On November 8 2017, six pioneering doers* of the sustainable building community met in Frankfurt, Germany, to officially launch the initiative Building Sense Now.
*Dr. Christine Lemaitre, CEO, German Sustainable Building Council – DGNB, Prashant Kapoor, Chief Industry Specialist, IFC Climate Business Group, World Bank Group, Bruno Sauer, CEO, Green Building Council España (GBCe), Ashok Lall, Design & Technology Chair at Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute for Architecture (KRVIA), Mumbai, Prof. Peter Sharratt, Director Strategic Consulting, WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff and Prof. Dr. Michael Braungart, CEO EPEA Internationale Umweltforschung Hamburg.
The Challenge
We know that building and city derived greenhouse gas emissions are affecting our climate with potentially devastating results; what is less well understood is that there are often simple, practical solutions that can not only reduce emissions but make our buildings and cities more resilient to the changes we see happening more frequently. Some of these solutions involved complex modelling and advanced technology but often they are already around us, reflected in local and regionally specific designs, in construction techniques and materials, and are aligned with cultural understanding and behaviours.
The Opportunity
We believe that designers, whatever their discipline or areas of practice, have a key role in developing to the complex challenges of delivering climate resilient growth solutions for our buildings and cities. All too often good ideas come too late in the decision taking process, or they aren’t implemented effectively, or that there simply isn’t enough awareness or understanding among clients, regulators, policy makers and co-professionals to make that difference to the outcome. We aim to change that through a global initiative Building Sense Now, which is focused on practical direct actions as a way of changing attitudes and supporting practitioners around the world who want to make a difference.
About Building Sense Now
Launched at the end of the year as a self-organizing grass root movement. The aim is not to found yet another organization but to create a broad network of like-minded architects, engineers and designers who are going to work towards climate and cultural – sensible – buildings around the world. We want to share knowledge and experiences, both good and bad. Good design is about climate resilient and culturally responsive design – we want to bring this message to all who have a role in shaping our cities and buildings, from governments,
to manufacturers, from clients to young designers of the future.
We built everywhere the same regardless if it fits climatically or not as it will be “fixed” with energy by cooling the buildings down. Just because it is technically possible to do something it doesn’t have to make sense.
Join now
As a first step the initiators ask you complete the ‘Climate Pulse’ questionnaire. They want to know more about you, your views and what
would be most helpful to you in the pursuit of climate resilient and culturally responsive buildings.
Please complete the questionnaire before 31.07.2018, when it closes.