Tag: carbon | ArchDaily

Henning Larsen Launches OpenDetail as Digital Platforms Expand Carbon-Focused Tools for the Built Environment

Reyyan Dogan — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 07:30:00 +0000

As the building industry continues to account for a significant share of global carbon emissions, digital platforms are increasingly being developed to support carbon reduction across different stages of the design and construction process. These initiatives range from material-focused knowledge databases to project life-cycle guidance and early-stage embodied carbon assessment tools. While differing in scope and methodology, they commonly aim to improve access to technical knowledge, clarify responsibilities across the value chain, and facilitate more informed decision-making in the built environment. Recently, Henning Larsen launched OpenDetail, joining related efforts by Grimshaw and MVRDV to address decarbonization through shared digital infrastructure.

The Future of Cities: How Can We Build Differently to Promote Resilient and Low-Impact Environments?

Agustina Iñiguez — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 06:45:00 +0000

How does the construction sector shape the future of cities? What challenges does it face? At the crossroads of demographic, social, energy, and climate pressures, the construction sector is changing fast. Professionals, institutions, and citizens are working together to build environments that improve health and well-being, encourages durable and place-responsive solutions, cut carbon emissions, withstand climate risks, and provide affordable, high-quality housing.

Bauhaus Earth Transforms Disused Car Park into Bamboo Community Pavilion in Bali, Indonesia

Antonia Piñeiro — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 05:30:00 +0000

Bauhaus Earth is a Berlin-based non-profit organization working toward a systemic transformation of the built environment. Its mission includes transitioning to bio- and geo-based materials, reusing existing buildings, and restoring ecosystems. Together with the Bamboo Village Trust, a philanthropic financial vehicle, and Kota Kita, a participatory urban design organization, Bauhaus Earth has developed BaleBio, a bamboo pavilion designed by Cave Urban and rising above Mertasari Beach in Denpasar, Bali. The pavilion transforms a disused car park into an open community meeting space, offering a counterpoint to the city's tourism-driven coastal development. Designed as a regenerative building, BaleBio stores carbon instead of emitting it, challenging the extractive construction model that is replacing traditional wood and bamboo craftsmanship with concrete structures across the island.

MVRDV Breaks Ground on the Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence Campus in Heilbronn, Germany

Reyyan Dogan — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 06:30:00 +0000

Construction began on the Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence (IPAI) Campus in Heilbronn, Germany, designed by the Dutch architectural firm MVRDV. Developed by the IPAI Konsortium, which includes the State of Baden-Württemberg, the Dieter Schwarz Foundation, Schwarz Gruppe, and the City of Heilbronn, the 30-hectare campus is envisioned as an international hub for over 5,000 professionals advancing innovative and responsible AI solutions. Centered on principles of openness, collaboration, and sustainability, the project aims to integrate workplaces, public spaces, and research facilities, establishing a setting where technology and human interaction coexist.

CarbonSpace: Designing with Carbon from the First Sketch

Eduardo Souza — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 07:30:00 +0000

Every act of building begins with the transformation of raw materials, energy, and land, and this inevitably entails environmental impact. This encompasses all the changes a process triggers in the natural world: from resource extraction to pollutant emissions, from energy consumption to biodiversity loss. Measuring this is complex, as it spans multiple dimensions. Carbon has emerged as the common metric, translating these effects into greenhouse gas emissions (CO₂ equivalent) directly linked to global warming. This standardization has made it omnipresent and comparable across materials, systems, and sectors. Reducing carbon emissions, therefore, means addressing the root of global warming, which is a particularly urgent task in the construction industry, responsible for about 39% of global emissions. In response to this challenge, MVRDV NEXT, the innovation and digital tools division of the Dutch architectural firm, launched CarbonSpace, a free, open platform that brings carbon accounting to the architect's desk, right at the napkin sketch stage.

“Architecture and Energy” at DAM Explores the Climate Impact of the Built Environment

Reyyan Dogan — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 06:30:00 +0000

The Deutsches Architekturmuseum (DAM) in Frankfurt has launched its new exhibition Architecture and Energy: Building in the Age of Climate Change on June 14, which will be open to visitors until October 5, 2025. Developed in collaboration with engineer and sustainability advocate Werner Sobek, the exhibition explores the intersections of architecture, energy, and climate, focusing on the environmental impact of the built environment and the role of architecture in mitigating climate change. By framing architecture as both a challenge and an opportunity in the context of the climate crisis, the exhibition seeks to contribute to a broader shift in thinking, one that positions design as a vital component of a sustainable future.

How Breathable Should Facades Be? Exploring Permeability and Impermeability in Building Envelopes

Maria-Cristina Florian — Wed, 28 May 2025 04:00:00 +0000

The main role of architecture is to create structures that protect us from the environment and create spaces that are safe and comfortable for all types of needs and activities. By providing shelter, architecture also shapes the way people interact with their surroundings. Building technologies of the past rarely managed, however, to create a complete separation between us and the outside world.

