The art of resilience: Designing for the future of the built environment

From devastating hurricanes and wildfires to sea-level rise and extreme heatwaves, Earth is confronting the effects of climate change like never before. Constructing homes, commercial buildings and community spaces in ways that do not further contribute to the growing global problem poses a special challenge for those charged with designing living, working and recreational spaces.

The FIU School of Architecture is tackling the world’s most pressing concerns head-on by training the next generation of skilled, creative and committed architects who understand what is at stake.

The building process – which relies heavily on manufactured materials as well as energy-intensive machinery – generates nearly 40% of global carbon dioxide emissions, which drives climate change. Additionally, up to 70% of the world’s total waste comes directly from construction activity and, more so, building demolition, further adding to the planet’s increasingly dangerous levels of greenhouse gases.

“The repercussions are tremendous,” says Marilys Nepomechie, associate dean of faculty and program development at the College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts (CARTA) and a distinguished university professor of architecture. “This is the context in which our students are going to be working when they enter our profession. This is our future. Being able to work wisely with this understanding and to manage it well are critical for our ability to move forward as a people, not just as a city or region, but as a global community.”

The nonprofit Architecture 2030, on which Nepomechie served as a task force member, some 16 years ago laid out the ambitious goal of universal carbon-neutral construction by the end of the current decade. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) responded by challenging architecture firms to commit to net-zero emissions, and more than 1,000 firms have pledged their support.

IN THE CLASSROOM

FIU professors are doing their part by encouraging the rising generation to embrace sustainability. The faculty number international scholars and licensed architects who maintain their own practices, conduct research – often with funding from the likes of the National Science Foundation and U.S. Department of Energy – and work across the globe on a variety of projects in the resilient/sustainable design space.

These experts teach aspiring professionals the principles that will continue to guide the industry moving forward, Nepomechie says. “We arm our students with amazing research and critical thinking skills. We also teach students how to visualize the future, using artificial intelligence, virtual reality and augmented reality to envision and rethink what’s possible.”

Professor Claudia Busch, for example, tasked students with creating a sustainable, affordable and customizable home design for replication in low-income areas. Students researched and analyzed the use of 3D printing, a fabrication method that many in the industry view as the future of affordable housing. Busch, the co-founder of her own architecture firm, invited clients, developers and industry experts to speak with students and provide feedback.

“The projects the students came up with are real-life,” Busch says. “I told them, ‘You are doing something that has meaning.’ We are addressing the future.”