In a June, 2014 keynote address to the American Institute of Architects, Architecture 2030 founder Ed Mazria argued that life itself depends on good design. In this short video, he says architecture has made rapid strides toward a carbon-neutral target by 2030, but has much more to contribute to the global goal of keeping global warming below 2°C. The urban built environment “is responsible for 75% of all global greenhouse gas emissions,” he said, and 60% of the world’s built environment—80 billion square metres—will change over by 2030. “If we get it right, we solve the problem. If we don’t get it right, we lock in emissions patterns for 80 to 120 years.” China, the U.S., and Canada will account for 53% of the activity, Mazria says, “and that’s where the opportunity lies.”
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