The concept "sustainability" first entered the mainstream in the 1987 Brundtland report *Our Common Future*. --- More than half of humanity's total historical greenhouse gas emissions have occurred since then. Buildings (taking into account materials, construction and operations) account for 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Another 25% comes from transport. --- On 10th Oct 2018, the Stirling Prize, the UK's most prestigious award for architecture, was awarded to Bloomberg L.P.'s new office in London, partly in recognition of its claim to be the most sustainable office development in the world. 2 days earlier, the IPCC had issued a report that showed how dire the situation was with carbon emissions. The building's design and construction were nowhere near what was required for true sustainability. If all new buildings were built to the same standard, it would still result in 3 degrees celsius rise in average global temperature. Most buildings don't even come close to this standard. If this is the ultimate in sustainability, then clearly a new paradigm is needed. --- Source: [[Flourish]]