Material #39 - Hot in the city
How building practices must change
Today’s example of the word “material” in use is from an interview in “Constructing a Sustainable Future”, with Irene Skoula.
Based in Greece, Irene is Director of the Energy and Buildings Program with C40 Cities.
She’s asked, “What are the most effective solutions to help cities transition to sustainable construction practices”, and responds:
“There’s no one solution, but there are principles that can be universally applied, like prioritizing existing assets and reusing materials at the end of their life cycle. We need to plan, build and design for the future. You cannot build here in Greece and neglect rising temperatures - we get 45 degrees C in the summer, we need buildings that tolerate this heat.
We must ensure safe construction sites and zero emission machinery. Cities can also lead by example. You cannot ask the private sector to take action if you’re not taking action yourself. You need to use public procurement powers to develop the right market and make space for innovative technologies to develop.”
Elsewhere in the interview she lifts up the role of construction workers - and the fact that no single actor can drive change alone (something that’s a through-thread in all my work on the built environment too).
“The construction sector is complex, global, and fragmented. No single actor can achieve the scale and pace of the transition required. Stakeholder engagement is essential, including unions. We develop policies, while workers deliver change. They need to be at the table to ensure their rights and a living wage. We cannot do this without them.”
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Through 2024, It’s Material is sharing one use of the word “material” each week, on Tuesdays (sometimes Wednesdays!)
Heat in cities is on the rise, and through the “urban heat island” effect cities can feel several degrees Celsius warmer than rural areas. Construction and other outdoor workers are particularly affected. And cities reflect deep disparities in who gets to cool down, and who doesn’t.
Also check out the initiative of Arsht-Rock Center establishing Chief Heat Officers, in cities that include Athens, Dhaka, Santiago and Melbourne.