Environmental issues have never been as ingrained into the national and global consciousness as they are right now, and Scotland is leading the way in instigating and inspiring real change in how we tackle climate change.
Some 5% of all deaths in the UK’s largest towns and cities are linked to toxic air exposure. Now, with air pollution thought to exacerbate the symptoms of COVID-19, there is an even greater need to review infrastructure, improve sustainability and meet our carbon-zero goals. Richard Hyams, Founder of astudio, investigates.
Architects, urban planners and roof designers are no longer dismissive of this ‘new’ building material which was widely introduced to them 12 years ago. Any initial hesitation they may have originally expressed has given way to a profound understanding and professionalism which has radically influenced our urban environment. In other words, they are no longer ‘green’ about the enormous physical, social and money-saving benefits of green roofs.
Verksbyen, a new green neighbourhood in Fredrikstad, Norway, showcases the future of sustainable living. As part of the project, construction company Arca Nova Bolig is building five, five-storey apartment buildings situated in Capjon Park area in Verskbyen. The buildings are being constructed using Metsä Wood’s Kerto LVL (laminated veneer lumber) products – making the construction fast, light and green.
With sustainability high on the corporate agenda, many construction businesses are looking at ways to reduce their carbon footprint by choosing greener building materials, some even made from waste carbon dioxide. But could they be doing more?
Taking the concept of green roofs a considerable leap further, Milan-based architecture firm, Stefano Boeri Architetti, has announced the design of Trudo Vertical Forest of Eindhoven – a new social Urban Forestry project in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. This ‘Vertical Forest’ social housing project continues the Italian practice’s design activities in favour of sustainable architecture worldwide.
Spanish-Swiss Architect, Santiago Calatrava, has received the MIPIM Award for ‘Best Innovative Green Building’ for the design of Rio de Janeiro’s most-visited science museum, the Museum of Tomorrow. Here, FC&A celebrates this accolade with a tribute to Santiago Calatrava’s Neo-futuristic, green design.
