Directly following the inauguration of our new 45th president, whitehouse.gov received an overhaul. The most notable change was the complete deletion of the climate change page, which previously housed local, national, and international plans for combating climate change, as well as actions and goals of the previous administration. In this symbolic erasure, the new administration rejects climate change as a critical priority, denies the overwhelming evidence of human contribution to recent warming trends, and turns a blind eye to the critical research, policy, and international collaboration required in safeguarding our environment from significant long-term destruction.
As designers, what does this mean for us? We have yet to feel substantial governmental oversight on the built environment’s contribution to climate change, but a national administrative rejection of this impending reality signals extreme consequences that can only be met by incremental, targeted, and deliberate action. Any forward-thinking regulation on building energy consumption and greenhouse emissions seems an impossibility, even an absurdity, within the context of this administration’s first digital move.
As such, under this administration, we must call our peers to embrace the republican ideal of local control over government regulation—not in a political sense, but a practical one. If we are led on a national level by climate denial, we must act on the hyper-local within our own firms and our own projects to radically challenge this rejection of reality. The built environment accounts for an estimated one-third of total greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere, and 40 percent of global energy use [1]. We have in our hands an incredible responsibility as professionals to not only acknowledge this immense contribution but to do our very best to mitigate and reduce this impact through our everyday actions.
What is your firm doing? What are you, as a designer, a project architect, a principal, doing to shape your work’s impact on our carbon emissions, our climate? It is incredibly clear that regulation on the built environment and climate change contributors will not be an active force over the coming years, but now, more than ever, our professional actions will shape the future health and sustainability of this nation and world. You, as an individual, are responsible. The lines you draw, the materials you specify, the walls you dream up must carry a new weight—one that assumes the responsibility of a long-term vision for the wellbeing of this planet. Climate change is real, and each and every way you influence the built environment will, in turn, shape our collective future in a carbon-laden landscape.
Outside, governmental powers may reject the hard facts of climate change, but as a designer, it is your daily responsibility to build as a form of activism. Embody your dissent through works of architecture that go beyond the insufficient codes and meager energy requirements to inspire both through space and environmental innovation. Surround this country’s people with stunning projects that make them see the evidence of a greater humanitarian awareness and an environmental promise—a rejection of the obtuse political landscape and an embrace of the current alarming climate reality of this world.
[1] Huovila, Pekka. 2009. Buildings and climate change: summary for decision-makers. Paris, France: United Nations Environment Programme, Sustainable Consumption and Production Branch. http://www.unep.org/SBCI/pdfs/SBCI-BCCSummary.pdf.
Dual Masters of Architecture / Masters of Environmental Management candidate 2017, Yale School of Architecture & Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. Academic and professional passion for community centered design, housing, and interdisciplinary solutions to complex land use ...
9 Comments
in its place, whitehouse.gov now hosts the spiffy new 'An America First Energy Plan' page:
For too long, we’ve been held back by burdensome regulations on our energy industry. President Trump is committed to eliminating harmful and unnecessary policies such as the Climate Action Plan and the Waters of the U.S. rule. Lifting these restrictions will greatly help American workers, increasing wages by more than $30 billion over the next 7 years.
translation: make a few rich people even richer.
The Trump Administration is also committed to clean coal technology, and to reviving America’s coal industry, which has been hurting for too long.
translation: some people actually believe this marketing BS, so we might as well mention that here, too.
Lastly, our need for energy must go hand-in-hand with responsible stewardship of the environment. Protecting clean air and clean water, conserving our natural habitats, and preserving our natural reserves and resources will remain a high priority. President Trump will refocus the EPA on its essential mission of protecting our air and water.
translation:
A sad day for people a sadder day for earth.
Where did we get with those solar, wind tech? Hopefully that technology has progressed. Still, we need some bigger solutions, or else it may be too late anyway....
We need bigger solutions? It is already too late -- a certain amount of climate change is baked in for the mid to late 21st century that will cost billions, if not trillions, in economic dislocation and other disruptions. We need to start using the technologies at hand to move the needles, learn how to balance intermittent power sources, modernize the grid, and bring costs down through deployment. The reason we don't do this is because of "cost", vested interests, and more often than not, POLITICS.
This is the prelude to real change. This is what it takes to bring us together.
Where is Greg Wharton now?
Burn MF Burn...that's what it means.
Welcome to the new world of Alternate Facts.
The thing we need to do is just carry on. We don't need the federal government to tell us that an energy efficient building envelope is a good and worth wile thing to pursue. There will be a slow down but fossil fuels are diminishing in their share of the electric grid and are likely to start shrinking in their share of the transportation energy. A lot of this is from greater efficiency and energy conservation from consumers. Consumers are not likely to be willingly go back to spending more on energy if they can avoid it.
This is not good but not the end.
Over and OUT
Peter N
to your point on local and why none of these things the media reports as immediate ever are.... (all from memory, on a bus) in 2008 NYC adapated the ICC for the city, until then it had its very own 1968 code iin effect. At that time, 2008, many measures, mainly formalities in paperwork, were adapted to address energy. these evolved. in 2014 code was revised and as of recently the key form for energy inspections TR-8 was updated. (removing Exit signs - never understood that ones relevancy to energy, etc....) Based on my profressional experience the entire industry in about 8-9 years here has become much more aware of energy issues and basic energy saving methods on construction. as is standard, the notes details have been probably copied and propogated so much that whether the drafter realizes it or not they are asking for more environmetntally energy effient design. so, even if on the federal level a complete erasure would cause local codes to dissipate, it would take about 8-9 years to undo much of what has been - better habits.
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