Carefully considering land-use and where to develop is a crucial aspect of a climate emergency design approach as it affects biodiversity, permeability of land, air pollution and accessibility and how much infrastructure is needed. Greenfields are essential for biodiversity and have little existing infrastructure and should be avoided for development as they often have better uses. Instead greyfields and brownfields can be restored because they have infrastructures and often existing buildings that can be reused. They are often contaminated so ecological site surveys and bio-remediation are crucial before development. Greyfield development often contributes to urban sprawl, where low density, residential only development ‘locks-in’ car reliance, leading to energy use, pollution alongside habitat loss and fragmentation. Instead you should create mixed-use neighbourhoods (e.g. 15 minute city principles), and strategies such as reuse and adapting existing structures, infill development, backyard filling, attic exchange and roof stacking to help densify cities while preserving green areas. Sustainable densities, walkable neighbourhoods, and shared resources can counteract the negative aspects of densification. For your site selection, ecological value (and protecting existing ecology) and future impact on the community, air, water, and soil should be assessed and key drivers in your site selection and your project design.

Globally, governments agreed to limit global heating to a maximum of 1.5°C rise but we are on track for 2.8°C global heating by 2100 because of insufficiently ambitious policy commitments (or not meeting them). But each fraction of a degree reduced, matters to reduce the severity of the impacts. The effects of climate change include hotter temperatures, the warming and acidification of the oceans, severe storms, increased drought, and a loss of species. Northern Europe is projected to face stronger winter warming, while Southern Europe will experience more severe summer warming. Urban areas face specific risks, with urban heat islands exacerbating extreme temperatures, impermeable ground surfaces increasing flood risk, and a loss of urban green space contributing to the degradation of land and biodiversity. To minimise the impact of climate change on the environment, actions should prioritise:

• protecting and enhancing ecosystems and biodiversity.

• careful land-use decisions that avoid destruction of forests, greenfields and other areas of biodiversity.

• rewilding cities and increasing green and blue infrastructures.

• ensuring a just transition.

All our actions should aim for the best climate future. Even if it is (still) legal to do less than that, we have a moral obligation and responsibility to do better.

Climate change affects water sources and they in turn affect the natural and built environment, for example we already face more frequent and severe drought-related water shortages, with wild-fires and biodiversity loss during periods of drought. We also see aea-level rise and increased flooding from extreme rainfall. Sources of flooding can be tidal, fluvial, pluvial, sewers or from infrastructures. We clearly must work with water rather than against it, and it will become even more important in a changing climate. Strategies include: flood prevention (e.g. retaining and enhancing existing forests and tree cover upland and in urban areas); using suitable site selection (i.e. avoiding building in flood plains or near coastal areas; flood risk management plans and promoting sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) at different scales that catch, retain and cleanse water run-off – e.g. Sponge Cities principles. This also includes restoring sealed surfaces to become permeable, nature based green and blue infrastructures. All of this must be co-developed together with local communities.

Frederiksbjerg School in Aarhus, Denmark, aligns with the principles outlined in the 2013 Danish school reform. The school supports dynamic learning through movement and sensory exploration while emphasising openness and community spirit. The school has become a central hub for local children and youth. This deliberate design fosters individual and community wellbeing and nurtures a strong sense of togetherness among students.

Eco-Viikki is the first ecological neighbourhood built in Finland between 1994, the year of the first competition, and 2004. The aim was to build a sustainable neighbourhood, capable of answering and addressing FUTURE crises while providing HEALTH AND WELLBEING to its inhabitants. Two competitions were held. The first competition aimed to establish the town plan, which was won by architect Petri Laaksonen with a vision linking the built environment and nature together. Then a second competition at building scale was held where every submitted project was evaluated based on their ecological qualities and ability to meet this wider vision. A completely new and innovative set of ecological criteria (PIMWAG) was created to evaluate the ecological potential and commitment of the submitted projects. In addition to its value as an ecological living environment, Eco-Viikki acts as a prototype, testing theoretical ecological solutions in design and practice. Finally, providing empirical results of the neighbourhood and the way its PERFORMANCE has been evaluated and monitored is exemplary and enriching.

Building cooperatives are collaborative housing that involves individuals or families teaming up to collectively plan, finance, and oversee the construction or renovation of residential buildings. This housing model emphasises communal decision-making, shared ownership, and affordability, offering a valuable and sustainable approach to urban development. It promotes social cohesion and a strong sense of community. Members of these cooperatives actively participate in the design and decision-making process, fostering a shared sense of responsibility and a collaborative living environment that, in turn, nurtures a supportive and closely-knit community.

