-20180426-175069-1e80knk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=174&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/216488/original/file-20180426-175069-1e80knk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=174&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/216488/original/file-20180426-175069-1e80knk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=218&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/216488/original/file-20180426-175069-1e80knk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=218&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/216488/original/file-20180426-175069-1e80knk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=218&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">This electron microscope image shows the transformation of montmorillonite clay, left, a common component of soil, into a geopolymer, right.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Alastair Marsh</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<ul>
<li><p><strong>How it works</strong> – Soil is taken from beneath the valuable surface layer and mixed with chemicals similar to those found in household cleaning products to dissolve the clay minerals into their constituent atoms. A playdough-like mix is formed that can be shaped in brick moulds. During firing at 80-100°C, the dissolved atoms rearrange to form a geopolymer, stabilising the remaining soil.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Brown is green</strong> – Soil-based geopolymers can be fired at lower temperatures and their ingredients don’t need to be shipped long distances. Depending on the conditions, these bricks could have half the carbon emissions of concrete, and a quarter of the amount produced by conventional fired bricks.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Back to basics</strong> – Earth-based housing has been the norm in many parts of the world for thousands of years, so there is a rich cultural history behind this idea in most places.</p></li>
</ul>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/216496/original/file-20180426-175041-fg54e0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/216496/original/file-20180426-175041-fg54e0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/216496/original/file-20180426-175041-fg54e0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/216496/original/file-20180426-175041-fg54e0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/216496/original/file-20180426-175041-fg54e0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=565&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/216496/original/file-20180426-175041-fg54e0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=565&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/216496/original/file-20180426-175041-fg54e0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=565&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The soil brick is stabilised which makes it more durable, and it does not need to be heated at extremely high temperatures like traditional bricks and cement.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Haileybury Youth Trust</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/supermud-bricks-could-help-tackle-the-worlds-housing-crisis-and-cut-carbon-emissions-that-cause-climate-change-95628">'Supermud' bricks could help tackle the world’s housing crisis and cut carbon emissions that cause climate change</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Then let’s talk about heating</h2>
<p>Bricks and mortar are just the start. Heating and energy use is the long-term source of carbon emissions in housing – it accounts for <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/790626/2018-provisional-emissions-statistics-report.pdf">18% of the UK’s total emissions</a>. Even homes made with sustainable materials will leak heat and guzzle electricity if poorly designed. </p>
<p>Stephen Berry, a research fellow at the University of South Australia, <a href="https://theconversation.com/getting-practical-with-push-for-zero-carbon-homes-5301">argues</a> that our ancestors knew how to design homes that could regulate temperature without energy and regardless of the climate. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/7619/original/fddf5qnp-1329173536.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/7619/original/fddf5qnp-1329173536.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/7619/original/fddf5qnp-1329173536.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/7619/original/fddf5qnp-1329173536.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/7619/original/fddf5qnp-1329173536.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/7619/original/fddf5qnp-1329173536.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/7619/original/fddf5qnp-1329173536.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Some 2,300 years before the first electric refrigerator, Persians engineered cold storage units that made ice available year-round even through scorching desert summers.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Flickr/davehighbury</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>By implementing design features that capture cool air and keep rooms aerated, Iranian architects were leading the world in zero-carbon home design – more than a thousand years before people started thinking about the emissions from their home energy use.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/7620/original/b74c3wmd-1329174377.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/7620/original/b74c3wmd-1329174377.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/7620/original/b74c3wmd-1329174377.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/7620/original/b74c3wmd-1329174377.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/7620/original/b74c3wmd-1329174377.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/7620/original/b74c3wmd-1329174377.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/7620/original/b74c3wmd-1329174377.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Wind towers allowed Iranian architects to drop interior temperatures several degrees a millennium before the invention of air conditioning.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Flickr/nomenklatura</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Modern experts in low carbon architecture have developed a standard that strives to ensure all new homes produce as much energy as they consume. There are <a href="https://passivehouseplus.ie/magazine/insight/how-brussels-went-passive">400,000 of these “Passivhaus” certified buildings</a> across Europe, and according to David Coley, a professor of low carbon design at the University of Bath, living in a zero-energy home is almost like buying a car that comes with free petrol for life. </p>
<p>So how come Passivhaus homes have heating bills that are <a href="https://www.passivhaustrust.org.uk/what_is_passivhaus.php#2">a tenth the UK average</a>?</p>
<ul>
<li><p><strong>Airtight and toasty</strong> – Passivhaus homes have much thicker insulation than other houses, with triple glazed windows to trap warm air and mechanical ventilation that can <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-use-the-london-underground-to-heat-your-home-21256">recover and circulate waste heat</a>. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>Self-powered</strong> – By installing solar panels on the roof, Passivhaus homes can produce some of the energy they use.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Rigorous and reliable</strong> – The Passivhaus scheme requires energy modelling to determine if a home will truly produce as much energy as it consumes. A guarantee that the correct insulation and other features have been delivered and fitted must also be rigorously reported to a third party.</p></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/labours-low-carbon-warm-homes-for-all-could-revolutionise-social-housing-experts-126329">Labour's low-carbon 'warm homes for all' could revolutionise social housing – experts</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/300265/original/file-20191105-88414-upjha.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/300265/original/file-20191105-88414-upjha.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=378&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300265/original/file-20191105-88414-upjha.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=378&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300265/original/file-20191105-88414-upjha.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=378&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300265/original/file-20191105-88414-upjha.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=475&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300265/original/file-20191105-88414-upjha.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=475&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300265/original/file-20191105-88414-upjha.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=475&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A Passivhaus home (right) leaks less heat than a traditional building (left).</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passive_house#/media/File:Passivhaus_thermogram_gedaemmt_ungedaemmt.png">Passivhaus Institut/Wikipedia</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Decarbonisation starts at home</h2>
<p><strong>Retrofit your home</strong></p>
<p>If you’re living in a damp and drafty home that was built long before you were born, you might envy anyone living in a zero-energy new build. While you pay much higher heating bills, a lot of that precious warmth could be lost through poorly insulated walls and windows.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.tado.com/t/en/uk-homes-losing-heat-up-to-three-times-faster-than-european-neighbours/">A recent study</a> found that leaky homes are a common problem throughout Europe – particularly the UK, where on average 3°C is lost from homes every five hours during winter. Jo Richardson, professor of housing and social inclusion at De Montfort University, <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-can-decarbonise-the-uks-gas-heating-network-by-recycling-rainwater-heres-how-129497">describes</a> how retrofitting existing homes with insulated walls and windows could help make homes more energy efficient and drive down heating bills.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1230789292886253568"}"></div></p>
<p><strong>Rethink your gas system</strong></p>
<p>But if a house is still reliant on burning natural gas to heat a water boiler, the source of carbon emissions remains. There are more than 23 million homes with a gas supply for heating and cooking in the UK – an energy burden that amounts to <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/digest-of-uk-energy-statistics-dukes">more than double the country’s annual electricity consumption</a> and produces <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-can-decarbonise-the-uks-gas-heating-network-by-recycling-rainwater-heres-how-129497">about 60 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year</a>.</p>
<p>One way to decarbonise gas heating is to swap the fuel for something zero-carbon, like hydrogen gas. Another is to switch gas-fired boilers and ovens with electrical appliances. Seamus Garvey, professor of dynamics at the University of Nottingham, says that replacing boilers with electric heat pumps would be most energy-efficient:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Electricity can be converted directly to heat with 100% efficiency using cheap resistive elements – the same parts that are present in fan heaters and oil-filled radiators. With this, every terawatt hour (TWh) that’s currently provided by gas heating could be replaced by exactly one TWh of electrical heating.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Heat pumps use electricity to extract the input heat from a nearby river or stream, from the ground or from the air itself. This is known as the “cold source”. The process of extracting heat works similarly to how refrigerators remove heat from food. Delivering a convenient cold source to homes with heat pumps could provide old gas heating networks with an unlikely zero-carbon future, as Garvey explains:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Rather than delivering natural gas to homes, the gas network would deliver water from which domestic heat pumps could extract heat … A house could take in water, extract heat from the water so that it forms ice slurry and dump the slurry down the drain where it would melt again … Some of the water … could be the “grey water” from the house itself – the outflows from showers, baths, dishwashers and washing machines.</p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312826/original/file-20200130-41490-15ud9nr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312826/original/file-20200130-41490-15ud9nr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312826/original/file-20200130-41490-15ud9nr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312826/original/file-20200130-41490-15ud9nr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312826/original/file-20200130-41490-15ud9nr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312826/original/file-20200130-41490-15ud9nr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312826/original/file-20200130-41490-15ud9nr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">In temperate countries, water is often plentiful during winter and could be a useful source of heat.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/drops-water-flow-into-eaves-on-720797776">Majivecka/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-can-decarbonise-the-uks-gas-heating-network-by-recycling-rainwater-heres-how-129497">We can decarbonise the UK's gas heating network by recycling rainwater – here's how</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Recycling rainwater to help run electric heating is one (particularly creative) way of decarbonising energy use in homes, but it doesn’t count for much if the electricity came from burning fossil fuels. </p>
<p><strong>Produce your own renewable energy</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/how-we-consume-electricity-has-changed-dramatically-in-the-past-20-years-and-the-market-has-failed-to-keep-up-129478">Over the last two decades</a>, electricity grids have changed to accommodate “prosumers” – homes that produce and consume their own renewable electricity, often using rooftop solar panels or other sources of “microgeneration”, like small wind turbines.</p>
<p>Energy cooperatives have formed between neighbours, where homes can generate, store, and trade energy with each other. “One house can buy excess renewable generation from a neighbour’s solar panels, or from a community wind turbine,” <a href="https://theconversation.com/beyond-bitcoin-how-blockchains-can-empower-communities-to-control-their-own-energy-supply-99411">says Merlinda Andoni</a>, a research associate in smart energy systems at Herriot-Watt University. </p>
<p><strong>Own energy production (with your community)</strong></p>
<p>Community ownership of energy production has proven a successful model for increasing renewable generation, according to Iain MacGill and Franziska Mey, energy experts at the University of New South Wales and the University of Technology Sydney. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>Germany reached <a href="http://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/klima-energie/erneuerbare-energien/erneuerbare-energien-in-zahlen">32% renewable electricity in 2015</a> with a target of 40% to 45% by 2025, and has some <a href="https://www.dgrv.de/weben.nsf/web/cooperatives">850 energy cooperatives</a>. Almost <a href="https://www.unendlich-viel-energie.de/media-library/charts-and-data/renewable-energy-in-the-hands-of-the-people">half of its installed capacity</a> is owned by households, communities and farmers. </p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/317623/original/file-20200227-24655-9cxvr1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/317623/original/file-20200227-24655-9cxvr1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/317623/original/file-20200227-24655-9cxvr1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/317623/original/file-20200227-24655-9cxvr1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/317623/original/file-20200227-24655-9cxvr1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/317623/original/file-20200227-24655-9cxvr1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/317623/original/file-20200227-24655-9cxvr1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/317623/original/file-20200227-24655-9cxvr1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Roofs in the Vienna suburbs are dotted with solar panels.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/aerial-view-suburbs-roofs-vienna-city-412930387">Trabantos/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Denying the state a monopoly on renewable energy could win supporters that are usually sceptical of government efforts to limit climate change. Sarah Mills is a project manager for National Surveys on Energy and Environment at the University of Michigan. <a href="https://theconversation.com/its-the-economics-red-states-embracing-wind-energy-dont-do-it-for-the-climate-104899">Her research</a> found that Iowa, Kansas and Oklahoma – all states which voted for Donald Trump in 2016 – lead the US in renewable energy generation, with more than 30% of the power generated in each of these states coming from wind turbines and other renewable sources. Three nearby Great Plains states, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota – all solid Republican – are also in the top ten. As Mills explains:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Many communities in these states see renewable energy as an economic opportunity … What that means is that conservatives like wind and solar power. They just don’t want the government to tell them that they must use renewable energy.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><iframe id="DV2cn" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/DV2cn/3/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p><strong>In time, you could become part of the ‘civic’ energy sector</strong></p>
<p>Individual households generating energy and distributing it among communities with support from local authorities – this “civic” energy sector could become a dominant model for energy generation in the future according to Stephen Hall, a research fellow in energy economics and policy at the University of Leeds. It’s what energy systems might look like if “the move to a low-carbon society [isn’t] left to governments and big energy companies”, Hall says, and letting homes lead the way could have major benefits:</p>
<ul>
<li><p><strong>Smarter energy grid</strong> – Fewer big power plants would be needed if electricity generation came from multiple sources, disrupting centralised monopolies. Smart distribution systems could regulate this supply efficiently by, for example, providing electricity generated from solar panels on an empty house to busy schools and offices nearby.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Pay when you use, not how much</strong> – Energy utilities currently set consumers’ tariffs according to the volume of energy they use. This system means it’s not in the interest of the energy producer to help people reduce their demand or become more energy efficient. A smarter, decentralised system could instead charge customers according to when they use energy.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Think local</strong> – Local authority energy companies could charge residents for services such as “having a warm home” or “hot water”. This would encourage authorities to keep homes warm and well lit as cheaply as possible – promoting energy efficiency.</p></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/no-more-big-power-plants-civic-energy-could-provide-half-our-electricity-by-2050-38183">No more big power plants? Civic energy could provide half our electricity by 2050</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Overhaul housing entirely</h2>
<p>Regardless of collective ambition on climate change, housing will have to change drastically in many places in the years ahead to help people resist the world outside. In the UK, 1.8 million people currently live in areas that are <a href="https://www.theccc.org.uk/2019/02/21/uk-homes-unfit-for-the-challenges-of-climate-change-ccc-says/">at significant risk of flooding</a> – and their <a href="https://theconversation.com/get-used-to-flooding-climate-change-will-bring-more-of-it-23198">flood risk is likely to increase</a> as the climate warms. According to Hannah Cloke, professor of hydrology at the University of Reading, we may need to consider:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Radical practices from parts of the world that flood more frequently … such as houses that are designed to float when floods come, rising on stilts as the water rises … There are less dramatic adaptations that can be made. Internally reinforced, mechanically sealable flood doors … Waterproof concrete and stone-slab floors. Electrical sockets can be raised and non-return valves can be <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-people-in-a-flooded-british-town-were-told-to-stop-flushing-the-toilet-119115">fitted to toilets to stop sewage filling homes when it floods</a>.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>As Cloke explains, the fact that so many people live on floodplains in the UK is a reminder of how ill-prepared we are for the upheavals that climate change will bring. Homes – places of refuge and safety – could become the very opposite as old certainties suddenly disappear.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/housebuilding-ban-on-floodplains-isnt-enough-flood-prone-communities-should-take-back-control-132468">Housebuilding ban on floodplains isn't enough – flood-prone communities should take back control</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Rather than retreat into bunkers fortified with solar panels and flood doors, Matthew Paterson, professor of international politics at the University of Manchester, <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-green-new-deals-contradiction-new-infrastructure-and-redistribution-may-boost-carbon-emissions-112078">highlights</a> that the roots of modern housing policy elicit a collective response.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The ‘great acceleration’ in greenhouse gas emissions [that occurred] during and after World War II [in the US] … was sustained by the expansion of consumption – most directly by the shift to mass car ownership and urban sprawl that ‘locked in’ high fossil energy use, not only in transport but in housing.</p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/261452/original/file-20190228-106350-t3630g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/261452/original/file-20190228-106350-t3630g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/261452/original/file-20190228-106350-t3630g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/261452/original/file-20190228-106350-t3630g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/261452/original/file-20190228-106350-t3630g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/261452/original/file-20190228-106350-t3630g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/261452/original/file-20190228-106350-t3630g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Concrete jungles filled with the cars – housing policy has tended to ‘lock in’ high consumption, high emission lifestyles.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/aerial-view-suburban-sprawl-phoenix-arizona-182368937">John Wollwerth/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>If housing policy has nurtured high-energy lifestyles, by encouraging people to live in dense suburbs with at least one car on the drive, Richard Kingston and Ransford Acheampong, experts in urban planning at the University of Manchester, <a href="https://theconversation.com/climate-change-we-can-reclaim-cities-from-the-car-without-inconveniencing-people-110917">believe</a> it can be re-engineered to encourage ways of living that are healthier for people and the planet:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>We need to build high density, mixed-use developments with affordable housing and excellent green spaces … Provide basic services within walking distance, create safe spaces for people to walk and provide public transit that uses clean energy.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Further reading</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://theconversation.com/beyond-bitcoin-how-blockchains-can-empower-communities-to-control-their-own-energy-supply-99411">Beyond Bitcoin: how blockchains can empower communities to control their own energy supply</a></li>
<li><a href="https://theconversation.com/making-homes-better-for-the-climate-your-wallet-and-health-15829">Making homes better for the climate, your wallet and health</a></li>
<li><a href="https://theconversation.com/homes-are-changing-too-slowly-but-you-can-make-your-house-a-superhome-26422">Homes are changing too slowly – but you can make your house a superhome</a></li>
<li><a href="https://theconversation.com/people-who-cant-heat-their-homes-need-energy-justice-not-fuel-bank-charity-40778">People who can’t heat their homes need energy justice – not ‘fuel bank’ charity
</a></li>
</ul>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/263883/original/file-20190314-28475-1mzxjur.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/263883/original/file-20190314-28475-1mzxjur.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=140&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263883/original/file-20190314-28475-1mzxjur.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=140&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263883/original/file-20190314-28475-1mzxjur.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=140&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263883/original/file-20190314-28475-1mzxjur.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=176&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263883/original/file-20190314-28475-1mzxjur.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=176&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263883/original/file-20190314-28475-1mzxjur.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=176&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/imagine-newsletter-researchers-think-of-a-world-with-climate-action-113443?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=TCUKengagement&utm_content=Imagineheader1130912">Click here to subscribe to our climate action newsletter. Climate change is inevitable. Our response to it isn’t.</a></em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/130912/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
The homes of the future will be zero-carbon and energy efficient. We asked experts to give us the tour.
