My professional and personal experiences in three different countries at various points in time have allowed me to witness firsthand the profound impact of climate change on the built environment. While these changes have enormous implications for many aspects of life, we will focus specifically on their impact on our field of architecture.

The urgent need to adapt our architectural practices and designs to the evolving climate has become increasingly apparent. In this article, we will explore the various strategies and innovations that architects are employing to create resilient, sustainable buildings capable of withstanding the challenges posed by a changing climate.

Resilient Design: Preparing for the Future

Resilient design is a crucial aspect of architecture, incorporating both adaptation and mitigation strategies to manage the impacts of climate change. This approach focuses on protecting buildings and their occupants from the adverse effects of extreme weather events, such as floods, snowstorms, heatwaves, hurricanes, and many others, depending on the when and where.

By implementing site- and building-level protection measures, such as raising flood-prone structures or using bioclimatic design to optimize natural resources, architects can create buildings that are better equipped to withstand the challenges of a changing climate.

Some architectural practices are more proactive than others in applying concepts that promote resilient design. For instance, certain initiatives focus on preserving historical significance while adapting buildings for a sustainable future. By incorporating climate projections into building standards and designing for adaptability, deconstruction, and reuse, architects can ensure that buildings endure in challenging times and contribute to overall community resilience.

Adaptive Reuse and Flexible Design

Adaptive reuse projects, which involve transforming existing buildings for new purposes, play a significant role in the evolution of architecture in response to climate change. By repurposing existing structures, we can reduce the environmental impact associated with new construction while preserving the embodied energy of the original building. As we have said in previous blogs, the reuse of existing structures allows us to maintain our cultural heritage while adapting to new climatic conditions among many other advantages.

Flexible design is another key strategy for creating resilient architecture. By designing buildings that can accommodate change and withstand wear and tear, we can ensure that structures remain functional and relevant for longer periods. This approach not only reduces the need for frequent renovations or replacements but also allows buildings to adapt to the evolving needs of their occupants or to accommodate different types of occupants over time.

Bioclimatic Design and Microclimatic Approaches

Bioclimatic design is an essential aspect of climate-responsive architecture, focusing on enhancing comfort and energy efficiency by integrating local climate data into the design process. By considering factors such as solar orientation, prevailing winds, and precipitation patterns, architects can create buildings that work in harmony with their environment, minimizing the need for mechanical cooling and heating systems, by reducing the heat-island effect in urban areas.

Microclimatic approaches demonstrate the importance of addressing climate-related challenges at a local scale. By incorporating green spaces, water features, and shading elements, architects can mitigate the effects of urban heat islands and create more comfortable, resilient environments for building occupants and the surrounding community.

Technology and Materials for Resilient and Sustainable Buildings

Generally speaking, our architectural and construction practices remain quite conservative. However, we recognize the need to explore changes—from small actions to significant transformations—in the hope that we will eventually democratize practices, materials, and mindsets more aligned with resiliency and sustainability.

As a few examples of innovative materials and practices being implemented in some parts of the world, the following are noteworthy:

Self-Heating Concrete

One promising development in the field of sustainable materials is self-heating concrete. This innovative material incorporates conductive fibers and a low-voltage current to generate heat, reducing the need for traditional heating systems and improving energy efficiency. By minimizing the environmental impact of heating, self-heating concrete contributes to the creation of more resilient and sustainable buildings.

Smart Glass

Smart glass, also known as electrochromic glass, is another technology that is transforming the way buildings could manage energy, sunlight and internal living conditions. This advanced glazing system can adjust its tint in response to external conditions, such as sunlight and temperature, helping to regulate indoor comfort and reduce energy consumption. By incorporating smart glass into building envelopes, we can create structures that are more adaptable to changing climatic conditions, enhancing notable improvements to our buildings.

Land Use Changes and Interactions

As climate change alters ecosystems, architects must consider how buildings interact with their surroundings. Shifting land use patterns are influencing architectural design and urban planning, with a focus on biodiversity preservation, water management, and sustainable land use practices. By incorporating green roofs, bioswales, and other nature-based solutions, we can contribute to the green revolution in urban architecture, creating not only more resilient and sustainable cities, but also more allowing for diversity in fauna and flora.

Evolving Regulations and Policies

Regulations and policies are evolving to address climate change in architecture. Many cities are implementing mandates or incentives for green roofs, which help to reduce urban heat island effects, improving the building shell performance and managing stormwater runoff, just to mention a few. These regulations are driving innovation in the field, encouraging architects to develop new strategies for creating resilient and sustainable buildings.

In Canada, for example, the City of Toronto has implemented a Green Roof Bylaw, which requires certain new developments to include green roofs. This policy has led to the creation of numerous green roofs across the city, contributing to improved air quality, reduced energy consumption, and enhanced biodiversity.

In a more specific context, here in Quebec, while global measures have been initiated by the government, the Ordre des architectes du Québec has taken a more targeted approach. They have launched a mandatory course that all architects must complete, focusing on sensitizing and empowering us to take concrete steps towards a more resilient and sustainable professional practice, aiming to be part of a socioecological change. This is a significant and intelligent action as it directly engages the primary actors in the design dimension of the built environment: architects.

The course, titled “Milieux de vie durables et résilients” (Sustainable and Resilient Living Environments), is divided into three parts and must be completed within two years of an architect’s registration with the Ordre. This initiative demonstrates the professional order’s commitment to ensuring that architects are well-equipped to address the challenges of climate change and sustainability in their practice. In the same realm, Architecture sans Frontières Québec (ASFQ) has developed guides that consider key measures for short-term, medium-term, and long-term implementation. These guides aim to:

• Improve personal safety and minimize impacts on belongings and equipment in the short term.
• Increase resilience and reduce vulnerability of building systems and components in the medium term.
• Adjust foundations and structural elements to withstand floods and minimize impacts on living spaces in the long term.

ASFQ’s approach aligns with its mission to strengthen living conditions, habitat, and dignity of vulnerable communities. By providing these comprehensive guides, ASFQ contributes to its goal of promoting humanitarian architecture and addressing challenges such as climate change and sustainability.

The Role of Architects in Climate Action

Architects play a crucial role in climate action through sustainable and resilient design. In the spectrum of climate change and its impacts, architects’ responsibilities are directly linked to creating adaptable and durable structures. By embracing strategies such as green roofs, high-performance building envelopes, and many others, architects can help make a positive impact without significant additional cost.

As the built environment continues to evolve in response to climate change, the importance of incorporating adaptive, anticipatory, and absorptive capacities in architectural design cannot be overstated.

By integrating these principles, architects can contribute significantly to creating more resilient and sustainable communities in the face of climate change. I have emphasized how all individuals are part of the change for a better world. Building on this idea, I assert that we need to become the leaders required to better direct efforts towards positive change, which brings me to focus on us, professionals in this field.

It is essential for architects to remain at the forefront of climate action, developing solutions that prioritize resilience, sustainability, and the well-being of both building occupants and the wider community.

By embracing the challenges posed by climate change and working collaboratively with policymakers, engineers, builders, and other stakeholders, we can help create a more sustainable and resilient future for all. This approach may even mark the beginning of minimizing risks and impacts on other aspects of life that are also significantly affected by environmental alterations.

The impact of climate change on the world, and particularly on architectural practices and design, is undeniable. It is our responsibility to adapt and evolve our approaches to meet these challenges head-on.

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