Thermal comfort, within the context of health and well-being, fo-cuses on creating indoor environments that maintain a tempera-ture range and air quality conducive to the physical and psycho-logical well-being of occupants. The goal is to design spaces that prevent occupants from feeling too hot or too cold while ensuring suitable humidity levels and air circulation to support overall com-fort. This aspect is crucial as it directly impacts the physical health of individuals. Maintaining a comfortable temperature range helps prevent discomfort, heat stress, or cold-related illnesses and contributes to better sleep quality and overall physical well-being. Furthermore, thermal comfort significantly influences men-tal and emotional health. Occupants in spaces that provide com-fortable thermal conditions are less likely to experience stress, irritability, or anxiety related to temperature extremes, creating a positive and productive environment.

Social infrastructure encourages the connection and coming together of people and this includes formal and informal public & private spaces and places that provide opportunities for people to interact with each other in their everyday lives. Social infrastructures supports the building of social capital in the community; this in turn reduces conflict and increases trust, care, connection and feelings of safety. This helps to build individual and community resilience and health and well-being. In your project, always consider what kind of spaces can bring people together from different walks of life and how you can create links with the existing communities. Be careful to impact the existing social spheres positively and not negatively i.e. restorative actions. Ensure that the social infrastructure you suggest answers to the needs of people and are adaptable to their changing needs in the future, otherwise they will not meet needs and remain unused – so undertake inclusive and democratic processes. Always prioritise inclusion of social infrastructure in each and every project, including retrofitting of social infrastructure as the societal, community and individual benefits are significant.

Democratic processes in architecture refer to the incorporation of democratic principles and mechanisms into the design and planning of built environments. This approach ensures that urban spaces and communities are shaped with the input and engagement of a broad range of stakeholders, including residents, local communities, and other relevant parties. By adopting democratic processes, architects, urban planners, and policymakers aim to create more inclusive, responsive, and accountable environments. These processes are rooted in the principles of fairness, equity, and transparency, ensuring that decision-making is not confined to a select few but includes the voices and perspectives of all those affected. This fosters a sense of shared ownership, community engagement, and trust in the planning and development process.

Participatory design is an inclusive and collaborative approach that engages end-users, communities, and stakeholders in the design and decision-making processes of spaces. It emphasises active involvement, shared decision-making, and co-creation to ensure that the designed spaces and structures authentically rep-resent the needs, values, and aspirations of the people who will inhabit or use them. This approach can cultivate a sense of own-ership and empowerment among communities and individuals. By involving them in the design process, it recognises their exper-tise and insights regarding their needs and the intricacies of their environment. This, in turn, fosters a stronger commitment, pride, and responsibility toward the resulting spaces. Furthermore, par-ticipatory design contributes to social cohesion and a sense of community by bringing people together, promoting collaboration, and fostering trust among various stakeholders. By incorporating diverse voices and perspectives, it reduces the potential for con-flict, ensures more equitable outcomes, and supports social har-mony.

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) encompasses various as-pects of the indoor environment that directly impact the health, comfort, and well-being of building occupants. It addresses fac-tors such as indoor air quality, thermal comfort, lighting, acoustics, and overall spatial design within structures. The importance of IEQ lies in its significant influence on the physical and psycholog-ical health of people living or working in those spaces.

IEQ is essential because it directly affects occupants' productivity, concentration, and overall quality of life. Good indoor air quality, for instance, ensures that occupants are not exposed to harmful pollutants or allergens, reducing the risk of respiratory problems. Adequate thermal comfort through effective heating and cooling systems helps create a pleasant and productive environment, while appropriate lighting levels support visual comfort and circa-dian rhythms, positively affecting mental and physical health.

The relationship between light and well-being in architecture encompasses the study and application of how natural and artificial lighting within built environments significantly impacts the physical, emotional, and psychological health of the occupants. It involves optimising the quantity, quality, and distribution of light to craft spaces that foster comfort, productivity, and overall wellness. This interplay between light and well-being directly influences the circadian rhythms of individuals. For instance, exposure to natural light during the day aids in regulating sleep patterns, mood, and alertness, thereby contributing to improved mental health and reduced stress levels. Furthermore, well-illuminated spaces play a pivotal role in enhancing visual comfort, mitigating eye strain, and cultivating an inviting and aesthetically pleasing atmosphere. Ultimately, this synergy between light and architecture transforms structures into environments that prioritise the holistic well-being of their inhabitants.