Jack Marley, Environment + Energy Editor, UK edition
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/128548
2020-01-22T19:04:44Z
2020-01-22T19:04:44Z
Homes with higher energy ratings sell for more. Here’s how Australian owners could cash in
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/311010/original/file-20200120-69531-11afro9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=32%2C299%2C6689%2C4463&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The University of Wollongong Illawarra Flame House demonstrates how a typical Aussie fibro home can be transformed into a net-zero-energy sustainable home.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Dee Kramer</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Everybody wants an energy-efficient home. After all, an energy-efficient home is comfortable to live in, without large energy bills. These can be important factors for prospective home owners or renters. <a href="http://builtbetter.org/node/8139">Our review</a> of international research found energy-efficient homes typically fetch a higher price.</p>
<p>An energy performance rating is one way to show how “energy hungry” a home could be. In many countries, it is mandatory for the seller to obtain and disclose a home’s rating. <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/topics/energy-efficiency/energy-performance-of-buildings/energy-performance-buildings-directive">For European Union countries, this has been the case for ten years</a>.</p>
<p>But that’s not the case in most of Australia. Only one of the states and territories – <a href="https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/app/answers/detail/a_id/1492/%7E/energy-efficiency-rating-%28eer%29-statements">the ACT</a> – has a regulated scheme to disclose the energy-efficiency rating of housing to prospective buyers. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-still-building-4-in-every-5-new-houses-to-no-more-than-the-minimum-energy-standard-118820">Australia's still building 4 in every 5 new houses to no more than the minimum energy standard</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Disclosing energy ratings is <a href="https://www.energy.gov.au/government-priorities/energy-productivity-and-energy-efficiency/commercial-building-disclosure">standard practice in the commercial building sector</a> in Australia. <a href="https://www.buildingrating.org/file/1215/download">Previous research</a> showed this increases the value of buildings with higher energy ratings (a price premium). Our <a href="http://builtbetter.org/node/8139">recent review</a> of international research looked to see if a similar effect exists in the residential sector.</p>
<h2>What does the research show?</h2>
<p>The majority (23) of the 27 relevant studies we reviewed found more energy-efficient homes fetch higher prices than less energy-efficient, but otherwise comparable, homes. So what sort of price premium do houses with a higher energy rating attract? It’s typically around 5% to 10%. </p>
<p>Price effects were considered in two ways. The first involved comparing rated versus unrated residences. The second compared higher-rated residences with lower-rated ones. In both cases, a price premium was found to exist. </p>
<p>The reported price premium varied substantially by study, country and real estate market. <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IJHMA-09-2014-0035/full/html">One study</a>, in Belfast, found a 27% price premium for higher-rated buildings. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421516303482">Another in the Netherlands</a> found a price premium of 2.7% for similarly higher-rated dwellings. </p>
<p>Only <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014098831830166X">one study looked at Australia</a> (the ACT scheme, which has operated since 2003). It found a 2.4% price premium for a six-star house and a 9.4% premium for a seven-star house compared to a 3 star home. For Australia, with a median house price of $773,635 in late 2019, the ACT results equate to potential price premiums of $18,500 and $72,721. </p>
<p>Obviously, it isn’t just the energy rating of a house that affects its price. Location, size, age and other relevant features of a property influence the final price. Researchers use a statistical method, called <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/hedonic-regression.asp">hedonic regression</a>, to estimate the effects of all these factors. A home energy rating was included as one of these factors. </p>
<p>The studies we reviewed were published between 2011 and 2019, covering 14 countries and ten energy performance rating schemes. Most of the studies (18) considered the European Union’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). Although there are differences in how each EU country defines and manages these certificates, they are broadly comparable, in that they use a standard A (high) to G (low) grade.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/310183/original/file-20200115-151834-c1hbeb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/310183/original/file-20200115-151834-c1hbeb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=295&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/310183/original/file-20200115-151834-c1hbeb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=295&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/310183/original/file-20200115-151834-c1hbeb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=295&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/310183/original/file-20200115-151834-c1hbeb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=370&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/310183/original/file-20200115-151834-c1hbeb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=370&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/310183/original/file-20200115-151834-c1hbeb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=370&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Example of a displayed Energy Performance Certificate from the UK, with an A to G rating. The certificate include details on how to improve the rating and indicates the potential rating if all upgrades were completed.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>How would this system benefit Australia?</h2>
<p>This system would obviously be good for people trying to sell (or wanting to buy) energy-efficient homes, but it’s also good for our society. It has been estimated <a href="http://coagenergycouncil.gov.au/sites/prod.energycouncil/files/publications/documents/Report%20for%20Achieving%20Low%20Energy%20Homes.pdf">almost half the homes that will be in use in 2050 have already been built</a>. If we are to meaningfully reduce carbon emissions from our cities and built environment, we need to tackle our existing building stock. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/making-every-building-count-in-meeting-australias-emission-targets-126930">Making every building count in meeting Australia's emission targets</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>A scheme that allows owners to capitalise on the energy efficiency of their home would change the economics of <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-other-99-retrofitting-is-the-key-to-putting-more-australians-into-eco-homes-91231">retrofitting existing homes</a>. Owners would have a clear incentive to improve energy performance without the need for large government subsidies. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, there is <a href="http://www.asbec.asn.au/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/160119-ASBEC-National-Framework-for-Residential-Ratings-Policy-Platform.pdf">no agreed method to measure energy-efficiency</a> for the majority of existing Australian homes (i.e. those outside the ACT). This means there is no simple way for prospective owners or renters to make an informed decision about the likely comfort and future energy bills for a home. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/greenwashing-the-property-market-why-green-star-ratings-dont-guarantee-more-sustainable-buildings-91655">Greenwashing the property market: why 'green star' ratings don't guarantee more sustainable buildings</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Other countries have already shown the path forward. Key steps include:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>define a nationally consistent rating tool for existing homes. The Victorian government has developed the <a href="https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/energy-efficiency/residential-efficiency-scorecard">Victorian Residential Efficiency Scorecard</a>. This voluntary tool provides owners with a star rating for the overall energy performance of their home. It also provides specific information on its performance during hot weather, as well as recommendations on how to improve that performance</p></li>
<li><p>provide a framework for owners to voluntarily disclose the certified energy performance of their home at the point of sale or lease. Only owners of higher-rating homes will be likely to do this voluntarily</p></li>
<li><p>legislate for mandatory disclosure of a home’s energy rating when it’s being sold or leased</p></li>
<li><p>introduce minimum standards of energy performance for rental properties. Once a property’s energy performance is rated and disclosed, the government has a powerful policy lever to drive improvement of the energy efficiency of the existing building stock. For instance, <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-private-rented-property-minimum-energy-efficiency-standard-landlord-guidance">in the UK</a>, owners are obligated to improve the energy performance of any property they wish to offer for rent to at least grade E (on an A-to-G scale).</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Our review of international academic literature suggests home buyers typically value a more energy-efficient home. When presented with easily accessible information in the form of an energy performance rating, they are willing to pay more. </p>
<p>Hence, energy rating disclosure policies can help consumers make informed decisions that will result in lower energy bills and more comfortable homes. At the same time, by allowing sellers to capitalise on energy-efficiency improvements through a certified rating, government can support reducing carbon emissions from our existing building stock. </p>
<p>To ensure we realise these societal and environmental benefits, all levels of government should co-ordinate to enact appropriate nationally consistent legislation. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/low-energy-homes-dont-just-save-money-they-improve-lives-81084">Low-energy homes don't just save money, they improve lives</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><em>The author would like to acknowledge Michelle Zwagerman for her contribution to this article.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/128548/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>This research was funded by the CRC for Low Carbon Living supported by the Cooperative Research Centres program, an Australian government initiative. Any opinions expressed in this document are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the CRCLCL or its partners, agents or employees.
</span></em></p>
Buyers pay more for a home they know has a good energy rating. That’s worth an extra 2.4-9.4% in the only part of Australia where energy ratings must be disclosed at the time of sale.
