Andy van den Dobbelsteen kicked off cepezeds Green Week this morning with the first lecture. He mentioned the urgency of the sustainability challenge and outlined the exemplary sustainability measures TU Delft is taking.
We need to make choices as if the expected climate conditions of 2050 are already in place now, said Andy van den Dobbelsteen. 'The year 2050 as a target date for change is far too non-committal. We are already seeing the effects of climate change in extreme weather, fires and floods.' The vagueness of the term ‘sustainability’ also does not, in his view, prompt immediate action. As far as he is concerned, the best definition of sustainability links to future generations. It is about them, not us.
sustainable design
Surprisingly, Andy mentions seemingly obvious aspects with which an architectural design can contribute to sustainability: modular construction, de- and remountable construction, recycling and the use of bio-based materials, the application of green roofs and solar panels on facades – not on roofs, with the sun’s angle in the Netherlands. Above all, he wants to stress the effect of these choices. And that more and more is possible from a creative point of view. According to TU Delft research, we can even grow food in buildings and on their roofs and facades, thus creating synergy in energy, water and nutrients.
floods
We need to take the soil we build on much more into account, according to Andy. 'Even in Zuidplaspolder, the deepest polder in the Netherlands, we build in the old-fashioned way. Here, a flood of 1.50 metres is predicted once every hundred years - adding waves, you're down to 1.60. It would be better to build split-level (with an entrance half-high), lift the houses all the way up, make them water-resistant, or put them on mounds'. For other situations, floating buildings could be an option.
text continues below the photos
We need to make choices as if the expected climate conditions of 2050 are already in place now, said Andy van den Dobbelsteen. 'The year 2050 as a target date for change is far too non-committal. We are already seeing the effects of climate change in extreme weather, fires and floods.' The vagueness of the term ‘sustainability’ also does not, in his view, prompt immediate action. As far as he is concerned, the best definition of sustainability links to future generations. It is about them, not us.
sustainable design
Surprisingly, Andy mentions seemingly obvious aspects with which an architectural design can contribute to sustainability: modular construction, de- and remountable construction, recycling and the use of bio-based materials, the application of green roofs and solar panels on facades – not on roofs, with the sun’s angle in the Netherlands. Above all, he wants to stress the effect of these choices. And that more and more is possible from a creative point of view. According to TU Delft research, we can even grow food in buildings and on their roofs and facades, thus creating synergy in energy, water and nutrients.
floods
We need to take the soil we build on much more into account, according to Andy. 'Even in Zuidplaspolder, the deepest polder in the Netherlands, we build in the old-fashioned way. Here, a flood of 1.50 metres is predicted once every hundred years - adding waves, you're down to 1.60. It would be better to build split-level (with an entrance half-high), lift the houses all the way up, make them water-resistant, or put them on mounds'. For other situations, floating buildings could be an option.
text continues below the photos