Context

The world faces a huge and unprecedented crisis today. The climate crisis is one that requires collective action. In that regard, all stakeholders must take drastic action to address the climate predicament, and quick changes in both mitigation and adaptation are necessary to achieve a world with zero carbon emissions. The problems the world face today because of climate and environmental change are innumerable. For instance, a billion people live in substandard housing, which is responsible for 16% of global electricity and heating emissions and 6% of global construction-related emissions.

The United Nations define climate change as long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns. These changes could be caused by natural processes, like variations in the solar cycle. But since the 1800s, human activities—primarily the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas—have been the primary cause of climate change.

Fossil fuel combustion is one of the major causes of climate change. The combustion produces greenhouse gas emissions that act as a blanket around the planet, trapping heat from the sun and increasing temperatures, according to the United Nations.

Furthermore, carbon dioxide and methane are two examples of greenhouse gas emissions that are contributing to climate change. These are produced, for instance, when burning coal or gasoline to heat a building. Likewise, more carbon dioxide can also be released during forest and land clearing.

Intense droughts, water scarcity, destructive fires, rising sea levels, flooding, melting polar ice, catastrophic storms, and a decline in biodiversity are currently some of the effects of climate change.

Consequently, the world experienced $268 billion in losses from natural disasters in 2022 alone, including droughts, floods, and heat waves linked to climate change that disproportionately affect nations with low cumulative emissions. As a result, communities need new strategies to build quality housing at scale and ways to incorporate climate risk into planning across all decisions because disaster response and recovery systems are already overburdened.

What Should Be Done

Numerous approaches to combating climate change can boost the economy while also enhancing people’s quality of life and safeguarding the environment. In order to direct progress, there are also international frameworks and agreements in place, including the Paris Agreement, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the Sustainable Development Goals. Adapting to climate impacts, reducing emissions, and funding necessary adjustments are the three main categories of action.

Furthermore, because climate change is such a huge threat to our environment and livelihood, two response measures are usually discussed. These are mitigation and adaptation. Whereas adaptation forms the basis for this article, it is essential to note that the European Union defines it as anticipating the negative effects of climate change and acting appropriately to prevent or minimise the harm they can cause, or seizing opportunities that may present themselves. Examples of adaptation strategies include extensive infrastructure modifications, such as the construction of sea level rise defences, as well as behavioural changes, such as people cutting back on food waste. The process of adjusting to the present and future effects of climate change can be viewed as the essence of adaptation.

In an attempt to implement adaptation measures, the United Nations has come up with a challenge termed Net Zero. Net zero, in its simplest form, refers to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible, with any leftover emissions being reabsorbed from the atmosphere, for instance by oceans and forests. Transitioning to a net-zero world is also one of the biggest challenges humanity has ever faced. It demands nothing less than a radical change in the ways that we produce, consume, and travel. Around three-quarters of greenhouse gas emissions today come from the energy sector, which also holds the key to preventing the worst effects of climate change. Carbon emissions would be significantly reduced if energy from renewable sources, like wind or solar, were to replace dirty coal, gas, and oil-fired power. This is where the issue of low carbon housing comes into place as an adaptation measure.

While low carbon housing simply refers to the construction or modification of current housing infrastructure to reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions for example a home that doesn't release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, specifically carbon dioxide (CO2), is referred to as zero-carbon housing. Burning fossil fuels to generate heat or even while cooking on a gas stove causes homes to emit greenhouse gases. Building or renovating a home to be extremely energy efficient and having all of its energy consumption come from non-emitting sources, like electricity, will result in a zero carbon house.

A 2020 UN report states that 38% of all energy-related carbon emissions are caused by building and construction practices. Because of this, the construction and technology sectors are working to find new ways to reduce emissions from both the construction process and the use of buildings.

It's extremely encouraging that this has recently gained mainstream attention, not just for the construction industry but for society at large. Sustainable engineers and building designers have been struggling with this issue for a while. The simple solution, however, has never changed: less is more, according to the Guardian, UK.

Resultantly, technology-based solutions that help communities create quality low-carbon homes at scale or adapt to more severe weather should be innovated and implemented For instance, these technology-based solutions for low carbon housing should assist informal communities in upgrading to more resilient housing through design, financing, and the use of low-carbon components or energy sources and reduce emissions from multifamily housing during construction, operation, and end-of-life while housing during construction, operation, and end-of-life while addressing barriers to local adoption.

In the same vein, there is need to help communities understand and incorporate climate risk in infrastructure design and planning, including through improved data collection and analysis, integration with existing systems, and aligning financial incentives such as insurance. This, coupled with the need to adapt land and coastal areas for more extreme weather, for example, by re-establishing natural ecosystems or practicing climate-smart agriculture should help solve today’s great problem of climate change and eventually assist in achieving climate adaptation through low carbon housing.

Main Takeaway.

Although currently experiencing underfunding, multilateral financing for adaptation and "loss and damage" is essential if the world wants to solve problems of natural disasters brought by the inevitable consequences of climate change. Innovation is not only required in addition to these resources to enable quick, effective, and fair changes in housing and adaptation planning, but should take the centre-stage for the creation of enviro-friendly housing units that help save the planet we call earth and our home.

More so, by switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources like solar or wind, we can cut the emissions that cause climate change. But we must get started immediately. While a growing number of nations have pledged to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, it is necessary to achieve about half of those reductions by 2030 in order to keep global warming to 1.5°C or less. Production of fossil fuels must fall by roughly 6%.