Daniel Daly, Research Fellow at the Sustainable Buildings Research Centre, University of Wollongong
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/121248
2019-09-02T19:51:54Z
2019-09-02T19:51:54Z
Bamboo architecture: Bali’s Green School inspires a global renaissance
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289798/original/file-20190828-184192-71sybw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=53%2C0%2C6000%2C3988&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">With the tensile strength of steel but six times lighter, bamboo can be used for ambitious buildings once it has been treated to ensure its durability.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Courtesy of Green School Bali</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Bali’s <a href="https://www.greenschool.org/">Green School</a> recently celebrated its first decade of educating toddlers through teenagers (and their digital nomad parents) about eco-ethical design and cooperative living. Set in a village near Ubud, this tropical jungle campus of quirky bamboo pavilions has become a globally influential exhibition of one of this century’s significant architectural trends.</p>
<p>There is a major renaissance in correctly growing, cutting, treating, drying and laminating bamboo so it can be <a href="https://www.empa.ch/web/s604/bamboo?inheritRedirect=true">used with confidence for substantial and near-permanent structures</a>. Much of the inspiration for this has come from Green School founders John and Cynthia Hardy and their daughter Elora. Their TED talks and YouTube videos have been widely watched.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HD4bpztESWw?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">John Hardy talks about his Green School dream.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/bamboo-could-turn-the-worlds-construction-trade-on-its-head-29685">Bamboo could turn the world's construction trade on its head</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Bamboo always has been a basic construction material in tropical latitudes. But generally it has been used for inexpensive shacks, stalls, fences, scaffolding and sunscreens. If not treated, bamboo is highly susceptible to fire and naturally degrades within two or three years, because insects and fungi rapidly devour the sugar-and-starch-rich sap inside the canes.</p>
<p>In Bali during the 1990s, Irish-Australian designer <a href="http://ubudnowandthen.com/vale-linda-garland-legend/">Linda Garland</a> pioneered contemporary uses of bamboo. She worked with University of Hamburg scientist <a href="https://worldbamboo.net/news-and-events/bamboo-pioneers/walter-liese-germany">Walter Liese</a> to treat bamboo against the ravages of powderpost beetles and turn it into a commercially viable building material. </p>
<p>One essential preparation technique is to drill through the centres of the canes with long steel rods, then apply repellent and fire-resistant chemicals. Often this involves a soaking solution that includes borax salt powder. The bamboo is then dried out for several days to weeks.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289987/original/file-20190828-184229-ir11vs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289987/original/file-20190828-184229-ir11vs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289987/original/file-20190828-184229-ir11vs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289987/original/file-20190828-184229-ir11vs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289987/original/file-20190828-184229-ir11vs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289987/original/file-20190828-184229-ir11vs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289987/original/file-20190828-184229-ir11vs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289987/original/file-20190828-184229-ir11vs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Once the problems of fire and pests are solved, bamboo becomes a durable and versatile construction material.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Courtesy of Green School Bali</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Technology helps transform practices</h2>
<p>Ancient practices in China and Japan remain the gold standard for durable bamboo buildings. </p>
<p>Traditional Japanese rectilinear designs had gable roofs and rooms matching the dimensions of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatami">tatami</a> mats. </p>
<p>Some Chinese bridges date back as far as the 10th century AD. Floating villages (bamboo platforms with clusters of huts) supported dozens of families as recently as the 17th century. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289800/original/file-20190828-184211-wjsgx0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289800/original/file-20190828-184211-wjsgx0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289800/original/file-20190828-184211-wjsgx0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289800/original/file-20190828-184211-wjsgx0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289800/original/file-20190828-184211-wjsgx0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289800/original/file-20190828-184211-wjsgx0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289800/original/file-20190828-184211-wjsgx0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289800/original/file-20190828-184211-wjsgx0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The bamboo bridge at the Green School has an ancient inspiration.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Davina Jackson</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In Ecuador, archaeologists found a bamboo funeral chamber carbon-dated to 7500 BC. Ecuadorian bamboo, known as <em>caña de Guayaquil</em> (or Guaya), is exported to Peru, Colombia and other Latin American countries. Here bamboo buildings tend to be weatherproofed by thick coatings of mud. (David Witte has written a <a href="https://www.usmp.edu.pe/centro_bambu_peru/pdf/witte_2018-bamboothesis.pdf">thesis</a> on historical and contemporary bamboo buildings in South America.)</p>
<p>Today, Bali’s Green School and several associated enterprises, are prominent in a third millennium movement to build geometrically irregular, often sinuous, structures.</p>
<p>These outré styles obviously have been influenced by the trans-millennial technology revolution in digital modelling and manufacturing. Extremely asymmetrical architecture can now be fabricated precisely with metal, glass and masonry components. </p>
<p>However, the Hardys and their international team of bamboo building experts craft small-scale physical models of their designs. The artisans then copy these models on site at full scale. This manual system need not stop designers from sketching initial concepts on their screens.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kK_UjBmHqQw?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Elora Hardy talks about the potential of bamboo, as both a sustainable resource and inspiration for innovative buildings.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/cheap-tough-and-green-why-arent-more-buildings-made-of-rammed-earth-38040">Cheap, tough and green: why aren't more buildings made of rammed earth?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What happens at the school?</h2>
<p>The Green School educates more than 500 students from pre-kindergarten to Year 12. It complements standard curriculum subjects with various practical tasks and projects that build healthy and ecological skills and habits. Teachers, and parents co-opted as project leaders and mentors, encourage pupils to design and build specific structures that provide useful amenities for the campus.</p>
<figure class="align-left zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289809/original/file-20190828-184222-1w5n0p6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289809/original/file-20190828-184222-1w5n0p6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289809/original/file-20190828-184222-1w5n0p6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289809/original/file-20190828-184222-1w5n0p6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289809/original/file-20190828-184222-1w5n0p6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289809/original/file-20190828-184222-1w5n0p6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289809/original/file-20190828-184222-1w5n0p6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289809/original/file-20190828-184222-1w5n0p6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Bamboo is used throughout the school.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Davina Jackson</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>One recent middle-school project produced a series of tiny shelters as quiet retreats. Each one is to be occupied by only one child at a time. A campus guide notes that Sir Richard Branson recently climbed into one of these cubby houses, a tiny netted bamboo platform hanging from a tree branch, without upsetting the apparently fragile enclosure.</p>
<p>Elora Hardy’s team at architecture, interior and landscape design company <a href="https://ibuku.com/about/">Ibuku</a> designed and made most of the school’s buildings. They also have created yoga and cooking school pavilions, hotels, houses, restaurant interiors and permaculture gardens around Bali and in some Asian cities.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289983/original/file-20190828-184240-de1c5g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289983/original/file-20190828-184240-de1c5g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289983/original/file-20190828-184240-de1c5g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289983/original/file-20190828-184240-de1c5g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289983/original/file-20190828-184240-de1c5g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289983/original/file-20190828-184240-de1c5g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289983/original/file-20190828-184240-de1c5g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289983/original/file-20190828-184240-de1c5g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Elora Hardy’s team designed and made most of the school’s buildings.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Davina Jackson</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289805/original/file-20190828-184248-1pdwzwu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289805/original/file-20190828-184248-1pdwzwu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289805/original/file-20190828-184248-1pdwzwu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=669&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289805/original/file-20190828-184248-1pdwzwu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=669&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289805/original/file-20190828-184248-1pdwzwu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=669&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289805/original/file-20190828-184248-1pdwzwu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=841&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289805/original/file-20190828-184248-1pdwzwu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=841&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289805/original/file-20190828-184248-1pdwzwu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=841&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Students make biosoap in the Kul Kul Connection program.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Courtesy of Green School Bali</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>An affiliated venture also operates Green Camp residential courses for children and their parents visiting for one to 11 days. Their meals are cooked with vegetables grown at the Hardys’ Kul Kul permaculture farm. </p>
<p>Another family venture, <a href="https://www.bamboou.com/about">Bamboo U</a>, led by Orin Hardy, provides hands-on training for potential builders. The courses cover bamboo selection (different uses of seven preferred Balinese species), treatment, building design, modelling and on-site fabrication, including professionals from Ibuku as teachers. </p>
<h2>A global embracing of bamboo</h2>
<p>During the Green School’s first decade, a new generation of studios led by young Asian architects gained prominence and international awards for their creativity with bamboo. They include: Vo Trong Nghia (VTNA) and H&P Architects in Vietnam; Nattapon Klinsuwan (NKWD), Chiangmai Life Architects and Bambooroo in Thailand; Abin Design Studio and Mansaram Architects in India; Bambu Art in Bali; Atelier Sacha Cotture in the Philippines; HWCD, Penda (Chris Precht) and Li Xiaodong in China; and William Lim (CL3) in Hong Kong. </p>
<p>And some long-established, internationally renowned architecture firms have completed projects with significant uses of bamboo. They include Japanese architects Kengo Kuma, Arata Isozaki and Shigeru Ban, London-based Foster + Partners and Italy’s Renzo Piano.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289816/original/file-20190828-184217-15uxp1k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289816/original/file-20190828-184217-15uxp1k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289816/original/file-20190828-184217-15uxp1k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289816/original/file-20190828-184217-15uxp1k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289816/original/file-20190828-184217-15uxp1k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289816/original/file-20190828-184217-15uxp1k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289816/original/file-20190828-184217-15uxp1k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289816/original/file-20190828-184217-15uxp1k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Bamboo inspires its own architectural forms.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Courtesy of Green School Bali</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/surviving-climate-change-means-transforming-both-economics-and-design-109164">Surviving climate change means transforming both economics and design</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Many bamboo buildings today include timber or concrete slab floors because these can be laid consistently flat. But researchers at <a href="https://www.empa.ch/web/empa/empa">Empa</a>, the Swiss materials research academy, have developed highly durable and temperature-inert floor and deck boards made with a composite of bamboo fibres and resin. These prototype boards are being tested in one of the <a href="https://www.empa.ch/web/nest/visionwood">Vision Wood</a> student apartment modules slotted into Empa’s <a href="https://www.empa.ch/web/nest">NEST</a> testing facility at Dübendorf.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the Green School is expanding from Bali. An associate campus <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/114404021/taranakis-green-school-starts-to-take-shape-as-construction-begins">opens next year</a> on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island – where bamboo is not naturally grown or legally used as an architectural material. Instead the Taranaki school will build aerial classrooms – pods on poles – using various local species of pine.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/121248/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Davina Jackson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Bamboo has been used since ancient times for building, but only in recent decades has pioneering work in Bali inspired its wider use for substantial and enduring structures.
Davina Jackson, Honorary Academic, School of Architecture, University of Kent
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/109164
2019-04-11T09:35:41Z
2019-04-11T09:35:41Z
Surviving climate change means transforming both economics and design
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/267856/original/file-20190405-180029-x6pq6l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/drought-climate-change-dryness-soil-1255187053"> Animaflora PicsStock/Shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>What could be more important than sustaining <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/08/global-warming-must-not-exceed-15c-warns-landmark-un-report">habitable living conditions</a> on Earth? Climate change, biodiversity loss and other environmental problems demand changes on an order of magnitude well beyond the trajectory of business-as-usual. And yet, despite accumulative social and technological innovation, environmental problems are <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/%60environment/2018/dec/20/risks-of-domino-effect-of-tipping-points-greater-than-thought-study-says">accelerating far more quickly</a> than sustainable solutions. </p>
<p>The design industry is one of many industries mobilising to address environmental imperatives. While sustainability-oriented designers are working towards change from many angles, addressing climate change and other environmental problems on this scale demands <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405872618300856">much more dramatic transformations</a> in economic ideas, structures and systems that enable – or disable – sustainable design. </p>
<p>Put simply, designers cannot design sustainable future ways of living on scale without a shift in economic priorities. Human impacts on planetary processes in the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/115/33/8252">Anthropocene</a> require new types of ecologically engaged design and economics if the necessary <a href="https://transitiondesign.net/">technological, social and political transitions</a> are to take place.</p>
<h2>World making design</h2>
<p>Design is crucial to this debate because it is key to the creation of future ways of living. Designers make new ideas, products, services and spaces desirable to future users. With the shape of a font, a brand, the styling of a product, the look and feel of a service, the touch of a garment, the sensation of being in a particular building, designers serve the interests of customers (generally, those with disposal income). They do so according the logic and modes of governance generated by what is valued by economic structures. Design is the practice that makes capitalism so appealing.</p>
<p>Designers make new products, services and spaces that shape future ways of living – and can use their skills to create sustainable options. But there is a <a href="http://www.thestudioattheedgeoftheworld.com/uploads/4/7/4/0/47403357/2boehnertdesign_industry.pdf">dilemma here</a>. The market rarely prioritises interests that do not pay the bills or otherwise bring capital to the table.</p>
<p>Design sits at the intersection of economic value and social values. Design transforms what economic systems value into new ways of living – which in turn produce certain types of social values. This work is generated by priorities in the design industry, driven by economic imperatives. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/263216/original/file-20190311-86690-1p9445m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/263216/original/file-20190311-86690-1p9445m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263216/original/file-20190311-86690-1p9445m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263216/original/file-20190311-86690-1p9445m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263216/original/file-20190311-86690-1p9445m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=474&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263216/original/file-20190311-86690-1p9445m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=474&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263216/original/file-20190311-86690-1p9445m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=474&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The cycle of cultural production.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">© EcoLabs 2018</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Blind spots in conventional economics</h2>
<p>Traditional neoclassical economics was developed in an era when all knowledge systems essentially ignored ecological concerns. In conventional economics, value – which is created by generating profit and accumulating capital for owners and investors – is systematically extracted from the systems in which economic systems are embedded: the social and the ecological systems. </p>
<p>Contemporary economic systems reproduce this tradition by rewarding individuals and companies for using (and often exploiting) resources to generate profit, regardless of the ecological or social consequences. The extractive and exploitative dynamics of capitalist economics generate economies locked into accelerating climate change, species extinction and other severe environmental and social problems. This economic system continues to produce ever greater degrees of crises as <a href="https://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries/planetary-boundaries/about-the-research/the-nine-planetary-boundaries.html">planetary boundaries</a> are breached in ever more extreme ways.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/267389/original/file-20190403-177163-1m953l7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/267389/original/file-20190403-177163-1m953l7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/267389/original/file-20190403-177163-1m953l7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=574&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/267389/original/file-20190403-177163-1m953l7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=574&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/267389/original/file-20190403-177163-1m953l7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=574&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/267389/original/file-20190403-177163-1m953l7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=722&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/267389/original/file-20190403-177163-1m953l7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=722&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/267389/original/file-20190403-177163-1m953l7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=722&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Planetary boundaries.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Ecolabs, Tzortzis Rallis and Lazaros Kakoulidis, 2017</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But there are economic alternatives. Heterodox economic theory (such as <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/ecological-economics">ecological</a>, <a href="https://www.ecnmy.org/engage/why-we-need-feminist-economists/">feminist</a> and <a href="https://www.exploring-economics.org/en/orientation/marxist-political-economy/">Marxist economics</a>) challenges the assumptions of mainstream economics. It has shown how neoclassical and neoliberal economics produce unsustainable economies that consistently devalue the natural world, <a href="https://womenstrike.org.uk/about/">women’s work</a> and the labour of other groups historically denied equal access to capital. </p>
<p>For example, the Iceberg Model depicts a feminist economic framework where non-market activities, including the unpaid labour that buttresses capitalist economics, are made explicit.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/263956/original/file-20190314-28492-al42xy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/263956/original/file-20190314-28492-al42xy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/263956/original/file-20190314-28492-al42xy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=660&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263956/original/file-20190314-28492-al42xy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=660&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263956/original/file-20190314-28492-al42xy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=660&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263956/original/file-20190314-28492-al42xy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=829&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263956/original/file-20190314-28492-al42xy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=829&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263956/original/file-20190314-28492-al42xy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=829&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The Iceberg Model.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Bianca Elzenbaumer/Brave New Alps, 2018</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The challenges of the Anthropocene demand that we overcome the exploitative and anti-ecological biases in neoclassical and neoliberal economics. One popular alternative is Kate Raworth’s <a href="https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2018/05/21/book-review-doughnut-economics-seven-ways-to-think-like-a-21st-century-economist-by-kate-raworth/">Donut Economics</a>. This would prioritise both social justice and environmental sustainability to create a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/461472a">safe operating space</a> for humanity. Unlike conventional economics, heterodox economics takes the ecological context and planetary boundaries into account – while also addressing the interests of historically disadvantaged populations.</p>
<h2>Ecological economics and design</h2>
<p>The design industry, like most industries, is governed by economic ideas, structures and systems. Economic systems determine priorities in design studios and design education – including whether or not designers can focus on sustainable solutions. </p>
<p>And so economic factors govern whether designers can direct their energies towards making sustainable ways of living possible – or not. Few of us are employed to do tasks that make it possible to respond responsibly to environmental circumstances because the current political economy is not oriented towards prioritising the preservation of life on this planet.</p>
<p>When the priorities of an individual designer who is oriented towards sustainability conflict with those of the design industry, which is often governed by an economic system oriented towards profit, the designer finds it hard to make a living. If sustainable solutions will not generate profits, they will not succeed in this economic system (without either government intervention or charitable support). The design industry does not systemically prioritise the needs of the environment within this economic system because the way value is generated in contemporary economics depends on the systemic dismissal of ecological priorities.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/268574/original/file-20190410-2935-1st769j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/268574/original/file-20190410-2935-1st769j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/268574/original/file-20190410-2935-1st769j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/268574/original/file-20190410-2935-1st769j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/268574/original/file-20190410-2935-1st769j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/268574/original/file-20190410-2935-1st769j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/268574/original/file-20190410-2935-1st769j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Designing the future.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/green-modern-futuristic-cheaper-fuel-power-746582149">Roschetzky Photography/Shutterstock.com</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>New design economies</h2>
<p>Addressing this dilemma is a severe challenge. It is now evident that the economic system must be designed to reflect priorities and values associated with preserving habitable conditions on the planet. Climate change and other severe environmental threats require dramatic shifts in economic priorities. The fields of economics and design must be redirected so that economic services, structures and systems will support socially distributive and environmentally regenerative design.</p>
<p>Humankind already has the knowledge to make sustainable and socially just ways of living on this planet possible. What we do not yet have is the ability to make these transitions possible in the current political context. New types of design and economics could be a basis for systemic transitions.</p>
<p>Key to this transition is ecologically literate education in both design and economics. Both fields must be radically transformed to meet the challenges of the Anthropocene. With critical, ecologically-engaged design and economic education, new redirected design economies could facilitate sustainable transitions and make another world not only possible – but desirable.</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/263883/original/file-20190314-28475-1mzxjur.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/263883/original/file-20190314-28475-1mzxjur.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=140&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263883/original/file-20190314-28475-1mzxjur.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=140&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263883/original/file-20190314-28475-1mzxjur.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=140&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263883/original/file-20190314-28475-1mzxjur.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=176&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263883/original/file-20190314-28475-1mzxjur.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=176&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263883/original/file-20190314-28475-1mzxjur.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=176&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/imagine-newsletter-researchers-think-of-a-world-with-climate-action-113443?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=TCUKengagement&utm_content=Imagineheader1109164">Click here to subscribe to our climate action newsletter. Climate change is inevitable. Our response to it isn’t.</a></em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/109164/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Joanna Boehnert does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Humankind already has the knowledge to make sustainable and socially just ways of living on this planet possible. But new types of design and economics are needed for anything to change.
