Environmental Sustainability by Moors
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We all want to be sustainable and we all want to be green.
In reality, what does that mean to most of us?
In the main, the current focus on sustainability is carbon-centric and related to greenhouse gases and consequently pollution.
However, this narrow view is actually unsustainable.
We have 4 billion people joining the global human population by 2100 and 26m in the UK alone. 26m people in the UK who need housing, schools, places of work, places of leisure, hospitals and green spaces. The RAC estimates that there will be 37 million cars on the road by 2020 and grow by 3% a year or a 240% increase by 2100. Where will we put all the buildings and cars?
So how do we meet the needs of the present without compromising future generations? Let’s look at resources.
- Land
The land is a finite quantity. We cannot grow or create more land. The land is also not all ours to use. We have to share it with nature. The biodiversity of the earth supports mankind and we cannot use all the land exclusively. Animals and trees live in harmony with nature. We can only continue to survive if we keep in balance with nature.
Here are two images of two typical towns in the UK. Hemel Hempstead and Rickmansworth presented in slow time frame sequence spanning 60 years. The red shows the growth of urbanization and population growth in this period with greenbelt land being utilized by successive governments to meet the needs of the growing population.
- Plants and the CO2 cycle
Plants absorb Carbon Dioxide or CO2 and humans breathe out C02. Car produce CO2, gas, and oil run electricity power stations also produce C02. Therefore, if we produce more CO2, we need more plants to absorb CO2. Plants need land. We need more planting and more forests, not less. For example, taking land for development- a policy adopted in the Brazilian rainforest- is decreasing the absorption of C02 and is accelerating climate change.
- Climate Change and Pollution
Emission is a term used for a by-product of a chemical reaction to produce energy such as burning oil or coal. CO2 is an emission. Methane is an emission but there are many, much more that are given off by burning fossil fuels.
The solution to saving lives and climate change is simple. Develop cars and buildings that do not produce emissions. Zero emissions equal zero CO2 and zero pollutants. This means climate change is avoided.There are zero-emission electric cars but they still use electricity powered by fossil fuel burning or nuclear power stations. There are no buildings that produce zero emissions, until now. Lumiere has designed and is developing, zero emission buildings which also provide sufficient energy to power electric cars for the residents on site.
At Lumiere(www.lumiereuk.com), we believe sustainability architecture building construction means using all resources wisely- energy, land, water, air- and providing communities for people to work, live, play, learn and hopefully be happy.
In reality, what does that mean to most of us?
In the main, the current focus on sustainability is carbon-centric and related to greenhouse gases and consequently pollution.
However, this narrow view is actually unsustainable.
We have 4 billion people joining the global human population by 2100 and 26m in the UK alone. 26m people in the UK who need housing, schools, places of work, places of leisure, hospitals and green spaces. The RAC estimates that there will be 37 million cars on the road by 2020 and grow by 3% a year or a 240% increase by 2100. Where will we put all the buildings and cars?
So how do we meet the needs of the present without compromising future generations? Let’s look at resources.
- Land
The land is a finite quantity. We cannot grow or create more land. The land is also not all ours to use. We have to share it with nature. The biodiversity of the earth supports mankind and we cannot use all the land exclusively. Animals and trees live in harmony with nature. We can only continue to survive if we keep in balance with nature.
Here are two images of two typical towns in the UK. Hemel Hempstead and Rickmansworth presented in slow time frame sequence spanning 60 years. The red shows the growth of urbanization and population growth in this period with greenbelt land being utilized by successive governments to meet the needs of the growing population.
- Plants and the CO2 cycle
Plants absorb Carbon Dioxide or CO2 and humans breathe out C02. Car produce CO2, gas, and oil run electricity power stations also produce C02. Therefore, if we produce more CO2, we need more plants to absorb CO2. Plants need land. We need more planting and more forests, not less. For example, taking land for development- a policy adopted in the Brazilian rainforest- is decreasing the absorption of C02 and is accelerating climate change.
- Climate Change and Pollution
Emission is a term used for a by-product of a chemical reaction to produce energy such as burning oil or coal. CO2 is an emission. Methane is an emission but there are many, much more that are given off by burning fossil fuels.
The solution to saving lives and climate change is simple. Develop cars and buildings that do not produce emissions. Zero emissions equal zero CO2 and zero pollutants. This means climate change is avoided.There are zero-emission electric cars but they still use electricity powered by fossil fuel burning or nuclear power stations. There are no buildings that produce zero emissions, until now. Lumiere has designed and is developing, zero emission buildings which also provide sufficient energy to power electric cars for the residents on site.
At Lumiere(www.lumiereuk.com), we believe sustainability architecture building construction means using all resources wisely- energy, land, water, air- and providing communities for people to work, live, play, learn and hopefully be happy.
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