So, curiosity led me to a degree of anxiety at the size of task which confronts us, while also giving me flickers of hope that we have done, and can do, extraordinary things.

Renewable energy is defined as energy from sources that are naturally replenishing, but flow-limited; renewable resources are virtually inexhaustible in the long term, but limited in the amount of energy that is available per unit of time.. 1.So nuclear energy is not renewable, strictly speaking.

The energy that is produced by nuclear power plants is renewable, but the fuel that is required is not renewable.Uranium is a very common metal, however, that is found all over the world.. Our energy challenge: achieving net zero by 2050.The world is far off track when it comes to meeting the Paris Agreement goals of limiting the global temperature increase to 1.5˚C by 2050.. 2.

Current projections, even those that include vast expansion of renewable energy generation, show that fossil fuels will still make up the majority of world energy use by the middle of this century.This would result in a failure to adequately decarbonise, and put us on course for a high-risk 4˚C outcome, which could lead to substantial areas of the planet becoming uninhabitable.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), in order to meet that limit of 1.5˚C, human-generated CO2 emissions must be cut in half by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.

Decarbonising is essential..As a result, there will be less carbon going into the building and the lifecycle impact of the building will be lower.

I don’t believe this is necessarily achievable just by changing materials.You’ll also need to look at reducing the quantity of materials and their transportation distances, as well as other similar considerations.. IP: What one piece of advice would you give to an architecture student about how to deliver sustainable design?.

HH: Listen to your sustainability team.They have so much knowledge they will be able to share with you.