Joanna Boehnert, Lecturer in Design, Loughborough University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/104941
2018-11-01T19:07:16Z
2018-11-01T19:07:16Z
Making developments green doesn’t help with inequality
<p>Around the world, new developments are increasingly framed as sustainable to both policymakers and prospective buyers. They are seen as a “win-win” for the environment and the economy. However, recent concerns suggest social inequality often results.</p>
<p>Barangaroo is one such green development on the harbourfront in Sydney, Australia. What was once a contaminated, dilapidated, post-industrial wharf is now home to a six-hectare park, three office towers and two residential complexes. More is to come, in the form of a 275-metre hotel-casino. </p>
<p>Beyond its immense scale, Barangaroo is significant for another reason: it has a commendable sustainability agenda. </p>
<p>Rooftop solar partially powers the buildings, which are constructed from carbon-neutral materials and even provide a supply of recycled water from a stormwater treatment plant underneath. Beyond the project’s economic advantages – an <a href="http://www.barangaroo.com">estimated $2 billion-a-year boost to the New South Wales economy</a> – the environment benefits through increased green space and biodiversity, along with reduced carbon emissions and electricity and water use. </p>
<p>These are undeniably beneficial outcomes. Yet, worryingly, such developments may result in “green gentrification” as increases to environmental amenity in an area result in displacement and exclusion of the disadvantaged. </p>
<p>I examined this claim at Barangaroo, by breaking its outcomes into three parts:</p>
<ul>
<li>who has access to the spaces it creates</li>
<li>what happens to the surrounding property market</li>
<li>how governance enables the outcome. </li>
</ul>
<p>My findings suggest there is an urgent need to prioritise social outcomes in future sustainable development.</p>
<h2>The spaces</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.barangaroo.com/the-project/progress/barangaroo-development">Barangaroo has created many new spaces</a>, but will people from all kinds of socio-economic backgrounds have access? Multiple hectares of public park and waterfront access, piers, laneways and bridges are accessible at the development. Retail spaces are scattered in between the office towers and residential complexes.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/la/papers/DBAssets/tabledpaper/webAttachments/69917/BDA%202016.pdf">Around 900,000 people</a> from the local Sydney region visited the public park in its first year alone. The commercial space, likewise, provides for 23,000 professionals.</p>
<p>To determine whether these statistics include the disadvantaged it is necessary to delve deeper. Who are those who live nearby? Who are employed in the offices? Who are the shops’ target market? </p>
<p>The price of floor space at Barangaroo is very high – <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/barangaroo-to-change-sydney-20130801-2r04e">around $20,000 per square metre for its apartments</a>. <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/barangaroo-to-change-sydney-20130801-2r04e">Affordable housing has been moved offsite</a>, so many will be priced out of living within Barangaroo. </p>
<p>Business giants, such as KPMG and Westpac, are among those that can afford to occupy the office space. Smaller, less professionally oriented businesses are unable to do so. The result is that retailers largely cater to office workers. David Jones, for instance, “<a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/david-jones-junior-to-hit-australias-affluent-inner-city-suburbs-20161103-gsh9jf.html">has been carefully designed to appeal to Barangaroo’s big office community</a>”. </p>
<p>Likewise, the new restaurants, owned by celebrity chefs and restaurateurs, appeal to those from high socio-economic backgrounds. </p>
<p>These trends provide little room for the disadvantaged to occupy the site’s residential, retail or commercial spaces. What about the public space, however? If those from low socio-economic backgrounds live around the development, they could enjoy these spaces.</p>
<h2>The property market</h2>
<p><a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0309132518803799">Green gentrification studies</a> suggest sustainable developments may raise the prices of property nearby. Using data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics between 2011 and 2016, I found the rent prices in areas northeast of Barangaroo increased drastically. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/241198/original/file-20181018-41153-4s11hp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/241198/original/file-20181018-41153-4s11hp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/241198/original/file-20181018-41153-4s11hp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/241198/original/file-20181018-41153-4s11hp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/241198/original/file-20181018-41153-4s11hp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=585&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/241198/original/file-20181018-41153-4s11hp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=585&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/241198/original/file-20181018-41153-4s11hp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=585&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Rental price increases as a percentage in the areas surrounding Barangaroo.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The main reason for this change was the selling of 214 public housing properties in Millers Point, Dawes Point and The Rocks in 2014. The NSW government announced the sales after Barangaroo’s effect on the surrounding areas began to take place, realising the increased profit to be made. </p>
<p>As a result, the development is not only exclusive on the inside, it has also contributed to the displacement of the disadvantaged from surrounding areas.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/last-of-the-millers-point-and-sirius-tenants-hang-on-as-the-money-now-pours-in-85754">Last of the Millers Point and Sirius tenants hang on as the money now pours in</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>The governance</h2>
<p>Could appropriate governance have prevented this? The political agenda that enabled this exclusion and displacement effectively ignored the disadvantaged. Counterclaims to the benefits of the development were ignored, as these did not match the win-win narrative of the development’s proponents. </p>
<p>For instance, the then NSW finance minister, Greg Pearce, dismissed the concerns of evicted residents by <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/residents-stick-to-their-point-of-community-20121025-288bh.html">stating</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Millers Point is poorly suited for social housing … when considering its future, the government needs to consider it in the context of all of the surrounding areas, including the Barangaroo redevelopment area.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In a more extreme case, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/last-ditch-law-change-clears-barangaroo-20110302-1bey5.html">fast-tracked legislation</a> made legally void a claim brought against the government for approving potentially unlawful elements of the development. </p>
<p>These actions minimise antagonistic voices, those that often act to promote social equality. </p>
<p>If future green developments are to minimise exclusion and displacement, they must allow participation from all sectors of society and recognise all the potential impacts in advance. The NSW government has not only enabled exclusion by failing to ensure affordable housing quotas, it has actively encouraged it by selling the nearby public housing. </p>
<p>Barangaroo is a missed opportunity: instead of promoting social equality, it has made inequality worse.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/104941/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rupert Legg does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Barangaroo is an example of a development with admirable green credentials, but it is also an exclusive precinct that has played a role in displacing the disadvantaged from this part of Sydney.
Rupert Legg, PhD Candidate, University of Technology Sydney
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/105731
2018-10-30T18:59:29Z
2018-10-30T18:59:29Z
India unveils the world’s tallest statue, celebrating development at the cost of the environment
<p>India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today inaugurate the world’s largest statue, the <a href="http://www.statueofunity.in/">Statue of Unity</a> in Gujarat. At 182m tall (240m including the base), it is twice the height of the Statue of Liberty, and depicts India’s first deputy Prime Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. </p>
<p>The statue overlooks the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River. Patel is often thought of as the inspiration for the dam, which came to international attention when the World Bank withdraw its support from <a href="http://projects.worldbank.org/P009829/irrigation-project-narmada-river-development-gujarat-sardar-sarovar-dam-power?lang=en">the project</a> in 1993 after a decade of <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781351311670/chapters/10.4324%2F9781351311687-4">environmental and humanitarian protests</a>. It wasn’t until 2013 that the World Bank <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/may/14/world-bank-hydropower-dam-rethink">funded another large dam project</a>. </p>
<p>Like the dam, the statue has been condemned for its <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/314076987_Environmental_Clearance_of_Statue_of_Unity_Project_of_Gujarat_-_A_Case_Study">lack of environmental oversight</a>, and its displacement of local Adivasi or indigenous people. The land on which the statue was built is an <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/sardar-patel-statue-why-75-000-tribals-are-planning-a-mass-protest-against-statue-of-unity-1934779">Adivasi sacred site that was taken forcibly from them</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/indias-development-debate-must-move-beyond-modi-41036">India's development debate must move beyond Modi</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The Statue of Unity is part of a broader push by Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to promote Patel as a symbol of Indian nationalism and free-market development. The statue’s website praises him for bringing the <a href="https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/india/princely-states.htm">princely states</a> into the Union of India and for being an early advocate of Indian <a href="http://www.statueofunity.in/about-sardar-vallabhbhai-patel">free enterprise</a>. </p>
<p>The BJP’s promotion of Patel also serves to overshadow the legacy of his boss, India’s first prime minister, <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/attempts-in-the-past-to-run-down-contribution-of-patel-modi/article9933613.ece">Jawaharlal Nehru</a>. Nehru’s descendants head India’s most influential opposition party, the Indian National Congress. </p>
<p>The statue was supposed to be built with both private and public money, but it attracted little private investment. In the end, the government of Gujarat paid for much of the statue’s <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2014/07/10/indias-new-budget-includes-33-million-to-build-the-worlds-tallest-statue-not-everyone-is-happy/?utm_term=.40d6e82bb71c">US$416.67 million price tag</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/242911/original/file-20181030-76384-15k0881.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/242911/original/file-20181030-76384-15k0881.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/242911/original/file-20181030-76384-15k0881.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/242911/original/file-20181030-76384-15k0881.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/242911/original/file-20181030-76384-15k0881.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/242911/original/file-20181030-76384-15k0881.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/242911/original/file-20181030-76384-15k0881.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/242911/original/file-20181030-76384-15k0881.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The statue under construction, January 2018.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Alexander Davis</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Gujarat government claims its investment in the statue will promote tourism, and that <a href="https://www.gujarattourism.com/file-manager/documents/Tourism%20Policy.pdf">tourism is “sustainable development”</a>. The United Nations says that <a href="http://icr.unwto.org/content/tourism-and-sdgs">sustainable tourism increases environmental outcomes and promotes local cultures</a>. But given the statue’s lack of environmental checks and its displacement of local populations, it is hard to see how this project fulfils these goals.</p>
<p>The structure itself is not exactly a model of sustainable design. Some 5,000 tonnes of iron, 75,000 cubic metres of concrete, 5,700 tonnes of steel, and 22,500 tonnes of bronze sheets were used in its construction. </p>
<p>Critics of the statue note that this emblem of Indian nationalism was built partly with Chinese labour and design, with the bronze sheeting <a href="https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/pm-modis-statue-unity-be-built-chinese-workers-bjp-defensive-35292">subcontracted to a Chinese firm</a>.</p>
<p>The statue’s position next to the controversial Sardar Sarovar Dam is also telling. While chief minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014, Modi pushed for the dam’s construction despite the World Bank’s condemnation. He praised the dam’s completion in 2017 as a <a href="https://www.narendramodi.in/media-coverage/536996">monument to India’s progress</a>. </p>
<p>Both the completion of the dam and the statue that celebrates it suggest that the BJP government is backing economic development over human rights and environmental protections. </p>
<p>The statue’s inauguration comes only a month after the country <a href="https://thewire.in/environment/in-modis-constituency-a-wildlife-sanctuary-is-quietly-being-erased">closed the first nature reserve in India since 1972</a>. Modi’s government has also come under sustained criticism for a series of pro-industry policies that have eroded <a href="https://www.indiaspend.com/indias-fast-tracked-wildlife-clearances-threaten-last-wild-areas-water-sources-and-hasten-climate-change/">conservation</a>, <a href="https://thewire.in/environment/national-forest-policy-draft-2018-takes-one-step-forward-two-steps-back">forest</a>, <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2018/04/25/do-the-new-draft-crz-rules-dilute-coastal-protection/">coastal</a> and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/08/world/asia/india-pollution-modi.html">air pollution</a> protections, and <a href="http://america.aljazeera.com/multimedia/2015/4/narendra-modis-war-on-the-indian-environment.html">weakened minority land rights</a>. </p>
<p>India was recently ranked <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/india-ranks-177-out-of-180-in-environmental-performance-index/article22513016.ece">177 out of 180 countries</a> in the world for its environmental protection efforts.</p>
<p>Despite this record, the United Nations’ Environmental Programme (UNEP) recently awarded Modi its highest environmental award. It <a href="http://web.unep.org/championsofearth/celebrating-bold-environmental-leadership-and-plastic-free-future-india">made him a Champion of the Earth</a> for his work on solar energy development and plastic reduction. </p>
<p>The decision prompted a backlash in India, where <a href="https://thewire.in/environment/un-green-award-narendra-modi-controversial-environmental-record">many commentators are concerned by the BJP’s environmental record</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/bridges-and-roads-in-north-east-india-may-drive-small-tribes-away-from-development-78636">Bridges and roads in north-east India may drive small tribes away from development</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Visitors to the statue will access it via a 5km boat ride. At the statue’s base, they can buy souvenirs and fast food, before taking a high-speed elevator to the observation deck. </p>
<p>The observation deck will be situated in Patel’s head. From it, tourists will look out over the Sardar Sarovar Dam, as the accompanying commentary praises “united” India’s national development successes. </p>
<p>But let’s not forget the environmental and minority protections that have been sacrificed to achieve these goals.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>This article was amended on November 7, 2018, to clarify the role of Chinese companies in the statue’s design and construction.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/105731/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Standing 240m tall, the Statue of Unity celebrates India’s development. But jarringly, it towers over a divisive and environmentally damaging dam project.
