Climate Change and Global Warming - Essay Example

NEA3032 Environmentally Sustainable Design 1 Portfolio 1 Name Institution Affiliation Introduction Climate change is increasingly becoming a bigger environmental concern with its not only being felt in almost every corner of the earth, but also increasing in magnitude (Liedl, Hausladen and Saldanha, 2012). Therefore, addressing climate change has become an imperative requirement for the sustainability of our future generation. Indeed there is a desperate need for development agencies to adopt more sustainable approaches in designing their buildings and other physical structures. This unit has exposed me to principles of designing environmentally-friendly buildings, offering multiple examples and valuable insights for the construction of tomorrow. Through this portfolio, I adopt a critical approach to reflect on the four topics covered in this unit, NEA3032 Environmentally Sustainable Design 1. Climate Change and Global Warming Everything is affected by the climate crisis. There are several projected effects of climate change and global warming. The first threat is a decline in agricultural productivity (Wheeler and Von Braun, 2013, p.508). This will manifest in decline in fertile lands potential for cultivation, shortening of the length of the growing, and decrease in the potential returns in food staples. The first threat will be compounded by increased water stress causing water shortages in both domestic and agricultural purposes (Wheeler and Von Braun, 2013, p.509). Furthermore, climate change and global warming are projected to cause rapid rise in sea levels baked with accelerated disintegration of ice sheet. This will damage productive ecosystems that support economic industries like tourism and fisheries. Besides that, the risk to human health and threats to ecosystems and biodiversity are inevitable (Pacheco-Torgal and Jalali, 2012, p.514). Changes in temperatures, exposure to natural calamities, and availability of adequate and quality food, water and air due to climate change will impact human health. The planets Earth and Venus are about the same size and have the same amount of carbon. On the earth, most of the carbon being exploited outside the atmosphere was deposited in the earth in the form of coal or oil or natural gas (Liedl, Hausladen and Saldanha, 2012). Overusing the carbon may cause the global warming. Carbon dioxide produced during carbon combustion absorbs heat and thus act like a blanket the earth's surface heating and increasing the surface temperature pose a threat to all of humanity and the living organisms on the planet itself. With the increase in global warming some scientists assumed that there would be areas of severe drought in North America and Asia, which could erode ice sheets and rising sea levels (Wheeler and Von Braun, 2013). The scientists found that 95 percent of the glaciers outside Antarctic are retreating or shrinking, with 95 percent of the glaciers in the world retreating or shrinking because the precipitation patterns and the temperature patterns are changing (Li, Yang and Lam, 2013, p.2). The best way to solve the issue is to limit using coal, oil and natural gas and replace them by renewable energy like wind and solar energy, and enforcing tax for coal. Sustainability and Environmental Sustainability Sustainability and environmental sustainability can be understood through the concept of “sustainable development” - a form of development that meets the needs of the present generation without putting the ability of future generations at risk of failing to meet their own (Attmann, 2010). It seeks to promote economic efficiency, enhanced environmental performance and social responsibility, which we can be realize if architectural/design quality, technical innovation and transferability are stressed in the construction of our buildings. This unit made it clear that buildings are heavy energy consumers. Therefore, the construction industry is a major pillar for securing long-term ecological, economic and social viability of our environment. We can achieve a sustainable future if we factor in principles of designing ecological buildings in design, construction, and maintenance of our buildings (Attmann, 2010). Additionally, building designs and projects need to demonstrate approaches to sustainable development, advancing the scope of practice and coming up with trend-setting innovations that are transferable to a wide range of applications (Liedl, Hausladen and Saldanha, 2012). Moreover, sustainable development calls for project managers/teams to engage all those involve in the production, development, design, construction, modification, or maintenance, as well as manufacturers and suppliers of construction materials and clients (Pacheco-Torgal and Jalali, 2012, p.515). All these stakeholders need to strive to balance ecological, social and economic concerns to promote a viable and valuable property industry for generations to come. This can promote a healthy global community where more emphasis is placed on the interdependence between the environment and economic development. Besides that, any discussion on sustainability and environmental sustainability cannot end without articulating the importance of ethical standards and possibly social inclusion. It is critical that building projects demonstrate strict compliance with established ethical standards regarding sustainable development and foster social inclusion at all phases of the project, stretching from planning and construction to use and maintenance. Building designs must show us how they enhance the collective realm by abiding by ethical standards in all stages of the project; contributing to sustainable environments, and engaging all relevant stakeholders in the project design and implementation, such as financial partners, the end-users, local authorities, and civil society groups, among others (Li, Yang and Lam, 2013). Nonetheless, the ideas and construction approaches that I learned from this