More creative designs and innovative realisations are needed
Climate change and other ecological, economic and social challenges are forcing planners, investors and builders to think differently and be more creative.
For some time now, we have all been aware that fossil fuels are finite - especially since the war in Ukraine. This has led to new ways of thinking. Various innovative technologies and developments that are already standard practice will lead to the energy transition in a few years' time. However, we still have a long way to go when it comes to climate protection and, even if it will take thousands of years before carbon dioxide jeopardises our health, we are continuing unabated towards disaster. A precursor to this is global warming, which, if it continues, will lead to the loss of our habitat in the long term.
This must be protected. Studies and innovative projects focussing on sustainability are underway in various areas. Great progress has been made in the field of mobility in recent years, such as the development of electric cars and hydrogen-powered lorries.
Let's focus on our specialist area of sustainable construction, which began back in the 1990s with energy saving and led to the optimisation of the building envelope. In the meantime, various developments have been made in the technical field that enable heating or cooling from renewable energies almost completely (zero-energy house). Accordingly, we must examine the further stages of optimisation in the context of ecological, economic and social aspects.
What are the benefits of sustainable high-density construction? The result is a reduction in infrastructure with financial implications that benefit the state and citizens.
Ecology: The use of energy resources and the reduction of energy consumption are of great importance. This includes treating nature and the landscape with respect.
Economy: If the property is not economical, it loses importance and is therefore not utilised.
Society: The social environment has a major influence on people.
The Spatial Planning Act (partially revised in 2014) has set the course for curbing urban sprawl by utilising existing building land and building at a higher density. This and creative solutions have made new building and utilisation regulations possible. This has led to an increase in attractive residential locations, particularly in urban areas.
In addition to protecting nature by making better use of the existing building zones, energy consumption is reduced thanks to the compact design. It is almost a matter of course that the building technology is based entirely on renewable energy. Various financial support options are available from the federal and cantonal governments. Inward development is certainly an opportunity to use our resources sparingly. This requires creative designs from the planners and innovative designs from the entrepreneurs.
What at first glance appears to be a major problem, as described in the introduction, is developing into a promising endeavour for people and nature.