Ruth Gamble, David Myers Research Fellow, La Trobe University
Alexander E. Davis, New Generation Network Fellow, La Trobe University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/92967
2018-03-07T10:03:19Z
2018-03-07T10:03:19Z
Trevor Baylis: the wind-up radio inventor who forced companies to take sustainable design seriously
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/209183/original/file-20180306-146645-1b3df4g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">PA Wire/PA Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Trevor Baylis, who has died aged 80, left his school in London at 15 without any qualifications. But he went on to become a physical training instructor, an engineer, a stuntman and, at 45, a full-time inventor, eventually finding fame for developing the wind-up radio.</p>
<p>Many of Baylis’s inventions were inspired from his time as a stuntman. He had friends who had suffered life changing injuries as a result of their work. “Disability is only a banana skin away,” he <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/fameandfortune/10961486/Trevor-Baylis-I-should-have-made-a-lot-more-from-my-wind-up-radio-invention.html">often said</a>.</p>
<p>As a result, he focused his effort on inventing devices to help people with disabilities in their everyday lives. He came up with over 200 of these devices, which he named Orange Aids and included <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/519489d8-e068-11e0-ba12-00144feabdc0">one handed bottle openers, foot operated scissors</a>, can openers and sketching easels.</p>
<p>Then in 1991 he saw a TV programme about AIDS in Africa. The presenter described the difficulty of getting important health information to people who couldn’t afford batteries for their radios. Baylis immediately went out to his workshop to see if he could build a suitable generator for a radio. It only took him 30 minutes to <a href="http://www.wipo.int/wipo_magazine/en/2006/03/article_0001.html">come up with a solution</a>.</p>
<p>The resulting clockwork prototype worked well but he struggled to get anyone interested in producing it. In 1994, as a result of being featured on the BBC’s Tomorrow’s World programme and in an interview on the World Service, a backer came forward to help start manufacturing the radios in South Africa, employing disabled people. The vast majority of these early production radios were sold to aid agencies to distribute freely, but over time they also became very popular with consumers in the developed world and were able to be sold for profit too.</p>
<p>When Baylis’s design was manufactured as the BayGen Freeplay radio, it won him 1996 BBC Design Awards for Best Product and Best Design. It is still considered an iconic piece of British design, featuring in the UK <a href="http://collection.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects/co432265/baygen-freeplay-wind-up-radio-a-portable-receiv-wind-up-radio">Science Museum collection</a>. Spin offs from this design included a wind-up torch and MP3 player, along with <a href="https://www.wired.com/2000/06/these-boots-were-made-for-talking/">shoes that generated enough electricity</a> from the movement of the wearer to charge a mobile phone.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/209184/original/file-20180306-146694-8hwurb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/209184/original/file-20180306-146694-8hwurb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/209184/original/file-20180306-146694-8hwurb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/209184/original/file-20180306-146694-8hwurb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/209184/original/file-20180306-146694-8hwurb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/209184/original/file-20180306-146694-8hwurb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/209184/original/file-20180306-146694-8hwurb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The wind-up Baygen Freeplay radio.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">J. D. Pfaff/Wikimedia Commons</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Despite his fame, Baylis felt he had often not received the financial returns he deserved for his inventions and began to campaign for better protection for inventors. He argued that intellectual property theft should be a <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/d95fc81c-c7f7-11df-ae3a-00144feab49a">criminal offence</a>. He suggested that all school children should learn about inventing and intellectual property in the same way that they learn about art. In 2003, he set up <a href="http://www.trevorbaylisbrands.com/tbb/home/home.asp">Trevor Baylis Brands</a> to help inventors struggling to develop and protect their ideas, helping over 10,000 people and launching many spin-off companies.</p>
<p>Baylis provided some early examples of how design could respond to both social and environmental problems by producing products that didn’t require expensive and polluting batteries. He made his radio very durable and easy to repair so it would last as long as possible, a real shift away from the usual consumption driven product market. A <a href="http://www.cfsd.org.uk/journal/archive/98jspd4.pdf">1998 study</a> of radios with different power sources found that, despite its weight, the Baygen had a significantly lower overall environmental impact over a five-year lifetime than any other radio on the market at the time.</p>
<h2>Ripples of change</h2>
<p>Sustainable product design still struggles to be recognised and applied by industry today. Yet the innovation displayed by the Baygen radio, initially using human powered energy systems and later supplementing this with solar power, produced a ripple effect in the market and large corporations began to develop similar products.</p>
<p>Although <a href="http://www.humanpower.tudelft.nl/fileadmin/Faculteit/IO/Over_de_Faculteit/Afdelingen/Design_Engineering/Sectie_Product_Engineering/Human_Power/Publications/abstracts/doc/iced97.pdf">many criticised the product</a> for being unnecessarily robust, it wasn’t created for the same kind of use as typical radios in developed countries and instead was designed to be as durable as possible. Baylis’s radio illustrates the complexities of balancing environmental, social, ethical and economic decisions in design and is still a useful discussion piece for aspiring designers today.</p>
<p>Trevor Baylis embodied the role of the inventor, always looking for solutions to problems and proving his novel ideas through many prototypes. He understood the value of design and considered this to be an important step in the commercialisation of his ideas.</p>
<p>Baylis received an OBE in 1997 and a CBE in 2015 for services to intellectual property. Despite his many successes, <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/my-secret-life-trevor-baylis-inventor-398531.html">he once said</a> he had one big regret: not being selected to swim for Great Britain in the 1956 Olympics.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/92967/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tracy Bhamra does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
The British inventor of the clockwork radio and over 200 other devices has died.
Tracy Bhamra, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise, Professor of Sustainable Design, Loughborough University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/91655
2018-02-21T17:22:55Z
2018-02-21T17:22:55Z
Greenwashing the property market: why ‘green star’ ratings don’t guarantee more sustainable buildings
<p>Nothing uses more resources or produces more waste than the buildings we live and work in. Our built environment is responsible for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2015.06.003">half of all global energy use</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2015.06.003">half of all greenhouse gas emissions</a>. Buildings consume <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2012.12.037">one-sixth of all freshwater</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2012.12.037">one-quarter of world wood harvests</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2012.12.037">four-tenths of all other raw materials</a>. The construction and later demolition of buildings produces <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2017.10.025">40% of all waste</a>.</p>
<p>The sustainability of our buildings is coming under scrutiny, and “green” rating tools are the key method for measuring this. Deakin University’s School of Architecture and Built Environment recently <a href="http://www.deakin.edu.au/architecture-built-environment/research/charting-pre-design-sustainability-indicators">reviewed</a> these certification schemes. Focus group discussions were held in Sydney and Melbourne with representatives in the field of sustainability – including government, green consultancies and rating tool providers. </p>
<p>Two main concerns emerged from our review:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Sustainability ratings tools are not audited. Most ratings tools are predictive, while those few that take measurements use paid third parties. Government plays no active part.</p></li>
<li><p>The sustainability parameters measured only loosely intersect with the building occupants’ sustainability concerns. Considerations such as access to transport and amenities are not included.</p></li>
</ol>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/207055/original/file-20180220-116343-j14zhh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/207055/original/file-20180220-116343-j14zhh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/207055/original/file-20180220-116343-j14zhh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/207055/original/file-20180220-116343-j14zhh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/207055/original/file-20180220-116343-j14zhh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/207055/original/file-20180220-116343-j14zhh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/207055/original/file-20180220-116343-j14zhh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/207055/original/file-20180220-116343-j14zhh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Focus group sessions run by Deakin University helped identify problems with current sustainability ratings.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/construction-industry-loophole-leaves-home-buyers-facing-higher-energy-bills-82378">Construction industry loophole leaves home buyers facing higher energy bills</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>That’s the backdrop to the sustainability targets now being adopted across Australia. Australia has the <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-economy-population/australias-population-growth-outpaces-world-as-migrants-rush-in-idUSKBN1E80HT">highest rate of population growth</a> of any developed country. The population now is <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/1647509ef7e25faaca2568a900154b63?OpenDocument">24.8 million</a>. It is expected to reach between <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/3222.0Main+Features12006%20to%202101?OpenDocument">30.9 and 42.5 million people by 2056</a>. </p>
<p>More buildings will be needed for these people to live and work in. And we will have to find ways to ensure these buildings are more sustainable if the targets now being adopted are to be achieved.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.rics.org/au/knowledge/research/research-reports/building-permits-and-sustainability/">Over 80%</a> of local governments have zero-emissions targets. <a href="http://www.rics.org/au/knowledge/research/research-reports/building-permits-and-sustainability/">Sydney and Canberra</a> have committed to zero-carbon emissions by 2050. <a href="http://www.rics.org/au/knowledge/research/research-reports/building-permits-and-sustainability/">Melbourne</a> has pledged to be carbon-neutral by 2020. </p>
<h2>So how do green ratings work?</h2>
<p>Each green rating tool works by identifying a range of sustainability parameters – such as water and energy use, waste production, etc. The list of things to be measured runs into the dozens. Tools differ on the parameters measured, method of measurement, weightings given and the thresholds that determine a given sustainability rating.</p>
<p>There are over 600 such rating tools worldwide. Each competes in the marketplace by looking to reconcile the credibility of its ratings with the disinclination of developers to submit to an assessment that will rate them poorly. Rating tools found in Australia include <a href="https://new.gbca.org.au/green-star/">Green Star</a>, <a href="https://nabers.gov.au/public/webpages/home.aspx">NABERS</a>, <a href="http://www.nathers.gov.au/">NatHERS</a>, <a href="http://www.circlesofsustainability.org/">Circles of Sustainability</a>, <a href="http://www.envirodevelopment.com.au/">EnviroDevelopment</a>, <a href="https://living-future.org/lcc/">Living Community Challenge</a> and <a href="http://bioregional.com.au/oneplanetliving/oneplanetcommunities/">One Planet Communities</a>. </p>
<p>So, it is easy enough to find landmark developments labelled with green accreditations. It is harder to quantify what these actually mean.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/green-building-revolution-only-in-high-end-new-cbd-offices-24535">Green building revolution? Only in high-end new CBD offices</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Ratings must be independently audited</h2>
<p>Government practice, historically, has been to assure building quality through permits. Planning permits ensure a development conforms with city schemes. Building permits assess structural load-bearing capacity, health and fire safety. </p>
<p>All this is done off the plan. Site inspections take place to verify that the building is built to plan. But once a certificate of occupancy is issued, the government steps aside.</p>
<p>The sustainability agenda promoted by government has been grafted onto this regime. Energy efficiency was introduced into the residential building code in <a href="http://www.rics.org/au/knowledge/research/research-reports/building-permits-and-sustainability/">2005</a>, and then into the commercial building code in <a href="http://www.rics.org/au/knowledge/research/research-reports/building-permits-and-sustainability/">2006</a>. At first, this was limited to new buildings, but then broadened to include refurbishment of existing structures. </p>
<p>Again, sustainability credentials are assessed off the plan and certification issued once the building is up and running. Thereafter, government walks away.</p>
<p>We know of only one longitudinal energy performance study carried out on domestic residences in Australia. It is an as-yet-unpublished project conducted by a retiree from the CSIRO, working with Indigenous communities in Far North Queensland. </p>
<p>The findings corroborate a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2017.10.025">recent study</a> by Gertrud Hatvani-Kovacs and colleagues from the University of South Australia. This study found that so-called “energy-inefficient” houses, following traditional design, managed under certain conditions to <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-04/australian-houses-losing-in-heat-management-design/9287188">outperform 6- and 8-star buildings</a>.</p>
<h2>Sustainability tools must measure what matters</h2>
<p>Energy usage is but the tip of the iceberg. Genuine sustainability is about delivering our children into a future in which they have all that we have today.</p>
<p>Home owners, on average, turn their property around <a href="http://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/brisbane-qld/property-ownership-trends-sees-a-10-years-average-across-australia-which-is-not-good-for-the-economy/news-story/40f58f85cb081ec84bd74af08cda5b4f">every eight years</a>. They are less concerned with energy efficiency than with real estate prices. And these prices depend on the appeal of the property, which involves access to transport, schools, parks and amenities, and freedom from crime.</p>
<p>Commercial property owners, too, are concerned about infrastructure, and they care about creating work environments that retain valued employees. </p>
<p>These are all core sustainability issues, yet do not come up in the rating systems we use.</p>
<p>If government is serious about creating sustainable cities, it needs to let go of its limited, narrow criteria and embrace these larger concerns of “liveability”. It must embody these broader criteria in the rating systems it uses to endorse developments. And it needs an auditing and enforcement regime in place to make it happen.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/91655/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Igor Martek receives funding from the IDF, internal to Deakin University.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>M. Reza Hosseini is affiliated with the School of Architecture and Built Environment, Deakin University. </span></em></p>
Buildings are central to creating more sustainable cities, and green ratings are often used to assess how well a building measures up against this goal. But the current system has serious flaws.
