There is a group within the Australian Institute of Architects that is
initiating a mandate for the building industry to achieve Net Zero Carbon
emissions by 2030.  There is a very
positive attitude that this can be achieved as technology is moving rapidly,
and if at the onset design net zero initiatives are in place, then for the
lifetime of ongoing architect designed buildings, a net zero – and even climate
positive built environment can be achieved.

This can be done in a number of ways.

1.      
Design to passive design principles. If
designers use the understanding of the environment and climate to its advantage
and design buildings that work with the environment then ongoing energy usage
can be reduced. These are simple basic principles that all designers should
understand and be able to implement.

2.      
Increase the efficiency of the building envelope
and reduce air leakage and thermal bridges. This means using more efficient
windows / doors, sealing the building fabric to ensure air movement from inside to outside is
reduced and designing a building fabric with optimum thermal performance.

3.      
Use only electric services. Do not install any gas
appliances or mechanical equipment. Installing gas appliances now means an ongoing future
use of gas for the lifetime of that building.

4.      
Install solar cells or connect to renewable
power. The electricity grid is de-carbonizing rapidly and it is being said that
with the way the power industry is moving, with the rapid development of
technology and with the spread of rooftop solar the grid move towards being
de-carbonized by 2030

These simple ideas can make an impact on the future of the
built environment’s carbon emissions.

Additional to the above and even though accounting and
number crunching is important, it seems that a fundamental change in the way we
approach our built environment is necessary. There needs to be a cultural shift
in the way we live in Australia in order to drastically reduce emissions. This
along with an intent for affordable housing for younger generations, may be a
way forward to a low / zero carbon future. The cultural shift may be in the way
we imagine the built environment, moving away from building as pure commodity
and move towards building as shelter and connection to nature.

Mass produced housing seems to move towards keeping nature
out and plasticizing and sanitizing the way we live. If we can imagine life as
being engaged with nature, it may be a bit messier and more like camping, where
if it is cold, we put on more clothes, and if we are hot, we keep in the shade
and do less. We may need to be physically more active with our environment, and
then we are putting less resources into things like perfect indoor climate
control.       

On the side - there was a podcast recently that discussed
how a shift towards objects being consumed less and valued more, may be a move
towards having less, repairing and maintaining what we already have and therefore “making” becomes the point of engagement – rather than buying as the point of engagement.