unit, including naturally ventilated buildings, utilizing thermal storage, improved façade design of daylight and solar power transmission, development of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) improvement, utilization of rainwater, strict measures of consumption of renewable energy, and minimal waste disposal are key to ensuring sustainability and environmental sustainability (Attmann, 2010; Liedl, Hausladen and Saldanha, 2012). Energy Efficient Design With the current enhanced awareness of the predictable impacts of climate change and the definite deed for sustainable development, efficient energy utilization is increasingly becoming a high priority across the globe (Li, Yang and Lam, 2013. p.2). For this reason, I believe that there is need to innovate and improve energy efficiency designs and implement more energy-efficient measures in all sectors of the economy and social life. The construction industry is perhaps the most responsible for a significant percentage of the overall amount of energy consumed in the world (Attmann, 2010). There are different energy sources used in the building industry include coal, oil, and gas, which are unfortunately not only finite in supply, but also release greenhouse gases that are responsible for climate change and global warming. To continue to enhance the quality of our life while maintaining the earth’s ability to support us and our next generation, it is imperative that we turn not only to renewable sources of power, but also embrace design for ensure sustained and efficient energy use. Energy efficient design encompasses designing for efficiency and selecting the appropriate technologies and sources of energy (Li, Yang and Lam, 2013. p.6). As construction engineers and designers, we have a huge role to play particularly in minimizing energy loss. We need to understand energy, how it is converted into more useful forms, and figure out where it can potentially leak out. All these processes can be achieved through energy efficient design. Through energy efficient design, we can minimize common forms of energy loss, such as mechanical friction and unnecessary heat transmission by adopting more sustainable approaches to design of buildings like naturally ventilated buildings, the use of thermal storage, and solar energy transfer. This is because most of the energy is lost in heating, cooling, and artificial ventilation systems. Team Work There are many teamwork skills and strategies that I used with my groups every single time to improve the work. I ensured easy communication through a contact number, emails or social media. Also, we divided group work among team members and I asked everyone about his skills or if he can work well in his chosen part. In my two-year study experiences I have been a leader for little time and I found that when female get the charge the work done get faster and better. Commitment, collaboration and respect for others are the most valuable teamwork skills. Commitment to attending all group meetings, striving to accomplish our work on time, and working together helped us to succeed. These skills helped me to pass all the units successfully. They enabled me to work with diverse students, including female, share opinion and help others. Without respect I could not do anything just accepting the work. Also, sometimes I find some difficulty to finish my part but by collaborating with my group members helped me do it. Regarding my role as a team member, I was always tried my best to finish my work in time and to check with others for possible improvement. Sometimes I get very nerves if my colleagues fail to finish their work or absent group meetings especially the first meeting. In addition I always care about the final report by ensuring that am the last one proofread it and make appropriate adjustments to look more efficient. I need to improve my communication skills especially in class and meetings. I feel more confident with international students with English as their second language because they can understand me if I misspell words and we can talk slower. But when I work with Australian students or one who speak English alone I always get nerves about every word I will say because they always ask me to repeat, so I just prefer to communicate with them by texting message. Nonetheless, teamwork skills had a significant impact on teamwork. Their absence could have caused everyone want to work individually hence lose a teamwork mark, besides failing to finish on time because the team members will not committed. Also if the members do not communicate with each other the work might neither connect nor make any sense because almost every one worked individually without discussing and sharing opinion with the other. Conclusion The implication of rapid climate change and global warming, it is increasingly becoming clear that an all-encompassing effort at the global level is key to fostering sustainability and environmental sustainability. It is imperative that we focus on a worldwide, global mobilization for renewable energy, conservation, efficiency and a global transition to a low-carbon economy. With building industry being a heavy energy consumer and many people staying in urban areas today, there is need to focus on more sustainable approaches for building construction and incorporating energy efficient design to ensure a more viable future. References Attmann, O., (2010). Green Architecture: Advanced Technologies and Materials, McGraw Hill. Li, D.H., Yang, L. and Lam, J.C., 2013. Zero energy buildings and sustainable development implications–A review. Energy, 54, pp.1-10. Liedl, P., Hausladen, G. and Saldanha, M., 2012. Building to suit the climate: a handbook. Walter de Gruyter. Pacheco-Torgal, F. and Jalali, S., 2012. Earth construction: Lessons from the past for future eco-efficient construction. Construction and building materials, 29, pp.512-519. Wheeler, T. and Von Braun, J., 2013. Climate change impacts on global food security. Science, 341(6145), pp.508-513. Read More

