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As we were preparing for winter sown crops, peninsular India in mid-march saw unusually high temperatures. The impending heat waves aside, the northwest region of India experienced almost twice as much warming as the rest of the country, according to a report from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). But in all of this, how do cities and architecture come in?

As the tenth warmest year in the 143 years of our records occurred after 2010, there is much more to talk about and be concerned of rather than just temperatures.

To benchmark this crisis and understand its impact across spheres we have planetary boundaries, allowing humans to prosper without causing harm to ecosystems is the goal. They are climate change, oceans, ozone layer, nitrogen and phosphorus cycle, water, land, biodiversity, aerosols in atmosphere, and chemical pollution. Where out of nine planetary boundaries, we have already crossed six.

Cities themselves are major contributors to this disruption with construction and the energy required to keep buildings operational accounting for roughly 50 per cent of the country's carbon emissions.

According to the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), India has experienced a localised climate disaster nearly every day in the first nine months of 2022. We experienced extreme weather events on 241 out of 273 days until 1 October, resulting in 2,755 deaths, damage to 1.8 million hectares of crops, destruction of 416,667 houses, and the deaths of 69,007 livestock.

Climate Change isn't only affecting humans and our infrastructure; the impact of severe cold episodes has caused many crops to fail. Events such as climate change-induced cyclonic storms have destroyed 95,066 hectares of cropland this year, even when the capacity to accurately forecast cyclones has saved many lives. But there is a definite rising trend in extreme rainfall events and temperatures around the globe, which have been further pronounced by the occurrence of "disasters".

Since there is no "quick fix" to the crisis's numerous issues, it falls on every citizen in both a personal and professional role, to apply our abilities and actions in addressing the significant pressures on the natural environment. From our consumer patterns to our notions of just what sustainability means, we can collectively start with questions and push for answers.
Architectural solutions to a rooted problem
With "climate change" and "circularity" being the buzzwords of the decade, there is more that cities need to take care of to survive. Architecture itself is inextricably tied to material flows and energy where 36 per cent of global energy goes into construction. Cement alone accounts for 8 per cent of global emissions for GHGs.

While vernacular architecture and traditional modes of living have been the go-tos for consumerism solutions, they are undoubtedly the answer to construction. With the proven use of local materials like mud, locally sourced timber, bamboo etc to be more climate-friendly as well as comfortable in these harsh weathers to dwell in - do we really need so much concrete? With Indian Architecture studios pioneering computational models with reuptake of materials, we are moving towards buildings and products which require less carbon to make and operate.

From 3D-printed homes out of recycled waste to mud bunkers lined with trees and greenery, architecture has always innovated solutions for the masses. Solutions in Architecture have pushed from carbon-neutral to carbon-negative buildings! As we as people embrace "rewilding" - so have our designers and soon will our cities.

As global warming causes more moisture to be concentrated in the atmosphere, it can lead to more intense monsoons in the summer and colder seasons in the winter. The frequency of these extreme events has been increasing over the years, which is a result of climate change. These sudden changes in temperature can also increase the risk of climate disasters like the Chamoli disaster.
Localized action, ideas and solutions Have you wondered why you felt calmer surrounded by nature and bare architecture?
Well, that could also be the large-scale solution for urban systems! Taking the shape of expanding and preserving urban green spaces and water bodies, implementing architectural design guidelines to reduce the heat load on and from buildings, using recycled and local materials, and limiting the concretization of surface areas in cities in order to reduce the heat island effect, which occurs when urban areas are significantly warmer than surrounding rural areas due to the concentration of heat-absorbing surfaces and the lack of cooling vegetation. We end up with beautiful architectural solutions - buildings that have existed around us for centuries.

Everyone involved in the planning of structures and cities, including architects, urbanists, policymakers, and everyday citizens, have a major duty to examine the implications of climate change and make plans accordingly in order to reduce the impact of climate change and global warming.

Vulnerable communities continue fighting against the loss of their livelihoods in exchange for "global growth", concretization and deforestation head-on. Globally, the Pacific Islands continue to demand action from world leaders on climate change as they deal with rising sea levels and more severe weather. For them, this is a matter of life and death.

As young people, we aren't only affected by climate change but are also important actors in the fight against it. As youth groups collect more voices from all over the world, it's clear we can do a lot together. There has never been a more crucial time to demand action from our leaders. It's high time to not only change our consumption patterns but to stop sponsoring large polluters. Join your local action groups, advocate for an inclusive future, and do the smallest bit you can towards the world - it's your (our) lives on the line.
The author is an architectural designer, who is currently part of the Women Climate Collective, a community seeking to increase the representation of women's voices and perspectives in the climate conversation. Views expressed are personal.
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architectural solutions to climate change

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How architectural solutions can help in achieving carbon neutrality

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Everyone involved in the planning of structures and cities, including architects, urbanists, policymakers, and everyday citizens, have a major duty to examine the implications of climate change and make plans accordingly

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The first of the two-part series on climate change and cities delved into the migration, erratic urban flooding, and near-absolute neglect of environmental-friendly measures in policy making process of urban planning. The following second part explains the need and plausible solutions on erecting green buildings in urban landscapes.

