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Climate Resilience: To Make Cities Great Places to Live
Heat islands, heavy rain, storms: the results of climate change have arrived in cities, necessitating sustainable building planning and resilient infrastructure.
© Wienerberger
From power outages and a reduced quality of life to negative effects on health: city dwellers in particular are increasingly having to face the challenges arising from the impacts of climate change. Against this backdrop, the question of how urban areas can be made more climate resilient, i.e., better able to withstand climate change, is becoming increasingly urgent.
Urban Areas Struggle to Cope with Climate Change
Cities account for around three quarters of global energy and resource consumption. They are the places where buildings are erected and heated, and they produce traffic and waste. As a result, urban areas are major contributors to climate change. At the same time, though, they are particularly hard hit by its effects. Climate change poses increasing risks for human health, communal infrastructure and green urban spaces. Fortunately, sustainable urban planning and climate-resilient infrastructure can help mitigate the effects of climate change.
What is Climate Resilience?
Climate resilience is the ability of a system, for example a city, to withstand the impacts of climate change. Cities have to cope with extreme weather events, adapt to changed climate conditions and in the long term transform themselves. Climate resilience is an ongoing process: as soon as new challenges arise, it is essential to adapt to them as quickly as possible and to respond to them even more effectively in the future (see also: Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research)
In the area of buildings and infrastructure, climate resilience is a key factor for sustainable development and achieving the European climate goals. Fields of action range from sustainable urban planning and development to the climate-sensitive design of buildings and public spaces, and climate-resilient urban infrastructure. In February 2021, the European Commission presented its new strategy for adjusting to climate change. One of the strategic aims is to improve the knowledge base and the availability of climate-relevant data.
Example: Digital Solutions for Managing Climate Emergencies
© Pipelife
Wienerberger offers web and cloud-based solutions for water and energy management. Take for example, Pipelife’s smart pumping stations for the public and private sectors. They let building owners remotely monitor and control pumping stations in real time 24/7. Integrated sensors monitor water level, water flow and pump capacity and there is an automatic warning system to protect buildings from water damage and the expense it causes.
Combating Overheating and Utilizing Precipitation
Overheating occurs in densely built-up urban locations with heavily sealed surfaces. As built-up areas are often constructed of impervious materials that also absorb heat, almost all rainfall ends up in public sewage systems and natural cooling mechanisms are lacking due to a loss of evaporation and infiltration. Counter strategies involve restoring unsealed soil, putting down reflecting surfaces, and greening roofs and facades.
If surfaces are completely sealed, torrential rain can overload sewer systems, resulting in flash floods. Furthermore, the groundwater level drops with consequences ranging from subsidence to local water scarcity. In addition to unsealing soil and green spaces, for example by paving surfaces instead of asphalting them, rainwater management systems are also becoming increasingly important. Underground retention, storage and infiltration systems can help prevent localized flooding and reduce the burden on the sewer system.
Example: Unsealed Paved Surfaces and Rainwater Management
Urban sprawl and increasing infrastructure construction mean that more and more natural land is being sealed with impermeable surfaces. This poses problems for cities which have to deal with overheating and intense precipitation. With its Semmelrock product brand and the subsidiary Pipelife, Wienerberger offers solutions for permeable concrete paving and efficient rainwater management. These equip cities to adapt to the consequences of a changing climate. Read more here: Sealed Surfaces: Building Climate Resilient Cities.
Infrastructure: Protecting Critical Infrastructure
Climate change has far-reaching consequences. One of the worst scenarios involves the collapse of basic services, including the power supply, the water supply, and wastewater disposal systems. To prevent this, deficiencies must be recognized and remedied in good time. In addition, climate-resilient infrastructure is needed that can withstand even extreme weather.
Example: Weatherproof Energy Transportation and Distribution
© Pipelife Norway
To protect sensitive transportation infrastructure from the elements, it is essential that cables are fully protected. The Wienerberger subsidiary Pipelife offers solutions for the fast and secure laying of underground pipe systems. Examples include trenchless pipe-laying and the easy replacement of power cables at the end of their service life by pulling them through the cable conduit, eliminating the need for excavation work. Another solution for the offshore sector, for example, offshore wind parks, are high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes with lengths of up to several hundred meters for protecting cables.
Buildings: Climate Fit Solutions for New Build and Renovation Projects
Climate change has big impacts on homes and office buildings. Solutions are therefore needed that facilitate temperature regulation even under conditions of extreme heat or cold. In many areas of Europe, overheating of buildings in summer constitutes a growing risk for human health and well-being. In addition, buildings increasingly also have to cope with storms and severe rainfall. All these requirements must be taken into account when constructing new buildings or renovating existing ones.
Example: Climate Resilient Brick Solutions for Wall and Roof
Brick wall and roof solutions from Wienerberger offer protection against extreme weather conditions – from heat stress and storms to flooding. The natural construction material has a high heat-storage capacity and helps keep temperature and humidity within an acceptable range. Read more in these articles: The Answer to Climate Change: Brick as a Building Material and Climate Change: Getting Roofs Fit for Heat and Storms.
Conclusion: Whether it be heatwaves or floods – periods of stress and environmental disasters could become a routine occurrence in Europe in future. The faster urban areas become climate resilient, the better their residents will be protected from harm to their health and material damage.
© Robert Staudinger
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© Uwe Strasser