Global warming is likely to be one of the greatest destabilising forces politically and socially in the next few decades. There is a widespread awareness of this crisis. The Kyoto summit was held a few years ago to work out what could be done to reverse the process. Recycling is being promoted widely, and politicians are keen to show their green credentials.
The media focuses on pollution caused by air travel and cars, and talks about our carbon footprints. In fact, buildings are one of the biggest pollutants in the world. Buildings account for 50% of all energy use and 50% of all carbon dioxide emissions in Britain. They also consume fossil fuels. The construction process is another major pollutant. It consumes 50% of all the raw materials used and generates 70 million tons of waste annually in Britain alone.
So in a sense buildings are phenomenally bad for the environment, but the media hardly ever acknowledges that. This means that environmentally-friendly buildings are vital. Today some designers recognise that conventional design plays a major part in global warming. Instead, they try to create sustainable architecture that benefits the environment.