It's only a joke to think that cities are being built keeping the environment in mind. Energy-efficient green buildings, at present, account for only five percent of the total stock in India. Surprisingly, of all the cities, which have been selected under the smart city development program, only Bhubaneswar- leading the Smart City list -has shown actual commitment to make its housing infrastructure green. The rest of the cities seem to be ambiguous on this aspect. Moreover, there seem to be no binding on inculcating green building aspects in the construction sector which are presumably most resource-intensive ones. So, what kind of smart cities are we contemplating about?

Another important aspect is that of wastage of available resources. A recent report by Knight Frank says that the Mumbai Metropolitan Region has 1.71 lakh unsold apartments which are worth a humungous Rs 1.80 lakh crore. What's intriguing is - what happens to the unsold inventory and resources like water, sand, electricity, other raw materials which are used to create these spaces?

Furthermore, a study conducted by International Water Management Institute deduced that the total water demand in the Business As Usual scenario in India will increase by 22 percent by 2025 and 32 percent by 2050. The per capita water consumption may rise to 200lpcd as against 135 lpcd in urban areas. But as per United Nations statistics, only 0.3 percent of fresh water is available in the world. With cities like Delhi, Bengaluru, and Chennai already ferrying water from as far away as 200 km, they will soon have to look for their own fresh water source. So if environmental-friendly factors are considered right from the initial building stage, we may be able to sustain these resources.
How will green buildings help?
If we go by the definition, green buildings efficiently use basic resources like energy, water, and electricity reducing water wastage and pollution. These buildings are developed considering the building layout for adequate solar orientation and proper ventilation which in turn reduces the heat intake and maximises the glare-free daylight. They are also efficient in treating waste water.

However, while discussing urban spaces or built environments at large, what is not often considered is the butterfly effect it can cause. Any given building or a standalone structure is not an independent unit but is tremendously dependent on the resources around. The urban spaces should be crafted considering the present as well as the future state of resources.

Mitigating the building sector's greenhouse gas emissions requires integrated innovative solutions and sustainable technologies. For instance, Building Integrated Photovoltaics (picture below) can reduce the electricity consumption while using the already available building surfaces.

Solar passive design techniques, which can help cut down the need for artificial ventilation, heating, and cooling systems, can significantly contribute to mitigating the urban heat island effect. In the wake of recent Montreal Protocol Amendments, this simple approach can help us leapfrog in the direction we have committed to. If these measures are incorporated at the unit level (considering individual structures), it would make them more responsive to the surroundings. The city corporationsshould make these climate responsive techniques invariably a part of its bye-laws, to tame the impact of changing climate to a pronounced extent.

Green building components should be monitored and regulated irrespective of any rating systems in cities, especially for new construction. The city corporations should retain the ecologically sensitive zones, like salt pans, mangroves, wetlands, lakes especially in the cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, and Delhi, where development is rampant.

Needless to say, the youth, citizens and policy makers should be positively made aware of the urgent need of environmental issues on the sustainable development and relevant measures. The city and local governments can play a significant role in mainstreaming the mitigation actions into the developmental process.

Cities and built environments are inevitable. However, what needs to be rectified is our approach in creating them. Cities cannot be built overnight. Neither can the world afford to treat them as a mere sporadic response to the rising demands of population and economic growth. If we need our cities to be sustainable, sustainability would require mainstreaming at every level. It requires stringent and systematic inclusive planning. Green approaches for making cities environment-friendly should not be treated as an option anymore.

Here's an explainer video on green buildings and how useful they are:
The author is an Associate Fellow with Sustainable Habitat Division of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Navi Mumbai
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Climate change and cities: Green buildings shouldn't be treated as an option anymore-India News , Firstpost

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The first of the two-part series on climate change and cities delved into the migration, erratic urban flooding, and near-absolute neglect of environmental-friendly measures in policy making process of urban planning. The following second part explains the need and plausible solutions on erecting green buildings in urban landscapes.

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Climate change that has occurred in cities recently has had a serious impact on human life on earth. In this case, everyone including architects, urbanists, policymakers, and citizens is interrelated and fully responsible for the implications of climate change and making the right plans for a sustai…