Is it possible to build cities that are resilient to earthquakes and flooding?...

CNN Climate 2 years ago

Is it possible to build cities that are resilient to earthquakes and flooding? Architecture firm Foster + Partners hopes to do just that with its climate-first master plan for the city of Antakya, in southeastern Turkey. More than 50,000 people died and millions more were displaced when two earthquakes of magnitude 7.8 and 7.5 rocked the country's southern region and northern Syria on February 6 last year. The United Nations put the rebuild cost for the region at more than $100 billion. The city of Antakya (historically known as Antioch), capital of Hatay Province, was one of the worst hit in Turkey, with almost 80% of buildings reportedly damaged beyond repair. It was devastation "beyond imagination," according to Nicola Scaranaro of Foster + Partners. The architectural firm last month published its master plan to not only rebuild and revitalize the city, but to "future proof" it against earthquakes, flooding and other natural disasters. Tap the link in @cnn's bio to read more. 📸: Artist rendering courtesy the Türkiye Design Council | Hassan Ayadi / AFP via Getty Images

layersDaily Sustainability Digest

Published about 7 hours ago



A tightening regulatory and technical landscape is redefining sustainable construction across the UK and beyond. The Building Safety Act is reshaping project governance by requiring transparent reporting and accountability that link safety with environmental sustainability in construction. Compliance processes are driving a shift toward whole life carbon assessment, embedding sustainable building design principles at the earliest design stage and quantifying both operational and embodied carbon.

Digital systems such as the government’s waste‑tracking initiative are enabling circular economy in construction practices, mandating traceable material flows and revealing the carbon footprint of construction through verified lifecycle assessment. These data‑driven mechanisms enhance resource efficiency in construction and reinforce the wider transition to low embodied carbon materials and eco‑friendly construction.

Investment is converging on decarbonisation at scale. A new £120 million waste‑to‑hydrogen facility is designed to transform residual waste into clean fuel, supporting low carbon design and resilient net zero carbon buildings. Growth in grid‑balancing storage improves the stability of renewable‑powered operations, a prerequisite for energy‑efficient buildings and low carbon building performance across portfolios.

Governance frameworks are also advancing. The creation of a dedicated leadership structure for the Greenhouse Gas Protocol elevates global consistency in measuring whole life carbon and encourages transparent benchmarking using environmental product declarations (EPDs). This maturity strengthens sustainable building practices, fosters green construction aligned with BREEAM v7 standards, and supports decarbonising the built environment through life cycle cost and performance management.

The cumulative effect signals a transition to net zero whole life carbon imperatives governed by robust data, certified materials, and measurable outcomes. The progress may appear administrative, yet it represents the essential infrastructure of sustainable material specification, circular construction strategies, and long‑term green infrastructure supporting a truly carbon neutral construction sector.

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