AmericanInstituteofArchitectsMinnesota
ClimateChange+ Resilient Design Statement
EndorsedOctober7,2004bytheAIAMinnesotaBoardofDirectors as the “Climate Change Position Statement”
ROUGH IDEAS DRAFT March 16, 2016 | Doug Pierce
In October 2003, a U.S. Pentagonreport stated, Thereis substantial evidenceto indicatethatsignificant global warmingwilloccurduringthe21stcentury. 1Scientistsprojectthatclimatechangethreatensdangerousconsequences,includingmoreseveredroughtsandfloods,lossofecosystems,anddamagetoindustriesthatrelyonnaturalresources,suchasagriculture, forestry, and tourism’
In 2009(?) all the worlds' National Academies of Science agreed that "The need for urgent action to address climate change is now indisputable”
2015 was the hottest year on record – NASA / NOAA
.
Geologists are preparing to proclaim a new epoch in the history of the world, the Anthropocene. An epoch in which human activity, creativity and productivity were the number one influencing factors on the earth’s biosphere and life on the planet. As a result human activity, our climate ischanging at an alarming rate, the world’s wildlife has been reduced by over 51% in the past 40 years and we are currently experiencing the 6th period of mass extinction (the 5th being the Cretaceous where dinosaurs and about 50% of life went extinct).
Even with all of the human activity and economic expansion,in the past 30 years, therate of poverty worldwide population has gone virtually unchanged with about 50% of the population moving up from living on $2.00 day to $2.50 day. The vast majority of this change can be attributed to rapid economic growth in China. Most Americans would recognize the poverty line to be at about $10 day or less per person.
Business as usual is not a viable option if humanity and the rest of life on planet earth is to have a meaningful present + future. Dramatic change is a given and we can either creatively + thoughtfully adapt and influence that change or we can simply be impacted by it.
The human activity driving the dramatic changes to the planet are a result of our species native capacity to create. Creativity is native to humans and it is our specie’s most essential survival skill. It is as natural and emergent in homo sapiens as is the capacity of bees to make honey or spiders to make silk.
Since the development and use of Nuclear weapons during World War II and at present, the threat of climate change, it has become clear that we can use our creative capacity with wisdom and foresight or we can squander it through huberous, excess and a blantant disregard for the greater whole of life.
As one of humanities most direct forms of creative expression, Architecture and design have an important role to play in shaping our collective present and future. Both that of humanity and the rest of nature which is now at our mercy.
Good intentions aside, Architecture + Design offers its highest + best value to society, the human economy and our immediate clients when we solve essential + foundational problem; generate accountable + productive socio-physical outcomes; and increase the quality of all life physically + emotionally now and into the future.. Solving for any one of these independently can frequently be accomplished with the application of straight forward creative activity delivered by a wide range of entities. However, solving for two or more importantly all three together requires the thoughtful and accomplished use of creativity. In short it requires design. The conscious application of humanities most essential gift: Creativity. Design is a value added creative activity and it has no value, if it cannot solve integrative, complex problems through thoughtful and well crafted interventions. As human society progresses throught the modern era, it continues to elevate it’s complexity. Design to must elevate it’s capacity to solve complexity. That premise is a foundational element of what makes design valued to society and our immediate clients.
The modern profession of architecture and design can arguabely be considered
PolicyStatement:
Buildingsaremajorcontributorstogreenhousegasemissions;therefore,takingactiontoreducetheimpactofbuildingsonclimatechangeispartofthearchitectureprofessionscommitmenttoprotectingthehealth,safetyand welfare of the public.
Climatechangeresultsprimarilyfromactivitiesthatreleaseheat-trappinggreenhousegasessuchascarbondioxide(CO2)andmethane(CH4)intotheatmosphere.CO2istheprimarygreenhousegas.AtmosphericconcentrationsofCO2andCH4havebeenincreasingforabouttwocenturiesasaresultofhumanactivitiesandarenowhigherthantheyhavebeenforover400,000years.2Since1750,CO2concentrationsintheatmospherehaveincreasedby30percentandCH4concentrationsintheatmospherehaveincreasedby150percent.2ThemainsourcesofCO2includeburningfossilfuelssuchascoal,gas,andoil,anddeforestation.Seventy-fivepercentofMinnesotaselectricityisproducedbycoal-firedpowerplants,3andbuildingsconsume65%
ofthatelectricity.4
Basedoncurrentscientificinformationaboutthecausesandimpactsofclimatechange,theMembers,OfficersandBoardofDirectorsoftheAmericanInstituteofArchitectsMinnesotahereinaffirmthatAIAMinnesotawilladvocatefordesignpracticesandgovernmentpoliciesthatreducegreenhousegasemissions.WearecommittedtothechallenginggoalofreducingclimatechangeimpactsinthestateofMinnesota.
Historically,theAmericanInstituteofArchitects(AIA)hasbeenaleaderinsupportingchangesthatimproveourbuiltenvironment.Forexample,intheearly1930swhenengineersdevelopedinsulationandameanstomanufactureit,theAIAstudiedtheissueandendorsedtheconcept.Thisendorsementcontributedtolaunchingnewindustriesandre-thinkingthewaybuildingenvelopesaredesigned,resultinginimprovedhumancomfort,increasedproductivityandgreaterenergyefficiency.
TodaytheAIAhasanopportunitytosupportimportantchangesinthewaywebuild,influencingourqualityoflifenowandinthefuture.Bydesigningtoreduceclimatechange,wecantakealeadershippositionononeofthemostcriticalissuescurrentlyfacingourstate,ournationandourworld.
