ABSTRACT
Buildings consume half of the world’s resources and most of these are non-renewable, such as metals and minerals. Our consumption of global resources is set to rise fourfold by 2050, as the population of the world continues to grow. Every building material has embodied energy: the energy expended in its extraction, production, transportation, installation and dismantling. Sustainable architecture must be low-energy-use architecture. There are simple rules of thumb for the designer, which show how to use sun, wind, daylight and building form to reduce energy use. By using the energy of a river to drive a turbine, microhydropower can provide electricity for a house or a small group of buildings. Districts–and entire cities–may be powered by renewable energy sources. Building materials are responsible for cumulative CO2 emissions: fossil fuel-derived energy is used at each stage of their life. Durability comes from a combination of durable materials, durable design and durable construction.