"Embodied Carbon Declared" Platform Exposes CO2 Emissions in Sweden's Construction Industry

Nour Fakharany — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 05:30:00 +0000

ACAN Sweden, in collaboration with Differ Agency, has launched "Embodied Carbon Declared," an online platform that actively reveals CO2 emissions data from new construction projects across Sweden. The platform categorizes and presents emissions data in four key areas: Projects, Municipalities, Developers, and Building Types. It provides detailed measurements both in total and per square meter, offering an advanced level of transparency in the construction industry.

Building a Sustainable Future: Sports Facilities Made from Bamboo

Clara Ott — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 07:30:00 +0000

As awareness of sustainable development grows, bamboo is emerging as an attractive alternative to traditional construction materials. This innovative material is making significant inroads in the construction of sports facilities, showcasing how sustainable practices can shape a greener future.

Climate Action Is About Choosing Local, Low-Carbon Materials

Jared Green — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 03:30:00 +0000

“Embodied carbon accounts for 75 to 95 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions from landscape architecture projects,” said Chris Hardy, ASLA, PLA, senior associate at Sasaki, during the third in a series of webinars organized by the ASLA Biodiversity and Climate Action Committee. But by selecting locally made low-carbon materials, landscape architects can significantly reduce the climate impacts of their work.

Is Mass Timber the Key Element in a Low Carbon Future?

Mark Alan Hewitt — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 03:30:00 +0000

This article was originally published on Common Edge.

Social Spaciousness: MVRDV Reimagines the Future of Co-Living

Nour Fakharany — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 06:30:00 +0000

MVRDV has just released a new design study exploring how co-living can help shape the future of housing. Created in collaboration with developer HUB and sustainable investor Bridges Fund Management, the study introduces a comprehensive study exploring diverse typologies, aiming to revolutionize communal living and vibrant neighborhoods. It addresses modern housing needs, including flexibility, sustainability, and community, while tackling climate crisis and affordability issues. The endeavor offers tailored solutions for various co-living projects, catering to many demographics and lifestyles.

New York, Milan, and Venice Amongst Participants in C40's Reinventing Cities Competition 2024

Nour Fakharany — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 05:30:00 +0000

“Reinventing Cities,” C40’s renowned global design competition, has just announced its fourth edition. The competition’s main goal is to “transform underutilized sites or buildings into beacons of sustainability and resilience and act as a showcase for future zero-carbon urban developments.” This year, 15 cities have stepped up the challenge, inviting professionals from various disciplines to reimagine underutilized urban sites and design transformations prioritizing sustainability and inclusivity.

UNStudio Designs Hybrid Building in Luxembourg for a Reduced Carbon Footprint

Maria-Cristina Florian — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 06:30:00 +0000

UNStudio, in collaboration with local partner HYP Architects, has won the competition for the design of the Kyklos building in Luxembourg. The project is part of Beval, a large-scale redevelopment initiative aiming to transform a former industrial site into an urban center complete with a university and technological center, in addition to residential, office, and retail spaces. When designing the Kyklos building, which will occupy a central position in the district's main square, the architects set out to find solutions to create the smallest carbon footprint for both operational and embedded metrics.

Making the Economic Case for Biophilic Design

Martin Pedersen — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 03:30:00 +0000

This article was originally published on Common Edge.

Is it Possible to Grow Cement? Prometheus Materials and the Transformation of Concrete

Eduardo Souza — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 06:30:00 +0000

Innovation thrives when we pause to observe, question, and reimagine the world around us, turning challenges into opportunities for progress. Nature, in particular, serves as a rich source of inspiration. By observing it, studying its daily challenges, and contemplating its processes, we can discover valuable insights that inspire innovative solutions.

Is Wood the Sustainable Solution for the Middle East?

Nour Fakharany — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 04:00:00 +0000

As we understand it today, the sustainable architecture movement began to take shape at the end of the 20^th century. Essentially, it responds to growing concerns about environmental degradation, energy consumption, and resource scarcity. In this global discourse on sustainable architecture, wood has long been celebrated as a symbol of environmental consciousness and decarbonization. As one of the most widespread building materials, it has gained popularity with the rise of this movement. This is because trees absorb carbon dioxide during their growth, which stays in the wood during its construction use, keeping it out of the atmosphere.

Embodied Carbon in Real Estate: The Hidden Contributor to Climate Change

Anneli Tostar — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 03:30:00 +0000

The window for solving climate change is narrowing; any solution must include embodied carbon. The Sixth Assessment Report published by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) concludes that the world can emit just 500 gigatonnes more of carbon dioxide, starting in January 2020, if we want a 50 percent chance of staying below 1.5 degrees. In 2021 alone, the world emitted about 36.3 gigatonnes of carbon, the highest amount ever recorded. We’re on track to blow through our carbon budget in the next several years. To quote the IPCC directly: “The choices and actions implemented in this decade will have impacts now and for thousands of years (high confidence).”