Igor Martek, Lecturer In Construction, Deakin University
M. Reza Hosseini, Lecturer in Construction, Deakin University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/83973
2017-11-28T19:07:27Z
2017-11-28T19:07:27Z
Heritage building preservation vs sustainability? Conflict isn’t inevitable
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/196581/original/file-20171127-2021-1crx22v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The Tower of London has altered greatly in its 900-year history as a castle, home, museum, prison and tourist attraction.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/tower-london-seen-river-thames-uk-294865154">Claudio Divizia/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>This article is part of our <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/building-on-heritage-46804">Building on Heritage</a> series on preserving heritage buildings and places while making them as sustainable as possible.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>Contemporary preservation philosophy in Western cultures has been around for 140 years, and sustainable development for 30. Are the principles compatible or in conflict?</p>
<h2>What’s a heritage building?</h2>
<p>Heritage building does not have an unequivocal definition. It has several components, which co-exist to varying degrees. These include:</p>
<ul>
<li>cultural and historic</li>
<li>intrinsic and in use values</li>
<li>symbolic</li>
<li>the relationship between the building and location. </li>
</ul>
<p>A building may have little heritage value as a property but have value because a momentous event transpired there. Heritage buildings fulfil important demands for cultural experiences and leisure, and create benefits for tourism. Heritage buildings also have other <a href="https://theconversation.com/preserving-cities-how-trendies-shaped-australias-urban-heritage-66515">positive economic impacts</a>, such as generating higher rental and occupancy levels. </p>
<hr>
<p><em><strong>Further reading:</strong> <a href="https://theconversation.com/preserving-cities-how-trendies-shaped-australias-urban-heritage-66515">Preserving cities: how ‘trendies’ shaped Australia’s urban heritage</a></em></p>
<hr>
<h2>Let’s be clear about what we mean</h2>
<p>Many words – preservation, renovation, restoration and conservation – are used when talking about heritage. What do they mean? And what conditions and responsibilities do they engender? </p>
<p><strong>Renovation</strong> means “to make new again”. In buildings subjected to numerous interventions, the question is: to which period do we renovate? Outcomes depend on available documentation of original construction methods, materials and layouts.</p>
<p><strong>Preservation</strong> aims to halt deterioration and ensure no further changes occur. It places requirements on materials and methods, as final appearance is no longer the most important factor. Rather, the aim is to retain as much of the building fabric as possible.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/189711/original/file-20171011-2020-1jovip1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/189711/original/file-20171011-2020-1jovip1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/189711/original/file-20171011-2020-1jovip1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/189711/original/file-20171011-2020-1jovip1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/189711/original/file-20171011-2020-1jovip1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/189711/original/file-20171011-2020-1jovip1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/189711/original/file-20171011-2020-1jovip1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/189711/original/file-20171011-2020-1jovip1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The Mansions is a heritage-listed group of six three-storey buildings in Brisbane CBD, Australia.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/mansions-heritage-listed-group-six-3storied-50713807?src=He1x-KlFdoLHk7Y4ejAfkw-1-1">Tupungato/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>Reversible repairs</strong>: all repairs or additions must be reversible and removable. The work should not affect the condition of the original material now and in the future.</p>
<p>Preserving buildings means the building dictates choices on how it is treated; this does not involve artistic choices or material experimentation. In this understanding of the term, interventions that change performance with regard to water and energy use may be limited. It also excludes changes that alter the building fabric or appearance. </p>
<p>It is important to understand these definitions and that the lines between definitions change with the circumstances and buildings involved.</p>
<h2>Inherent sustainability in heritage buildings</h2>
<p>Heritage buildings tend to be inherently environmentally sustainable, with high levels of embodied energy.</p>
<p>Buildings from pre-industrial periods are likely to contain more natural, low-energy, less chemical-based material. However, they predate concerns about energy and water use, so this may be high. Opportunities do exist to optimise water and energy use in heritage buildings. </p>
<p>Many older buildings were designed and built to work with local climate. The traditional Queenslander house is a good example, with a design that allows air flow below the building to keep it cooler. In other areas, high thermal mass kept buildings cool in summer and warm in winter.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/189103/original/file-20171006-25742-1s7fodp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/189103/original/file-20171006-25742-1s7fodp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/189103/original/file-20171006-25742-1s7fodp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/189103/original/file-20171006-25742-1s7fodp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/189103/original/file-20171006-25742-1s7fodp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/189103/original/file-20171006-25742-1s7fodp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/189103/original/file-20171006-25742-1s7fodp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/189103/original/file-20171006-25742-1s7fodp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The traditional Queenslander home allows a cooling air flow under the house.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/typical-queenslander-residential-home-this-underfloor-621865283?src=VeqgBjtm52HmMl2-Y728XA-1-3">Ines Porada / Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p><em><strong>Further reading:</strong> <a href="https://theconversation.com/sublime-design-the-queenslander-27225">Sublime design: the Queenslander</a></em></p>
<hr>
<p>Preservation reduces landfill waste, demolition energy use and new construction. Adaptive re-use concepts, renovations for less energy use, maintenance and type of use also affect heritage building sustainability.</p>
<p>Applying circular economy principles to renovations can improve sustainability. Combining energy and material use, quality and adaptability, sustainability can be discussed and the integral sustainability of heritage buildings measured.</p>
<hr>
<p><em><strong>Further reading:</strong> <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-the-circular-economy-23298">Explainer: what is the circular economy?</a></em></p>
<hr>
<p>Equally, we need to consider social and economic sustainability in heritage buildings.</p>
<h2>So how has policy evolved to manage all this?</h2>
<p>In 1877, William Morris established the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (<a href="https://www.spab.org.uk/what-is-spab/">SPAB</a>). Although responding to conservation issues of 19th-century England, the principles remain a philosophical foundation for protecting buildings of all styles and times.</p>
<p>The International Council on Monuments and Sites (<a href="http://www.icomos.org/en/about-icomos/mission-and-vision/mission-and-vision">ICOMOS</a>), established in 1964 as a global NGO linked to UNESCO, shares the best practices globally. The United Nations <a href="http://www.iisd.org/topic/sustainable-development">defined sustainable development</a> in 1987, articulating growing concerns with the economic, social and environmental impacts of development.</p>
<p>Later, countries adopted UN <a href="https://theconversation.com/infographic-how-are-we-progressing-on-the-sustainable-development-goals-45441">Sustainable Development Goals</a>, with <a href="http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/cities/">Goal 11</a> covering sustainable cities and communities. <a href="http://uis.unesco.org/en/topic/sustainable-development-goal-11-4">Target 11.4</a> aims to: “strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage” under SDG 11, which is to “make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. This provides the overarching framework for heritage buildings. </p>
<p>ICOMOS promotes conservation, protection, use and enhancement of cultural heritage sites. ICOMOS closely engages with sustainable development, hosting scientific events and issuing policy documents to highlight the role of heritage. Resources comprise best practice guidance and advice is available internationally and nationally. </p>
<p>ICOMOS influences practices in Australia through statutes, ethical statements and principles and a procedural handbook. In Australia, heritage protection began in the 1930s with lists of buildings that evolved to registers documenting heritage attributes.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.heritage.vic.gov.au/">various</a> <a href="https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/land/heritage/council/about">state</a> <a href="http://heritage.tas.gov.au/about-us">heritage</a> <a href="http://www.stateheritage.wa.gov.au/">offices</a> and <a href="https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/our-places/heritage/sa-heritage-council">councils</a> in Australia are involved in <a href="http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/heritagebranch/heritage/research/sustainability.pdf">strategic projects</a> contributing to sustainable development. These include cultural landscapes, wind turbines and heritage. Policy frameworks and strategic plans for heritage and sustainable development enable the <a href="http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/organisations/australian-heritage-council">Australian Heritage Council</a>, state heritage bodies and stakeholders to work towards sustainable development. </p>
<p>However, development applications to alter or repair local buildings are considered at local government level. In some areas expert knowledge and resources regarding heritage, conservation philosophy and sustainability may be limited. The good news is there is Australian guidance on striking a balance between heritage and sustainable development.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/189709/original/file-20171011-2038-drgwgy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/189709/original/file-20171011-2038-drgwgy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=351&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/189709/original/file-20171011-2038-drgwgy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=351&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/189709/original/file-20171011-2038-drgwgy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=351&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/189709/original/file-20171011-2038-drgwgy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=441&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/189709/original/file-20171011-2038-drgwgy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=441&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/189709/original/file-20171011-2038-drgwgy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=441&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Formerly Tip Top Bakeries, Tip Top Brunswick East is a multi-award-winning development in Melbourne, Australia.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Little Projects</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>It’s not easy being green</h2>
<p>Heritage and sustainable development are intimately linked. Understanding heritage helps us better comprehend cultural and social systems. It is vital to understand the philosophical definitions of terms.</p>
<p>Sustainability is an important tool for heritage preservation. Another consideration is time, which includes the fact that changing, evolving uses add to heritage.</p>
<p>Many buildings we see as heritage have changed greatly over time. For instance, the Tower of London has in its 900-year history been a castle, home, museum, prison and tourist attraction. </p>
<p>If we are to maintain social and economic use, sometimes we need to accept change. In these cases, reversibility of repairs is an effective approach. </p>
<p>To sum up: it’s complex. Buildings are unique and need to be assessed on various levels:</p>
<ul>
<li>What is the heritage value?</li>
<li>What work is proposed?</li>
<li>What are existing levels of sustainability?</li>
<li>Can measures be incorporated that are reversible and do not damage original building fabric?</li>
</ul>
<p>Preserving heritage and sustainable development are both important goals. Conflicts need to be identified, assessed, documented and managed to achieve an optimum balance.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>This article draws on the authors’ book, <a href="http://au.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1119231426.html">Building Resilience in Urban Settlements through Sustainable Change Of Use</a> (Wiley-Blackwell, 2017, ISBN 978-1-119-23142-4).</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/83973/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
When talking about heritage, we need to be clear about our definitions and our objectives for each building. Then we can work on achieving the optimum balance of heritage and sustainability.
Sara Wilkinson, Associate Professor, School of the Built Environment, University of Technology Sydney
Hilde Remøy, Associate Professor of Real Estate Management, Delft University of Technology
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/84263
2017-09-20T20:33:15Z
2017-09-20T20:33:15Z
Sustainable cities? Australia’s building and planning rules stand in the way of getting there
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/186530/original/file-20170919-32025-496xrj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">An outstanding example of sustainable residential building, Breathe Architecture's The Commons apartments in Melbourne won a 2014 National Architecture Award.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.archdaily.com/564556/winners-of-the-2014-national-architecture-awards-announced/5459f1e0e58ece47900000d1-winners-of-the-2014-national-architecture-awards-announced-image">Image courtesy of Australian Institute of Architects</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Australia’s building and land-use policy settings fall well short of what’s needed to make meaningful progress toward creating sustainable cities. </p>
<p>You will find environmental sustainability goals and objectives in government strategy documents. But <a href="http://cur.org.au/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/implementing-sustainability-in-the-built-environment.pdf">our newly released review</a> of building and land-use planning policies around Australia has found New South Wales is the only state without serious gaps in legislation and enforcement. </p>
<p>Research <a href="http://dpc.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/17159/NEEBP-final-report-November-2014.pdf">shows</a> a large percentage of new dwellings in Australia fail to meet even minimum building requirements when checked after construction. </p>
<p>There is little legislation and enforcement, with the notable exception of NSW’s Building and Sustainability Index (<a href="https://www.basix.nsw.gov.au/iframe/about-basix.html">BASIX</a>). This means neither building codes nor state planning systems are achieving sustainability goals <a href="https://researchbank.rmit.edu.au/view/rmit:160284">required for a low-carbon future</a> for cities and buildings. </p>
<hr>
<p><em><strong>Further reading:</strong> <a href="https://theconversation.com/affordable-sustainable-high-quality-urban-housing-its-not-an-impossible-dream-57958">Affordable, sustainable, high-quality urban housing? It’s not an impossible dream</a></em></p>
<hr>
<p>Sustainable cities are among the UN <a href="http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/">Sustainable Development Goals</a>. At present, <a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-ranks-20th-on-progress-towards-the-sustainable-development-goals-62820">Australia ranks 20th</a> on progress toward these goals.</p>
<p>So how important is the built environment to Australia’s ability to achieve these goals? In fact, it’s a significant contributor to anthropogenic climate change. </p>
<p>The built environment accounts for around <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0038092X10002847">40% of worldwide energy use</a> and <a href="http://www.tandfebooks.com/isbn/9781849775380">one-third of greenhouse gas emissions</a>. In Australia, the residential sector is responsible for <a href="https://industry.gov.au/Office-of-the-Chief-Economist/Publications/Documents/aes/energyupdate_2011_report.pdf">12% of final energy use</a> and <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S036013231000034X">13% of emissions</a>. </p>
<h2>Stepping into the breach locally</h2>
<p>As the national building code is failing to improve sustainability, efforts to do this through local planning systems are emerging. </p>
<p>The Council Alliance for Sustainable Built Environments (<a href="http://www.mav.asn.au/policy-services/planning-building/sustainable-buildings/council-alliance-sustainable-built-environment/Pages/default.aspx">CASBE</a>) in Victoria is one example. This involves local governments working with design and planning professionals to create environmentally sustainable built environments.</p>
<p>In Victoria, there has been debate about the need for <a href="https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/policy-and-strategy/planning-reform/betterapartments">better building design</a> and <a href="http://www.thefifthestate.com.au/articles/aia-enters-debate-on-minimum-apartment-size/65192">performance</a> over the past few years. However, our analysis of appeal cases before the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) reveals significant inconsistencies in decision-making. We found tensions between the state planning framework and local government efforts to achieve environmental sustainability design through planning.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"658525803362299904"}"></div></p>
<hr>
<p><em><strong>Further reading:</strong> <a href="https://theconversation.com/nightingales-sustainability-song-falls-on-deaf-ears-as-car-centric-planning-rules-hold-sway-50187">Nightingale’s sustainability song falls on deaf ears as car-centric planning rules hold sway</a></em></p>
<hr>
<p>The work of CASBE highlights the important role of networks in building capacity across councils and mobilising support for achieving sustainable outcomes in our built environments. Over time, CASBE and other advocates have developed and implemented a range of assessment tools, local policies and decision-making processes.</p>
<p>This is one way to overcome gaps and weaknesses in the planning system. The CASBE network has grown as a result of its members’ persistence in the face of state government reluctance to change. </p>
<p>In a growing number of local government areas, Victoria now has strong local planning policies that promote designing for environmental sustainability.</p>
<h2>Enforceable standards are essential</h2>
<p>The systemic and political obstacles to achieving environmentally sustainable design in our cities are clear and persistent. The voluntary use of tools to assess sustainability as a guide to decision-making is important, but can only go so far. Clear and enforceable standards for environmentally sustainable design are needed in both building and planning regulations. </p>
<p>Our analysis of VCAT data and key cases since 2003 found a continual passing of responsibility between building and planning systems. This problem must be overcome to embed and normalise sustainable design in the built environment. The BASIX system – a sustainability scorecard developed by the NSW government – offers a good starting point for other states.</p>
<p>We also found that where state governments fail to deliver frameworks to improve outcomes, there are other avenues to change and improve the system. Coalitions and networks, including committed local governments and non-state actors, can organise and act to innovate, build capacities and bring about regulatory change. </p>
<p>We must transform our built environments to reduce the impacts of environmental and climate change. This requires a building and planning system that delivers consistently higher standards of decision-making. And for that to happen all levels of government must be committed. </p>
<p>The work of improving the sustainability of our cities is too important to be left to the local groups now working tirelessly to overcome current systemic shortcomings.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/84263/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Joe Hurley receives funding from the Australian Communities Foundation, and the Australian Government via the National Environmental Science Programme. He a Committee Member with the Planning Institute of Australian, Victoria Division.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Susie Moloney has received funding from a range of organisations including the Australian Research Council and other government funding bodies. This research was supported by funding from the Australian Communities Fund. Susie is a member of the Planning Institute of Australia.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Trivess Moore has received funding from various organisations including the Australian Research Council and the Australian Communities Foundation.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andréanne Doyon does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
New South Wales is the only state that has made meaningful progress on legislation and enforcement of standards capable of creating a sustainable built environment.
