Sustainable futures through the use of climate adaptive building technologies

Abstract

There is a serious environmental catastrophe occurring right now that needs to be addressed. It is quite concerning how quickly the climate is changing across the globe. While global leadership on climate change will require an amalgamation of policy solutions, there are concerns that extreme weather shifts will disproportionately affect the developing world. Urban areas in South Africa must adjust to a changing climate and the resulting heat stresses that come with it. It is necessary to modify existing structures to meet these new needs and lessen their negative environmental impacts, highlighting the importance of adaptation rather than mitigation. Architecture plays a pivotal role in addressing environmental concerns. This study will investigate how we can enhance our existing building technology to achieve optimal building thermal efficiency while infusing innovation into our architectural thinking. This research paper forms part of a larger study that explores architectural building technologies that can be implemented as climate change adaptive strategies in multi-storey residential buildings in the city of Tshwane. The study follows a pragmatic approach and uses a desktop research method. The study aims to assess and comprehend the potential for thermal amelioration in both the current and projected climate conditions in Tshwane through the comparison of case studies and will draw conclusions on formulating a sustainable response to future climate changes.