Low-Carbon Development in Built Environment

The built environment is the physical world that humans have created for themselves to live, work, and socialize in. It includes everything from the buildings we inhabit to the roads we travel on, the bridges we cross, the parks we relax in, and the public spaces where we gather. This environment is the result of human activity and encompasses elements of land management, territorial planning, design, and development that determine the organization and function of rural areas, cities, and communities.

Do you know that making cement emits a lot of carbon dioxide? Yes, it is true. Buildings, which are a part of this environment, contribute to carbon emissions throughout their life cycle, from construction, use, demolition, and disposal. In Germany, 50% of its nation-wide waste material consists of demolished construction material.

There are four strategies to eliminate embodied carbon or the carbon footprint of a building or infrastructure project over its entire life cycle, including both direct and indirect emissions:
• Build nothing
• Build less
• Build clever
• Build efficiently

As a developing country, Indonesia grapples with the dual challenge of sustaining economic growth while prioritizing the construction of public infrastructure. However, incorporating low-carbon practices into the built environment poses a significant hurdle in this endeavor.

Seems like we have got quite a journey ahead of us to achieve our dream of becoming a zero net country by 2060, doesn't it?

Share your thoughts, insights, and ideas with us at ICONIC 2024!