Ifwedonotacttoslowglobalwarming,theUnitedNationsIntergovernmentalPanelonClimateChangepredictsthatbytheyear2100theearthsaveragetemperatureisexpectedtoincreasethreetotendegreesFahrenheit.5ClimatechangeinMinnesotaoverthenext100yearsisprojectedtooccurmorethan100timesfasterthanthechangeinclimatesincethelastIceAge.6Inrecentdecades,theMinnesotafallfreezehasbeenmovinglaterby1.5daysperdecadeandspringlakeice-outearlierby2daysperdecade.6
Ifweactnow,wecanprovideforthehealth,safetyandwelfareofthepublicwhilehavingapositiveimpactontheeconomy.Forexample,BritishPetroleumrecentlydevelopedaninternalstrategyforcurbingcarbonemissions,resultinginatenpercentcompany-widereductioninthoseemissionsanda$650millionnetboosttothecompanyoverathree-yearperiod.7Germanyhascreated40,000jobsmanufacturingwindmachines8whilecuttingitsuseofcoalinhalfsince1990.9 Minnesotawindpowercouldproduce10timestheelectricityourstateconsumedin2000whenfullydeveloped.11Homebuyerscouldsave$81millionayearinenergyiftheirhomeswerebuilttobeenergy-efficient.10 Whenpassed,theU.S.ClimateStewardshipActof2003isprojectedtoprovideanetGDPincreaseof$100billiontotheAmericanEconomyby2015.11
TheUnitedStateshasoverfivemillioncommercialstructuresand76millionresidentialstructures.12Thesebuildingsaccountfor65percentofU.S.electricityconsumption,36percentofU.S.primaryenergyuse,and30percentofU.S.greenhousegasemissions.4
Over10billionsquarefeetofnewconstructionandrenovationtakeplaceintheU.S.eachyear.13Themagnitudeofthebuildingsectormeansthatdecisionsaboutthefuturedesignofnewandremodeledstructureswillbeamajordeterminantoftotalgreenhousegasemissions.Thearchitecturalcommunitymustbeactivelyengagedinsupportingreducedemissionsinordertoreduceclimatechange.
AIAMinnesotarepresentstheinterestsofarchitectsbeforelocal,stateandnationalpolicy-makingbodies.AIAMinnesotasactiveinvolvementinthepoliticalprocessenablestheorganizationtoadvocateeffectivelyonlegislative,regulatory,andrelatedissuesofimportancetoAIAmembers.
Therefore,AIAMinnesotawilljoinwithotherMinnesotaorganizationstosupportreductionsingreenhousegasemissionsbyendorsingtheClimateStewardshipAct.AIAMinnesotawilladvocateforgreenhousegas-reducingdesignpracticesandgovernmentpoliciesthat:
Requireandencourageenergyefficient,privateresidentialandcommercialbuildingswhileprovidingforgoodindoorairandenvironmentalquality;
Requireandencouragestate-bondedbuildingstoperform30%betterthantheEnergyCodeandmeettheB3SustainableGuidelines;
Requireandencourageclean,renewablepowersourcessuchaswind,solarandbio-massand/or discouragethecontinueduseand/orconstructionoffossilfuel-burningpowerplants;
EncourageandsupportfullimplementationoftheMinnesotaRenewableEnergyObjectives(REO)andpassageofthefederalRenewableElectricityStandard(RES);
Requireandencouragelow-impactcommunitydesignbyencouragingmunicipalandregionalplanningthatembracestheenergyefficienttransportationofhumans,materialsandproductsandprovidesforcarbonfixingthroughplantedopenspace;
Requireandencouragematerialselectionsthatimproveenergyefficiencyandsupportecologicallysoundforeststewardshippractices;
Requireandencouragetheimmediatereductionofgreenhousegasemissionstolevels60%to80%below1990levelsasrecommendedbytheU.N.IntergovernmentalPanelonClimateChange(IPCC).
AIAMinnesotaCommitteeontheEnvironment
1Schwartz,PeterandDougRandall, AnAbruptClimateChangeScenarioandItsimplicationsforUnitedStatesNationalSecurity, October2003,ExecutiveSummary
2 OurChangingPlanet:TheU.S.ClimateChangeScienceProject, UnitedStatesClimateChangeScienceProgramandtheSubcommitteeonGlobalChangeResearch,ASupplementtoPresidentGeorgeW.BushsFederalBudgetforFiscalYears2004and2005,August2004,page79.
3 EnergyPolicyandConservationReport, MinnesotaDepartmentofCommerce,July2004.
4U.S.GreenBuildingCouncil,
5 ClimateChange2001:SynthesisReport SummaryforPolicymakers, U.N.IntergovernmentalPanelonClimateChange,September2001.
6 ConfrontingClimateChangeintheGreatLakesRegion:ImpactsonOurCommunitiesandEcosystems, UnionofConcernedScientists,April2003.
7Braithwaite,RogerJ., SpecialReport:GlobalWarming, BusinessWeek,August16,2004.
8Noble,Michael, DesigninganEnergyFuture:WeChoosetheClimateOurChildrenwillInherit, AIA-MNConvention,November21,2003.
9Larsen,Janet, CoalTakes HeavyHumanToll, EarthPolicyInstitute,August24,2004.
10 NewAlliancetoSaveEnergyReportLinksHighEnergyBills,Waste,PollutiontoPoorHousingCodes, statesinwhichtheyliveupgradedtheirenergycodesfornewhomeconstructiontothe1993ModelEnergyCode.
11 RedefiningProgress:EffectsofGlobalWarmingontheStateofMinnesota, EnvironmentalEntrepreneurs,May2004
12U.S.DepartmentofEnergy:EnergyInformationAdministration,
132003BuildingsEnergyDatabook,U.S.DepartmentofEnergy:EnergyEfficiencyandRenewableEnergy,August2003.