Cohesion: Our Environment—Building Better and Smarter

Abstract

The world is rapidly changing. Climate change is recognised as one of the greatest challenges facing the world today, and Australia is not an exception (see Chapter “Urban Climates in the Transformation of Australian Cities”). Environmental degradation is mainly due to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. We are already seeing changes to weather patterns and more extreme and frequent weather events. This impacts on our built environment, our cities and our way of life. For example, hotter weather causes rising electricity demand due to increased requirements for cooling in buildings. A changing climate is also creating significant health and well-being challenges, especially during extreme weather events. The built environment is a significant contributor to rising greenhouse gas emissions. Increasing energy demand over recent decades, mostly from fossil fuel, needs to be addressed if the built environment is to transition to a low carbon and sustainable future. This chapter touches on the key themes emerging from the preceding chapters and discusses what they mean for achieving a sustainable built environment, not only in Australia but globally.