archi-tech

[archi-tech]

Handling the Heat Part 2: How Masterplanners are Designing for a Hotter Climate

In "Handling the Heat Part 2: How Masterplanners are Designing for a Hotter Climate," published on September 8, 2023, by Anna Highfield, the article delves into the strategies employed by masterplanners to combat the increasing challenges posed by overheating in urban areas, particularly in the UK.

Summary: The article discusses how architects and masterplanners are adapting their designs to address the growing problem of overheating in the UK due to climate change. It emphasizes the importance of masterplanning at a city-wide scale to create sustainable, cooler environments.

Data-Driven Approaches: Ed Baker, a masterplanner from Broadway Malyan, highlights the need for robust data modeling to mitigate extreme temperatures. Singapore's "digital twin" model serves as a valuable example for analyzing urban risks and optimizing infrastructure.

Urban Greening: Urban greening and planned shading are considered effective strategies for cooling cities. Adding vegetation can increase evaporation, reducing temperatures by up to 4.43°C. Examples include Stockholm's "smart streets" and projects in Leeds, Barking, and Croydon that prioritize green spaces and pedestrian-friendly designs.

Cool Roofs: Arup's proposal for "cool" roofs, painted with reflective white paint or fitted with solar panels, is suggested for high-risk areas in London to reduce heat absorption. Green roofs with deep soil, while challenging for retrofits, offer significant cooling benefits by absorbing heat energy.

Architectural Solutions: Anthony Brower of Gensler suggests controlling building geometry, using "umbrella" buildings for shade, and reprogramming facades to reduce overheating risks.

International Examples: The article highlights international initiatives such as Brussels' focus on green streets and Sweden's heat maps, demonstrating how other countries are tackling urban heat islands.

Community Engagement: Brower emphasizes the importance of architects and masterplanners engaging with local communities and policymakers to influence planning codes and regulations as a means to address overheating issues.

The third part of the series will explore UK building regulations and planning codes related to overheating and potential adaptations.

[archi-tech]

Environmental Costs of AI

As AI continues to advance, concerns are mounting about its ecological consequences. Research suggests that the information and communications technology (ICT) sector could be responsible for up to 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Anne Pasek, a technology and climate researcher, cautions, "While AI promises a high-tech future, it comes at the cost of water tables and energy consumption."

The rapid growth of technology, as seen with the cryptocurrency boom, raises concerns about its environmental impact. Just as the crypto craze had significant environmental consequences, AI, powered by GPUs, also poses ecological challenges.

🔌 AI's Power Hunger: AI's reliance on GPUs, which demand immense electricity, has largely escaped scrutiny. Bitcoin mining alone consumes more electricity than Norway and Ukraine combined.

🌱 AI's Untold Impact: Researchers, like Sasha Luccioni, highlight the need to examine AI's environmental footprint. It's challenging because companies are reluctant to disclose energy usage, and AI's intangible nature complicates accountability.

💧 The Water Cost: Training AI models can consume millions of liters of water. For instance, GPT-3 used 3.5m liters through datacenter usage. The release of GPT-4 is expected to intensify this thirst for resources.

🌫️ Carbon Consequences: Estimating AI's energy use and carbon footprint is complex. For instance, GPT-3's training resulted in emissions equivalent to 550 New York-San Francisco flights, and GPT-4's increased complexity suggests a growing energy demand.

🔍 Balancing Act: Efforts to make AI more energy-efficient often trade-off performance. Gartner predicts that, without significant changes, AI's energy consumption could surpass that of the entire human workforce by 2025, reaching 3.5% of global electricity consumption by 2030.

🌟 A Call to Action: To mitigate AI's environmental impact, we must raise awareness and rethink its usage. Just as cryptocurrency garnered attention for its environmental toll, it's time for AI to be viewed through a similar lens.

[archi-tech]

Architects Are Starting to See Themselves as Workers — and Organizing Unions

Architects are recognizing the need to unionize as their roles evolve from artistic design to bureaucratic compliance and digital work. The BA Union, with IAMAW's support, is pioneering this move and negotiating industry's first collective contract. Historically seen as artisans, architects are now identifying as workers facing exploitation. Precarious conditions, long hours, and student debt have led to burnout among emerging architects. Unionization addresses these issues and allows collective bargaining for improved work environments. Despite challenges, the architecture industry must embrace unionization to protect workers and their craft. #Architecture #Unionization

Employees at Snøhetta, a global design firm, are seeking to form a union, aiming to become only the second private architecture firm in the US to unionize in almost a century. They're looking to join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. The move follows a growing trend in the architecture industry for unionization, motivated by the desire to secure working conditions rather than addressing issues like low pay and long hours. Snøhetta workers are focused on winning their union election, with the broader goal of building political power in the long run. This initiative is part of a larger industrywide campaign led by Architectural Workers United.

[archi-tech]

Embracing the Digital Twin Revolution

Digital twins, like health trackers transformed personal wellness, are reshaping industries. 📈 They're powered by data, mathematical models, and real-time updates. In engineering, they create personalized models fueled by sensor data, evolving with systems to make informed decisions. Challenges like data complexity and predictive modeling exist, but the promise in space systems, environmental science, and personalized medicine is undeniable.

