How Abandoned Buildings Can Make Communities More Climate-Resilient – atmos.earth

Sustainable Building Practices and the Role of Adaptive Reuse in Achieving SDGs

Environmental Impact of New Construction

Building a new home can emit anywhere from 15 to 100 tons of carbon dioxide, depending on its size, materials, and sourcing methods. For inefficient or larger buildings, emissions are significantly higher. This poses challenges to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13: Climate Action, which emphasizes reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Adaptive Reuse and Embodied Carbon Reduction

The Liminal Archive’s renovation and adaptive reuse projects demonstrate a sustainable approach by retaining and retrofitting existing building materials. These projects typically produce between 50% and 75% less embodied carbon, especially when existing foundations and structural elements are preserved. This strategy aligns with SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production by minimizing material waste and reducing the environmental toll associated with manufacturing and transporting new materials.

• Preservation of steel and concrete structures reduces additional emissions.
• Focus on reframing existing resources rather than adding new materials.

Addressing Resource Scarcity and Climate Resilience

Adaptive reuse becomes critical in contexts where resources are scarce, responding to social and environmental precarity. As climate change intensifies, raw materials become harder to source, and displacement increases, sustainable architectural practices become essential. This approach supports SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities by promoting resilient infrastructure and inclusive urbanization.

• Forced reuse as a response to economic, political, and environmental crises.
• Emphasis on necessity-driven changes to existing spaces.

Case Study: Limbo Museum and Contextual Architectural Solutions

In November, Limbo Accra inaugurated the Limbo Museum, an exhibition space dedicated to art and architecture, accompanied by a summit addressing the misalignment of Western architectural ideals with African environmental and cultural realities. This initiative highlights the importance of SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities by advocating for context-specific design solutions.

1. Encouraging impermanence in design to adapt to climate challenges such as drought, flooding, coastal erosion, and sea level rise.
2. Utilizing locally sourced materials to reduce environmental impact and support local economies.
3. Implementing construction methods that allow for adaptation, including porous facades for airflow, easily dismantled structures, and modular layouts to accommodate diverse household needs.

Conclusion

The integration of adaptive reuse and context-sensitive architectural practices contributes significantly to multiple Sustainable Development Goals. By reducing embodied carbon, promoting resource efficiency, and fostering resilient communities, these strategies offer viable pathways toward sustainable development in the face of climate change and resource limitations.

1. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed or Connected

1. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • The article discusses retrofitting and adaptive reuse of buildings to reduce carbon emissions and material waste, promoting sustainable urban development.
2. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
   • Emphasis on reusing existing materials and minimizing waste aligns with sustainable consumption and production patterns.
3. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • Reducing embodied carbon in buildings and adapting architecture to climate impacts such as drought, flooding, and sea level rise addresses climate mitigation and adaptation.
4. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
   • Innovative architectural approaches and adaptive reuse represent sustainable infrastructure development.
5. SDG 15: Life on Land
   • By reducing demand for raw materials through reuse, the article indirectly supports sustainable management of terrestrial ecosystems.

2. Specific Targets Under Those SDGs

1. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • Target 11.3: By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management.
   • Target 11.b: By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
2. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
   • Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.
   • Target 12.8: By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature.
3. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
   • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.
4. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
   • Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes.
5. SDG 15: Life on Land
   • Target 15.2: By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally.

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied in the Article

1. Embodied Carbon Emissions (SDG 13, SDG 9)
   • Measurement of carbon dioxide emissions from building construction, specifically the reduction of embodied carbon by 50% to 75% through reuse and retrofitting.
2. Waste Reduction (SDG 12)
   • Indicators related to material waste minimization by preserving existing foundations and structural elements.
3. Use of Locally Sourced Materials (SDG 11, SDG 12)
   • Tracking the proportion of building materials sourced locally to reduce environmental impact and support local economies.
4. Adaptation Measures (SDG 13)
   • Indicators measuring the implementation of architectural designs that adapt to climate impacts such as drought, flooding, coastal erosion, and sea level rise.
5. Modularity and Flexibility of Building Designs (SDG 11)
   • Indicators assessing the extent to which buildings incorporate modular layouts and adaptable structures to meet diverse household needs.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: atmos.earth