Urbanisation and Environmental Challenges

Construction industry is here to establish its unprecedented growth in the years to come. Demographic projections, urbanisation factors, migration patterns, depleting natural resources, advanced technologies, construction mechanization, advent of new generation materials and proactive government policies, all point towards this rapid growth. It is estimated that 70 percent of the world’s population will be in urban areas by 2050.

This gradual migration from rural to urban areas will pose a new set of infrastructural and environmental challenges in the developing nations.

Gradual migration from rural areas to urban areas that is happening now is mainly in search of quality life style, education and better remuneration. Consequently, this migration process has reduced land spaces and increased demand for affordable residential and commercial properties. One of the solutions to counter this space constraint is to grow in vertical direction. It is evident from the construction scenario world over, especially in the developing nations that tall structures are going to be an inevitable part of our social development and built environment. By themselves, these tall structures cannot absolve themselves and remain away from the ambit of sustainability.

When sustainability is one of the important and driving parameters in the manifestation of a building, additional information about plethora of new generation construction materials that constitute a building in respect of their contribution to the built environment becomes imperative. Embodied energy that goes into the manufacture of these construction materials plays a vital role while assessing the life cycle of a building and it relates directly to the sustainability of the built environment. All these parameters have to be considered by all the stakeholders at the concept stage and also to be incorporated during the construction stage. Post construction stage costs including operative and maintenance; have also to be integrated in understanding the total impact in terms of durability.

This thought process entailed the establishment of the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) by the United Nations in 1983 with its primary objective to resolve the conflicts arising out of the aspirations of the developed and developing worlds. In 1989, the Brundtland Report was published which addressed the concept of "Sustainable Development". As part of the UN's WCED, it called for "Sustainable development; which meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." This further called architects and civil engineers to create a sustainable architecture, defined as "environmentally conscious and energy-saving, whilst being able to utilize responsive and renewable materials and systems"- (Newman, 2001).

Engineers and Architects as primary designers and builders of a country are responsible for designing an environment that is conducive and sustainable. It is high time to respond to the ongoing environmental changes with deep concern and appropriate action.  Rising carbon and mercury levels, rapid melting of glaciers, warming of the oceans, thinning of sea ice, increase in forest fires, time-shift in seasons, changes in birth cycles of birds and animals and their migratory behaviour, bleaching of corals, and other abnormalities are indicators of an unpardonable man-made near-future disaster.

As energy demand escalates, it is innovation alone that can impel development of clean energy technology and usher in a new era of sustainability. Innovate to rejuvenate mother earth may well be the mantra for sustaining life in the near future.

As a mark of respect to the Mother Nature on the recently concluded World Environment Day, Built Expressions with its deep concern for the built environment and its impact on nature, dedicates this issue for Architects and Engineers who are actually the builders of the nation.

Happy reading Built Expressions!