These virtual replicas offer real-time simulation and smarter decision-making, improving product quality, sustainability, and time-to-market. Building them requires solid data infrastructure and careful planning. Some, like Emirates Team New Zealand and SpaceX, have harnessed their power for various purposes. 🌐🛠️

#DigitalTwin #TechRevolution #Innovation

[archi-tech]

How Architects can tackle rising temperatures in the UK 🌡️

A 30% increase in uncomfortably hot days predicted if the world warms by 2°C ☀️. 2022 set records with a scorching 40.3°C, and June 2023 was the hottest month ever recorded. Immediate adaptations needed for sustainable cooling and heat resilience strategies. Architects play a crucial role in designing buildings that aren't "death traps". Core design principles, natural ventilation, and green spaces are key 🌿. Retrofitting existing buildings is challenging, but innovative solutions like "cool roofs" are emerging. Data-driven modeling and technology help in designing for a hotter climate 📈.

[archi-tech]

Leveraging AI tools

Google Meet's AI is stepping up its game! You might never have to pay attention in meetings again, thanks to Duet AI. 😲 It can take real-time notes, summarize meetings, and even attend on your behalf. 📝 If you're late, it'll catch you up! 🕐 But, can it accurately capture meetings? 🤔 Microsoft and Zoom are in on it too. 📊

Plus, dynamic layouts are making meetings easier on the eyes. 📷 Teleprompters for Google Slides presentations are coming too! 🗣️ Google Meet is evolving to bring people closer in virtual meetings, with AI leading the way. 🌐

Check out the full article on The Verge: https://www.theverge.com/2023/8/29/23849056/google-meet-ai-duet-attend-for-me

[archi-tech]

The Sea Change: Embracing Green Energy in Cargo Shipping

Green Methanol: A Shipping Revolution? 🌿

Container shippers are ordering methanol-powered vessels to slash greenhouse gas emissions, with over 200 expected by 2028. However, challenges loom: the cost premium, limited production capacity, and the need to rapidly build global production and fuel infrastructure. Green methanol, derived from renewable sources, can reduce CO2 emissions from ships by 60% to 95% compared to conventional fuels, but it's scarce and costly. The shipping industry is navigating these hurdles on its journey to decarbonize.

WindWings: Sailing Towards Sustainability 🌬️🚢

A cargo ship embarks on a green journey with massive WindWings. These sails, like wind turbines, unfold at sea, harnessing wind power to cut fuel use and reduce the shipping industry's 2.1% global carbon footprint. This maiden voyage from China to Brazil tests the technology's potential to lower emissions by 30%. By 2025, it could reshape maritime propulsion. Wind power holds promise in reducing shipping's colossal CO2 output.

#GreenShipping #MethanolPower #WindPower #ShippingIndustry #Sustainability #ReutersAnalysis #BBCNews

[archi-tech]

🌆 Ted Talks Insight 🎙️

Extreme heat poses a substantial, often overlooked threat. Eleni Myrivili's Ted Talk illuminates this peril. Heat's danger lies in its quiet persistence, impacting vulnerable communities significantly.

The solution? A radical urban transformation. Embrace nature! Trees, biodiversity, water—all are our allies in cooling cities. It's time to redesign our urban landscapes for a cooler, sustainable future.

The journey begins now, echoing through resilient city networks worldwide. From Athens to Melbourne, green corridors and blue sanctuaries are emerging. This isn't just about resilience; it's about an urban renaissance. 🌳🌃

#UrbanHeat #ClimateResilience #TedTalks #EleniMyrivili (Credit: Ted Talks)

[archi-tech]

Norman Foster and Holcim's innovative emergency shelter, currently displayed at the Architecture Biennale in Venice, is a structural marvel. Constructed as a catenary arch, it resembles an ancient vault. What sets it apart is its construction process: it's essentially rolled up like a carpet and, when water is added, it hardens within 24 hours. This rigidity allows it to serve as a robust shelter without the need for traditional foundations. Additionally, its insulation and waterproofing are integrated, while its base is made from recycled construction rubble, readily available after disasters. This not only makes it a swift solution but also an eco-friendly one, using significantly less carbon and producing zero plastic waste.

However, cost, scalability, climate adaptation, and long-term durability should be closely monitored for practical disaster relief application. Community integration, cultural sensitivity, and maintenance also warrant attention.

[archi-tech]

Diving into the fascinating world of AI creativity with a dash of legal intrigue! 🌟🤖 @Dezeen reports that architects and designers should proceed with caution. Why? Copyright concerns are casting shadows as powerful AI tools like DALL-E 2 and Midjourney reshape the creative landscape. 🎨⚖️

The picture ahead is hazy, with litigation and uncertainty in the spotlight. But here's the twist: while architects are crafting AI-driven dreams, the question of whether these designs can be legally protected remains a riddle. It's a delicate dance between technology and law, echoing through the halls of innovation. 🕺💃

#AIandDesign #CopyrightWorries #DezeenInsight

[archi-tech]

"AI shapes, humans craft," declares Tim Fu, who envisions a renaissance in architecture. No fear of machines; they shall design, while humans channel their artistry into carving stone. In this symphony, architects are liberated to resurrect ornate beauty, unlocking new horizons in the world of design. 🏛️🤖 #ArchitectureTech #AIandArtistry