The path to implementing sustainable building practices is fraught with difficulties – but in the struggle towards net zero, architects have a crucial role, says Laura Carrara-Cagni
Regulatory bodies are setting ambitious targets to reduce carbon footprints and promote sustainable building practices, but many remain unmet.
The real-estate sector is searching for solutions to achieve these tough goals, sometimes resorting to negotiating targets down, or even, as in the United States, incorporating non-compliance fines in financial plans to pass on to tenants. These approaches diminish the value of the targets and, crucially, fail to address the climate emergency.
Unfortunately, the path to compliance is fraught with difficulties, including inconsistent policies, the complex nature of emissions reduction across the stages of a building’s life cycle, financial constraints, and the slow pace of technological advancements. In many cases, this next-generation technology is essential to reaching industry targets, but is not properly understood or implemented because there is a disconnect between property professionals and community representatives on one side, and the technical consultants – such as physicists and engineers – on the other.
The good news: architects are the connecting element. We are the pivotal players in the design and construction process, uniquely placed to influence the path to net zero by pulling together the best technical consultants while consulting with stakeholders.
Instead of just delivering a brief, our role is to proactively create solutions and shape visions, then implement them. We can understand the systemic obstacles, evaluate case studies, foster dialogue on innovative strategies, and set up collaborative efforts to bridge the gap between regulatory ambitions and practical application. This is an important, meaningful opportunity for our profession – and it’s what we do best!
Architects are the pivotal players in the design and construction process, uniquely placed to influence the path towards net zero
This is why we created Cagni Williams Energy, with a mission to drive meaningful change in the built environment, providing advice and solutions to enable property owners to meet net-zero goals via effective technical solutions. From designing ambient loop heat networks for communities, to crafting comprehensive energy plans for projects, it drives progress on challenging, sometimes complex pilot schemes that otherwise might not succeed.
The intention? To think globally and act locally, decarbonising the world one project at a time.