Andréanne Doyon, Lecturer, School of Global, Urban & Social Studies, RMIT University
Joe Hurley, Senior Lecturer, Sustainability and Urban Planning, RMIT University
Susie Moloney, Senior Lecturer, School of Global Urban and Social Studies, Sustainability and Urban Planning Program, RMIT University
Trivess Moore, Research Fellow, RMIT University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/83129
2017-09-08T01:41:14Z
2017-09-08T01:41:14Z
6 rules for rebuilding infrastructure in an era of ‘unprecedented’ weather events
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/185172/original/file-20170907-9603-2o0ocr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Flooding from Hurricane Harvey. Can the region rebuild infrastructure so that it can better withstand extreme weather events? </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">AP Photo/David J. Phillip</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Before Hurricane Harvey made landfall on Aug. 25, there was little doubt that its impact would be devastating and wide-ranging. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, Harvey delivered and then some with early estimates of the damage at over <a href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/hurricane-harveys-impact-and-how-it-compares-to-other-storms/">US$190 billion</a>, which would make it the costliest storm in U.S. history. The rain dumped on the Houston area by Harvey has been called “<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2017/08/31/harvey-is-a-1000-year-flood-event-unprecedented-in-scale/?utm_term=.9cea7e0ef4db">unprecedented</a>,” making engineering and floodplain design standards look outdated at best and irresponsible at worst. </p>
<p>But to dismiss this as a once-in-a-lifetime event would be a mistake. With more very powerful storms forming in the Atlantic this hurricane season, we should know better. We must listen to those telling a more complicated story, one that <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/boomtown-floodtown/">involves</a> decades of land use planning and poor urban design that has generated impervious surfaces at a fantastic pace.</p>
<p>As the Houston region turns its attention to rebuilding and other cities consider ramping up efforts to make their infrastructure more resilient, it is this story that can provide valuable lessons for policymakers, planners, engineers, developers and the public. These lessons are all the more important against the backdrop of a Trump administration that has <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/08/15/trump-to-reverse-obama-era-order-aimed-at-planning-for-climate-change/?utm_term=.c034f82d238a">stripped requirements for infrastructure projects to consider climate impacts</a> and may try to offer an infrastructure investment package.</p>
<p>We draw from our research as a social scientist and an engineer and from our experience helping to lead the <a href="https://sustainability.asu.edu/urbanresilience/">Urban Resilience to Extreme Weather Events Sustainability Research Network</a> (funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation). Here are six rules for investing in infrastructure for the 21st century that recognize the need to rethink how we design and operate our infrastructure.</p>
<p>If we design with the technologies, needs and climate conditions of the 20th century, we will no longer serve society and the hazards we will encounter now and in the future. </p>
<h2>A strong foundation</h2>
<p><strong>Proactive maintenance first</strong>. In 2017, U.S. infrastructure was given a D+ by the <a href="https://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/">American Society for Civil Engineering Infrastructure Report Card</a>. The bill to repair all those deteriorating roads, bridges and dams would tally $210 billion by 2020, and $520 billion in 2040. For example, the US Army Corps of Engineers estimates there are <a href="https://gridium.com/united-states-of-maintenance/">15,460 dams in the U.S.</a> with “high” hazard ratings. </p>
<p>Yet, when our cities and states spend on infrastructure, it is too often on new infrastructure projects. And new infrastructure tend to emulate the models, designs and standards that we’ve used for decades – for instance, more highway capacity or new pipelines. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, resources for long-term maintenance are often lacking, resulting in a race to scrape together funding to keep systems running. If we want to get serious about avoiding disasters in a rapidly changing world, we must get serious about the <a href="https://aeon.co/essays/innovation-is-overvalued-maintenance-often-matters-more">maintenance</a> of existing infrastructure.</p>
<p><strong>Invest in and redesign institutions, not just infrastructure</strong>. When analyzing breakdowns in infrastructure, it is tempting to blame the technical design. Yet design parameters are set by institutions and shaped by politics, financing and policy goals.</p>
<p>So failures in infrastructure are not just technical failures; they are institutional ones as well. They are <a href="https://asu.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/how-cities-think-knowledge-co-production-for-urban-sustainability">failures in “knowledge systems</a>,” or the ability to generate, communicate and utilize knowledge within and across institutions. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/185169/original/file-20170907-9568-1m0w47b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/185169/original/file-20170907-9568-1m0w47b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/185169/original/file-20170907-9568-1m0w47b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/185169/original/file-20170907-9568-1m0w47b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/185169/original/file-20170907-9568-1m0w47b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/185169/original/file-20170907-9568-1m0w47b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/185169/original/file-20170907-9568-1m0w47b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/185169/original/file-20170907-9568-1m0w47b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A temporary levee built after Hurricane Katrina. A number of people knew the vulnerability of the levee system before Katrina but the institutions responsible did not adequately respond.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/images/48610">FEMA/Andrea Booher</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>For example, the levee failures during Hurricane Katrina are often interpreted as technical failures. They were, but we also knew the <a href="http://ascelibrary.org/doi/book/%2010.1061/9780784408933">levees would fail</a> in a storm as powerful as Katrina. And so the <a href="http://ascelibrary.org/doi/book/%2010.1061/9780784408933">levee failures</a> were also failures in institutional design – the information about the weakness of the levees was not utilized in part because the <a href="http://ascelibrary.org/doi/book/10.1061/9780784408933">Hurricane Protection System</a> was poorly funded and lacked the necessary institutional and political power to force action. </p>
<p>In the wake of Harvey, basic design and floodplain development parameters, like <a href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/its-time-to-ditch-the-concept-of-100-year-floods/">the 100-year flood</a>, are being acknowledged as fundamentally flawed. Our ability to design more resilient infrastructure will depend on our ability to design more effective institutions to manage these complex problems, learn from failures and adapt.</p>
<h2>Resilience and uncertainty</h2>
<p><strong>Design for climate change</strong>. When it comes to infrastructure’s ability to handle more <a href="http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/v2/n7/full/nclimate1452.html">extreme events that are predicted to come with climate change</a>, the primary problem is not bad engineering or faulty technical designs. Instead, it’s that infrastructure are typically sized based on the intensity and frequency of historical events. Yet these historical conditions are now routinely exceeded: since 1979, Houston alone has experienced three <a href="https://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21727898-if-global-warming-were-not-enough-threat-poor-planning-and-unwise-subsidies-make-floods">500-year storms</a>. </p>
<p>Climate change will make preparing for future storms much harder. <a href="http://nca2014.globalchange.gov/">These events</a> are not just associated with precipitation and <a href="https://theconversation.com/americans-who-live-far-from-coasts-should-also-be-worried-about-flooding-81012">inland flooding</a> but include more extreme heat, cold, drought, wildfires, coastal flooding and wind. Buildings, roads, water networks and other infrastructure last decades and designing for historical events may result in more frequent failure as events become more frequent or intense with climate change. Infrastructure designers and managers must shift from risk-based to resilience-based thinking, so that our systems can better withstand and bounce back from these extreme events.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/185173/original/file-20170907-9570-49n9jv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/185173/original/file-20170907-9570-49n9jv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/185173/original/file-20170907-9570-49n9jv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=410&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/185173/original/file-20170907-9570-49n9jv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=410&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/185173/original/file-20170907-9570-49n9jv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=410&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/185173/original/file-20170907-9570-49n9jv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=515&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/185173/original/file-20170907-9570-49n9jv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=515&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/185173/original/file-20170907-9570-49n9jv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=515&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Individual decisions on flood drainage for specific locations in heavily paved Houston may have been considered sufficient but planners need to consider how the entire region can handle flooding and other extreme weather events.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/krazyd/14841311908/in/photolist-oBtAY5-D9apL-oSx1Vt-6hVV8i-grXVqc-CDCjdV-6hVUyc-4Vptq9-hgqygo-6hVUDn-XuV4tp-B3Z4o-6hVRRn-82R3rC-kvgqos-6i11pw-8zzCZZ-djKt9y-qSx5NG-bxt1tn-rDcBGT-9YMzpb-djKT46-djKnW1-ee2iqm-6i11hY-dpqLaA-9LN7M6-8zzBMP-bA9X3m-B642g-djLTGP-8hvcUq-iSnV4F-dpqLQ1-32xpw2-B64gq-m41rjK-bjM5Zb-ag9YwY-djLL9A-6FeFnA-m352d-82MSza-6XLBuE-nSq2iq-qvTLaT-nMf6rq-B4rSW-Xi8JHb">Om</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>Manage infrastructure as interconnected and interdependent</strong>. In his 1987 essay, “<a href="http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1987/02/23/atchafalaya">Atchafalaya</a>,” writer John McPhee explores efforts by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to control the Atchafalaya and Mississippi River systems. He brilliantly showed that rather than bringing predictability to a complex and meandering riverine system, the Old River Control system created unpredictability. “It’s a mixture of hydrologic events and human events… This is planned chaos… Nobody knows where it’s going to end.” </p>
<p>While floodplain management has made advances since then, the impact of development and infrastructure design is still often considered on a piecemeal basis. As Montgomery County engineer Mark Mooney noted in a recent <a href="http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Houston-s-development-boom-and-reduction-of-8403838.php">Houston Chronicle article</a>, “I can show you on any individual project how runoff has been properly mitigated. Having said that, when you see the increase in impervious surfaces that we have, it’s clear the way water moves through our county has changed. It’s all part of a massive puzzle everyone is trying to sort out.” </p>
<p>Infrastructure planning and design must consider the legacy of past decisions and how risks build up over time as ecological, technological and human systems interact in increasingly uncertain and complex ways.</p>
<h2>Infrastructure and equity</h2>
<p><strong>Create flexible infrastructure</strong>. Given that our infrastructures are centralized and satisfy demands that don’t change rapidly (we use water and electricity much in the way we did over the past century), they tend to be inflexible. Yet we need our urban systems and the infrastructure that support them to be resilient. And flexibility is a necessary precondition for resilience. </p>
<p>Current designs favor robustness and redundancy. These infrastructure tend to be difficult to change and the managing institutions are often structured and constrained in ways that create <a href="https://repository.asu.edu/items/44743">barriers to flexibility</a>. Consider the difference in flexibility of landline versus mobile phones, in terms of both use and changing the hardware. Similarly, new strategies are needed to incorporate flexibility into our infrastructure. In the case of hurricanes, roadways with smart signaling and controls that dynamically adjust stoplights and reverse lanes to allow vehicles to evacuate quickly would be of significant value.</p>
<p><strong>Design infrastructure for everyone</strong>. Large disasters almost always highlight systemic social inequalities in our communities, as we saw in <a href="http://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/H/bo20809880.html">the 1995 Chicago heat wave</a>, <a href="http://jointcenter.org/research/environmental-justice-through-eye-hurricane-katrina">Hurricane Katrina</a> and now <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/news/archive/2017/08/a-catastrophe-for-houstons-most-vulnerable-people/538155/">Hurricane Harvey</a>. </p>
<p>Yet as cities rebuild and other cities watch to glean lessons, we consistently sidestep the historical legacies, public policies and political-economic structures that continue to make low-income and minority populations, such as homeless people, more vulnerable to extreme weather events. For this to change, infrastructure must be designed with the most vulnerable in mind first. </p>
<p>Too often the services delivered by climate-resilient infrastructure are first built for the communities that have the economic and political power to demand them, resulting in what some have called <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1468-2427.2009.00860.x/abstract">ecological gentrification</a>. Policymakers and planners must engage diverse communities and ensure that infrastructure services are designed for everyone – and communities need to demand it.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/83129/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Thaddeus R. Miller receives funding from the US National Science Foundation. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mikhail Chester receives funding from the National Science Foundation. </span></em></p>
After extreme weather events like Hurricane Harvey, city planners need to think about the smartest way to rebuild. Here are some no-regrets infrastructure investment ideas.
Thaddeus R. Miller, Assistant Professor, School for the Future of Innovation in Society and The Polytechnic School, Arizona State University
Mikhail Chester, Senior Sustainability Scientist, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/73911
2017-04-02T19:29:27Z
2017-04-02T19:29:27Z
After 25 years of trying, why aren’t we environmentally sustainable yet?