Imagine a thriving neighbourhood where the design and planning of the built environment are not just about structures, but about the well-being of the people living there. Community health in architecture is all about this vision, emphasising the physical, mental, and social wellness of a community's residents. It means crafting spaces that nurture healthy lifestyles, offer healthcare accessibility, foster social connections, and cater to the specific needs of the people who call the community home. This approach can have a profound impact on both individuals and the community at large. Well-designed neighbourhoods, complete with nearby parks, recreational facilities, and access to nutritious food options, can inspire physical activity and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

Active architecture within the context of health and wellbeing Prioritises the creation of built environments that actively encourage physical activity and healthier lifestyles among occupants. This approach involves architectural design that incorporates elements promoting movement, exercise, and overall well-being. It directly contributes to physical health by making regular physical activities more accessible. Features like appealing, well-lit staircases, access to recreational facilities, and pedestrian-friendly urban planning encourage walking, cycling, and active commuting, reducing sedentary behaviours linked to chronic health issues. Moreover, active architecture fosters social well-being. Spaces designed to promote physical activity, like community parks, sports facilities, and pedestrian-friendly streets, provide opportunities for people to come together, socialise, and form connections, thereby improving mental and emotional health.

Reducing embodied energy and embodied carbon and addressing the wider environmental impacts of construction materials is vital in designing for the climate emergency. Urgent action is required to achieve substantial reductions in embodied carbon, aiming for as much as 97-99%. This can only be achieved by strategies that involve re-using buildings, avoiding their demolition and using reclaimed materials, i.e. part of a circular economy approach, and designing from ‘cradle to cradle’, accounting for the material's entire life cycle, including disassembly and reuse. Buildings that act as material resource banks challenges the linear and ‘cradle to grave’ approach that currently exists in the construction industry.

Other strategies include avoiding concrete and steel and other high embodied-carbon materials; instead use low energy materials, and low-carbon materials that are produced by renewable energy; localise where sensible; use plant-based materials that can be carbon negative and act as a carbon sink (i.e., biogenic materials that absorb more CO2 than they release like timber). Early on in the design process, undertake embodied carbon and life-cycle analysis (LCA) to compare options and help your design decision-making process – there are simple tools you an use. Do not just consider energy and carbon but all other impacts (e.g. biodiversity, water pollution, health and well-being etc.).

Good design can encourage a more sustainable, healthier lifestyle, also reducing energy use and CO2 and local pollution. For example, green and shared infrastructures promote social and physical activity and active lifestyles (e.g. taking stairs, good public transport/walking and cycling connectivity), also lead to lower energy use. The way people use buildings dramatically influences their energy consumption, and hence also affects a building’s carbon footprint. But behaviour is usually not accounted for in predictive energy models, yet this is essential to understand so that we achieve energy and CO2 reductions in reality. Smart technology systems are increasingly developed but are still in early stages and they do not always reduce energy use and CO2 , and they risk excluding people.

To ensure that systems and the building work as intended and that user needs are met and low energy lifestyles are supported in reality, you need to undertake an inclusive and democratic design process with users and different stakeholders, focus on user experiences and user friendliness, and that you obtain performance feedback post-competition. This holistic approach is key to promoting low-energy, sustainable living.

While these are real-life project processes, as a student you can create a democratic design plan, a Performance Risk Plan and user or care and maintenance manuals.

The building's carbon footprint is the total carbon emissions emitted over its lifetime and can be reduced by creating a carbon handprint. The carbon footprint includes emissions from energy use (operational carbon) and materials (embodied carbon); this talk focuses on operational carbon. When a handprint and footprint are equal, your project is carbon neutral. If the handprint surpasses the footprint, it becomes climate positive, going beyond neutrality to reduce past damage (i.e. restorative action).

As a student (and architect in practice) you can use simplified operational carbon estimation rules of thumb like those in this talk to understand the carbon impact of the energy needs. Make sure you use country-specific and up to date benchmarks and carbon intensity factors for different fuels.

Understanding the carbon implications of your design and the aimed for standards is crucial part of climate emergency design, as it enables you to refine your work and aim higher. This then allows you to review whether the energy needs can be reduced further through, for example passive resilience measures, such as increased airtightness and insulation, good daylight, solar (shading) design, purge ventilation etc.

But also ensure that you understand user needs, design user friendly systems, and if a real project to check that systems work as intended to ensure carbon emissions are reduced in reality and as expected (create a democratic design plan and Performance Risk Plan).