Hosting one of the first events of the 2023-24 academic year, our partners in UCD welcomed architects, students and representatives from across the construction industry and related disciplines to the ‘How We Build Now, 2050: Design Logics for Post Carbon Constructions’ symposium.
This one-day event brought together people from across the construction ecosystem for an honest and open exchange about the challenges, opportunities, and barriers which the sector will face as the built environment transitions to a post-carbon age by 2050.
With insights from across construction, design, engineering, regulation, manufacturing and digitisation, guests were invited to imagine themselves in 2050, to consider what the construction industry will look like then.
The event explored various themes, including material circularity, zero-carbon construction, modern methods of construction, energy performance and evaluation, risk and innovation, the role of AI, and the skills and tools which the workforce will need, to transition to a post-carbon approach. Most importantly the event asked participants what these changes might mean for architecture education.
What did we learn?
- Collaboration is essential.
With so many professionals operating together within the construction ecosystem, it will be essential that we collaborate at all stages of procurement, commissioning, design, detailing, construction and care of the built environment.
Significant and rapid upskilling will come as a result of collaboration and partnerships, helping Ireland to achieve its carbon emission targets. Sustainability in construction requires interdisciplinary collaboration. Architecture students will need to collaborate with engineers, environmental scientists, energy assessors, ventilation experts with all parties feeding in to project design.
The importance of trans-disciplinary learning, teamwork and innovation was emphasised. Where research and industry come together, when universities and architectural practices support each other, considerable advances can be made.
- Our approach must be evidence-based but also holistic.
The need for an evidence-based approach to evaluate and understand the performance of Ireland’s building stock was highlighted. Data-supported design can lead to optimized efficiencies across the construction ecosystem.
Focusing on the existing built environment, designing, and adapting buildings that minimise the use of fossil fuel-based materials and that maximise passive resilience through daylight, solar gain and natural ventilation is a key step to ensure efficient and robust quality design. Building less, while ensuring that the built environment is considered holistically as part of a systems-based approach to regenerative design, for example by using local, low carbon materials in the design of high quality, beautiful and inclusive spaces for humans and more-than-human well-being.
- Much progress made, some way still to go.
Industry professionals, politicians and those working in policy, shared their input and insight on how architecture education needs to transform. Delegates at the symposium shared that substantial progress is being made, in research and innovation, in construction, in procurement and in design. Industry partners recognised that Ireland is working proactively to achieve its carbon emission goals.
Overall, the ‘How We Build Now: 2050’ symposium was a valuable event that provided insights into various themes. It considered the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for architects and other industry partners and facilitated future solution-oriented collaboration within the construction eco system.