Moreover, sustainable development calls for project managers/teams to engage all those involved in the production, development, design, construction, modification, or maintenance, as well as manufacturers and suppliers of construction materials and clients (Pacheco-Torgal and Jalali, 2012, p.515). All these stakeholders need to strive to balance ecological, social, and economic concerns to promote a viable and valuable property industry for generations to come. This can promote a healthy global community where more emphasis is placed on the interdependence between the environment and economic development.

Besides that, any discussion on sustainability and environmental sustainability cannot end without articulating the importance of ethical standards and possibly social inclusion. Building projects must demonstrate strict compliance with established ethical standards regarding sustainable development and foster social inclusion at all phases of the project, stretching from planning and construction to use and maintenance. Building designs must show us how they enhance the collective realm by abiding by ethical standards in all stages of the project; contributing to sustainable environments, and engaging all relevant stakeholders in the project design and implementation, such as financial partners, the end-users, local authorities, and civil society groups, among others (Li, Yang, and Lam, 2013).

Nonetheless, the ideas and construction approaches that I learned from this unit, including naturally ventilated buildings, utilizing thermal storage, improved façade design of daylight and solar power transmission, development of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) improvement, utilization of rainwater, strict measures of consumption of renewable energy, and minimal waste disposal are key to ensuring sustainability and environmental sustainability (Attmann, 2010; Liedl, Hausladen, and Saldanha, 2012).

Energy Efficient Design

With the current enhanced awareness of the predictable impacts of climate change and the definite deed for sustainable development, efficient energy utilization is increasingly becoming a high priority across the globe (Li, Yang, and Lam, 2013. p.2). For this reason, I believe that there is a need to innovate and improve energy efficiency designs and implement more energy-efficient measures in all sectors of the economy and social life. The construction industry is perhaps the most responsible for a significant percentage of the overall amount of energy consumed in the world (Attmann, 2010).  There are different energy sources used in the building industry include coal, oil, and gas, which are unfortunately not only finite in supply, but also release greenhouse gases that are responsible for climate change and global warming.

To continue to enhance the quality of our life while maintaining the earth’s ability to support us and our next generation, we must turn not only to renewable sources of power but also embrace design to ensure sustained and efficient energy use.  Energy-efficient design encompasses designing for efficiency and selecting the appropriate technologies and sources of energy (Li, Yang, and Lam, 2013. p.6). As construction engineers and designers, we have a huge role to play particularly in minimizing energy loss. We need to understand energy, how it is converted into more useful forms, and figure out where it can potentially leak out. All these processes can be achieved through energy-efficient design. Through energy-efficient design, we can minimize common forms of energy loss, such as mechanical friction and unnecessary heat transmission by adopting more sustainable approaches to the design of buildings like naturally ventilated buildings, the use of thermal storage, and solar energy transfer. This is because most of the energy is lost in heating, cooling, and artificial ventilation systems.

There are many teamwork skills and strategies that I used with my groups every single time to improve the work. I ensured easy communication through a contact number, emails, or social media. Also, we divided group work among team members and I asked everyone about his skills or if he can work well in his chosen part. 

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