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/163400/original/image-20170331-4592-kpf8yn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">After decades of sustainability initiatives, key environmental indicators keep getting worse. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">The Capital Wind Farm, REUTERS/Jason Reed/File Photo</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>In 1992, more than 170 countries came together at the <a href="http://www.un.org/geninfo/bp/enviro.html">Rio Earth Summit</a> and agreed to pursue <a href="https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/outcomedocuments/agenda21">sustainable development</a>, <a href="https://www.cbd.int/convention/">protect biological diversity</a>, <a href="http://unfccc.int/essential_background/convention/items/6036.php">prevent dangerous interference with climate systems</a>, and <a href="http://www.un.org/documents/ga/conf151/aconf15126-3annex3.htm">conserve forests</a>. But, 25 years later, the natural systems on which humanity relies <a href="http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/2/165/htm">continue to be degraded</a>.</p>
<p>So why hasn’t the world become much more environmentally sustainable despite decades of international agreements, national policies, state laws and local plans? This is the question that a team of researchers and I have tried to answer in a <a href="http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/2/165/htm">recent article</a>.</p>
<p>We reviewed 94 studies of how sustainability policies had failed across every continent. These included case studies from both developed and developing countries, and ranged in scope from international to local initiatives. </p>
<p>Consider the following key environmental indicators. Since 1970:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Humanity’s <a href="http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/all_publications/lpr_2016/">ecological footprint</a> has exceeded the Earth’s capacity and has risen to the point where 1.6 planets would be needed to provide resources sustainably.</p></li>
<li><p>The <a href="http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/all_publications/lpr_2016/">biodiversity index</a> has fallen by more than 50% as the populations of other species continue to decline.</p></li>
<li><p>Greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change have <a href="http://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/wg3/">almost doubled</a> while the impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly apparent.</p></li>
<li><p>The world has lost <a href="http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/all_publications/lpr_2016/">more than 48%</a> of tropical and sub-tropical forests. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>The rate at which these indicators deteriorated was largely unchanged over the <a href="http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/all_publications/lpr_2016/">two decades either side</a> of the Rio summit. Furthermore, humanity is fast approaching several environmental <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X15003760">tipping points</a>. If crossed, these could lead to irreversible changes. </p>
<p>If we allow average global temperatures to rise 2°C above pre-industrial levels, for example, feedback mechanisms will kick in that lead to runaway climate change. We’re already halfway to this limit and <a href="https://theconversation.com/meltdown-earth-the-shocking-reality-of-climate-change-kicks-in-but-who-is-listening-56255">could pass it</a> in the next few decades. </p>
<h2>What’s going wrong?</h2>
<p>So what’s going wrong with sustainability initiatives? We found that three types of failure kept recurring: economic, political and communication.</p>
<p>The economic failures stem from the basic problem that environmentally damaging activities are financially rewarded. A forest is usually worth more money after it’s cut down – which is a particular problem for countries transitioning to a <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389934107000524">market-based economy</a>. </p>
<p>Political failures happen when governments can’t or won’t implement effective policies. This is often because large extractive industries, like mining, are <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09644016.2013.867175?scroll=top&needAccess=true">dominant players</a> in an economy and see themselves as having the most to lose. This occurs in developed and developing countries, but the latter can face extra difficulties enforcing policies once they’re put in place. </p>
<p>Communication failures centre on poor consultation or community involvement in the policy process. Opposition then flourishes, sometimes based on a misunderstanding of the severity of the issue. It can also be fed by mistrust when communities see their concerns being overlooked. </p>
<p>Again, this happens around the world. A good example would be <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13549839.2012.729564?scroll=top&needAccess=true">community resistance to changing water allocation systems</a> in rural areas of Australia. In this situation, farmers were so opposed to the government buying back some of their water permits that copies of the policy were burned in the street. </p>
<p>These types of failure are mutually reinforcing. Poor communication of the benefits of sustainable development creates the belief that it always costs jobs and money. Businesses and communities then pressure politicians to avoid or water down environmentally friendly legislation.</p>
<p>Ultimately, this represents a failure to convince people that sustainable development can supply “win-win” scenarios. As a result, decision-makers are <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19438150903478597?scroll=top&needAccess=true">stuck in the jobs-versus-environment mindset</a>.</p>
<h2>What can we do?</h2>
<p>The point of our paper was to discover why policies that promote sustainability have failed in order to improve future efforts. The challenge is immense and there’s a great deal at stake. Based on my previous research into the way <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19438150903478597?scroll=top&needAccess=true">economic, social and environmental goals can co-exist</a>, I would go beyond our most recent paper to make the following proposals. </p>
<p>First, governments need to provide financial incentives to switch to eco-efficient production. Politicians need to have the courage to go well beyond current standards. Well-targeted interventions can create both carrot and stick, rewarding eco-friendly behaviour and imposing a cost on unsustainable activities. </p>
<p>Second, governments need to provide a viable transition pathway for industries that are doing the most damage. New environmental tax breaks and grants, for example, could allow businesses to remain profitable while changing their business model.</p>
<p>Finally, leaders from all sectors need to be convinced of both the seriousness of the declining state of the environment and that sustainable development is possible. Promoting positive case studies of successful green businesses would be a start.</p>
<p>There will of course be resistance to these changes. The policy battles will be hard fought, particularly in the current international political climate. We live in a world where the US president is <a href="https://theconversation.com/trump-tears-down-us-climate-policy-but-america-could-lose-out-as-a-result-75391">rolling back climate policies</a> while the Australian prime minister attacks <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-must-keep-the-lights-on-how-a-cyclone-was-used-to-attack-renewables-66371">renewable energy</a>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/73911/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michael Howes has received funding from the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, the Commonwealth government, the Queensland government, and Griffith University.</span></em></p>
Why, after decades of international agreements, are we still damaging the environment? New research, looking at dozens of unsuccessful policies, has uncovered the basic elements of failure.
Michael Howes, Associate Professor in Environmental Studies, Griffith University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/68498
2016-11-22T01:51:50Z
2016-11-22T01:51:50Z
Will we soon be growing our own vegan leather at home?
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/146865/original/image-20161121-4547-459c7s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A floral wreath made from vegan leather designed by Sofia Moreno-Marcos and York Hon John Liang in 2014.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">QUT media</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Conventional leather is one of fashion’s most ubiquitous materials – but it is fraught with ethical and environmental issues. We have been growing vegan leather from kombucha tea since 2014 – and the results are promising.</p>
<figure class="align-left zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/146149/original/image-20161116-31142-19agznj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/146149/original/image-20161116-31142-19agznj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/146149/original/image-20161116-31142-19agznj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=902&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146149/original/image-20161116-31142-19agznj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=902&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146149/original/image-20161116-31142-19agznj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=902&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146149/original/image-20161116-31142-19agznj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1133&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146149/original/image-20161116-31142-19agznj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1133&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146149/original/image-20161116-31142-19agznj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1133&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A jar of kombucha tea.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">QUT media</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Kombucha is a ferment made by adding a mixed symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast, (known as SCOBY) to sweetened tea. The bacteria acquire nutrients from the yeast, and grow a protective mass of cellulose monofibres, called a pellicle.</p>
<p>The pellicle (also called the mother) floats on the surface of the liquid, and will take the shape of its container. After a few weeks, when it has grown to a thickness of about 10mm, it can be harvested, washed (by hand or machine), oiled and air dried. </p>
<p>The material which results is a flexible, leathery sheet that can be cut, stitched, glued or woven. The pellicle dyes readily while still wet, and takes the shape of whatever supports it as it dries. Complex shapes can be formed by cutting the sheet into strips, and layering them over a form. As they dry, the wet strips fuse into a continuous sheet.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/146859/original/image-20161121-4564-1n45g6b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/146859/original/image-20161121-4564-1n45g6b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/146859/original/image-20161121-4564-1n45g6b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146859/original/image-20161121-4564-1n45g6b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146859/original/image-20161121-4564-1n45g6b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146859/original/image-20161121-4564-1n45g6b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146859/original/image-20161121-4564-1n45g6b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146859/original/image-20161121-4564-1n45g6b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The wet kombucha.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">QUT media</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The technology of growing and using kombucha cellulose as vegan leather has been explored over the past few years through a collaboration between the Fashion department, Queensland University of Technology and scientists from The Edge, State Library of Queensland. They have trialled methods for preparation, treatment and manufacture of garments, shoes, jewellery and bags.</p>
<p>Just like animal based leathers, our leather-like items such as shoes and bags require reinforcing and finishing to increase durability. Shoe styles vary from casual slip-ons to more conceptual designs with handmade wooden heels and soles.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/146862/original/image-20161121-4531-r09a09.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/146862/original/image-20161121-4531-r09a09.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/146862/original/image-20161121-4531-r09a09.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=357&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146862/original/image-20161121-4531-r09a09.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=357&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146862/original/image-20161121-4531-r09a09.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=357&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146862/original/image-20161121-4531-r09a09.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=448&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146862/original/image-20161121-4531-r09a09.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=448&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146862/original/image-20161121-4531-r09a09.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=448&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Kombucha shoe design, Chinoiserie, by Alex Parker-Wilkin, Maritha Appel and Emma Tothill, 2015.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Alice Payne</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We have experimented with waxing the vegan leather to increase water resistance, laminating it to increase overall strength and wearability, and painting it with acrylics to dramatically change its appearance and improve longevity. </p>
<p>As a naturally sustainable material, kombucha leather has many advantages. Unlike the patternmaking process for traditional leather, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/15/fashion/15waste.html">which typically wastes 15% to 20% in the cutting</a> due to garment pattern shapes, kombucha leather can be grown with zero waste, in tubs shaped as garment pattern pieces.</p>
<h2>Can it work on a large scale?</h2>
<p>But can kombucha be commercialized at a scale to be a viable vegan alternative to leather? There are two main barriers to overcome: the sweet but pungent aroma (familiar to any home brewer) and water absorption. </p>
<p>Like animal-based tanned leathers, kombucha leather is not waterproof. Rubbing in natural essential oils or beeswax as a sealant can address both scent and water resistance, although traces of the smell will remain.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/146868/original/image-20161121-4560-583d8j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/146868/original/image-20161121-4560-583d8j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/146868/original/image-20161121-4560-583d8j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146868/original/image-20161121-4560-583d8j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146868/original/image-20161121-4560-583d8j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146868/original/image-20161121-4560-583d8j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146868/original/image-20161121-4560-583d8j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146868/original/image-20161121-4560-583d8j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Kombucha growing.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">QUT media</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>These simple treatments make the material showerproof, but like leather, more work is required to make it truly impervious. Without a sealant, the kombucha could become sticky if worn in the rain. Full water resistance can be achieved if using acrylic or oil based sealers, but then the material is no longer safely biodegradable.</p>
<p>However, commercialization in the mass-market sense is only one avenue to explore.
Like many other potentially disruptive technologies, production of kombucha is decentralised, democratised and personal. It gives people the means to make their own leather products on a small-scale.</p>
<p>Knowledge could be shared and grown across wide networks using available media, as parallel communities of tinkerers and makers connect. Free and open exchange of knowledge is a hallmark of these communities. Our project is only one of many such projects mushrooming globally – from trailblazer <a href="http://www.biofabricate.co/">Suzanne Lee</a> with her bio-couture jackets, to <a href="http://www.kombuchacouture.com/">Sacha Laurin</a> with her runway creations in California, to the <a href="http://scobytec.tumblr.com/">ScobyTec</a> start-up in Germany with prototype biker jackets incorporating wearable technology.</p>
<figure class="align-left zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/146866/original/image-20161121-4535-1oyqxn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/146866/original/image-20161121-4535-1oyqxn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/146866/original/image-20161121-4535-1oyqxn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=806&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146866/original/image-20161121-4535-1oyqxn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=806&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146866/original/image-20161121-4535-1oyqxn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=806&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146866/original/image-20161121-4535-1oyqxn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1013&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146866/original/image-20161121-4535-1oyqxn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1013&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/146866/original/image-20161121-4535-1oyqxn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1013&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">The Earthwalker shoe by Paige Philogene, Thomas Rogers and Max Donker.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Alice Payne</span></span>
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<p>Looking to the future, kombucha cellulose may play a role as a mass-market alternative to leather. From the beginning of our project, sustainability and waste minimisation have been a priority. So treatments using artificial agents have been largely avoided. </p>
<p>The environmental ills of clothing production (waste generation, chemical toxicity, energy intensity) are rightly receiving increasing attention, and the search for sustainable materials is ramping up.</p>
<p>The world’s largest apparel brands are developing innovations in circular production methods, in which materials can be closed loop recycled, formed from pre-or post-consumer waste, or safely biodegraded at end-of-life – see <a href="http://www.ecouterre.com/puma-unveils-incycle-line-of-cradle-to-cradle-certified-apparel-footwear/puma-incycle-cradle-to-cradle-1/">PUMA’s cradle to cradle sneakers</a> or <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/nike-recycled-shoes_us_5733436fe4b0bc9cb048b398">Nike’s utilization of waste</a>.</p>
<p>In addition, developing biotextiles has become fashionable, with novel biodegradable materials developed from waste pineapple leaf fibres (<a href="http://www.ananas-anam.com/pinatex/">Piñatex™</a>) and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/sustainable-fashion-blog/2015/feb/17/grow-compost-wedding-dress-homegrown-fashion">fungi</a>, and <a href="https://tedxinnovations.ted.com/2015/09/14/spotlight-tedx-talk-the-new-fashion-clothes-colored-by-algae/">textile dyes from algae</a> garnering “likes” and shares on social media. </p>
<p>For now, kombucha growing provides local, individual makers with sustainable materials – and allows them to tap into the knowledge of a networked global community. This suggests a parallel fashion future in which makers grow their own garments, sharing the SCOBY locally, but ideas and instructions globally.</p>
<p><a href="http://edgeqld.org.au/kombucha/">Download your instructions from here</a> and try growing your own today.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/68498/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Conventional leather is fraught with ethical and environmental issues. But leather grown from fermented kombucha tea offers consumers a glimpse of a DIY, sustainable future.
Alice Payne, Lecturer in Fashion, Queensland University of Technology, Queensland University of Technology
Dean Brough, Senior Fashion Studio Lecturer, Queensland University of Technology
Peter Musk, Science Catalyst at The Edge, State Library of Queensland
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.