As we read articles in class by James Howard Kunstler, we learned of the American landscapes and townscapes that are deteriorating. While Kunstler himself focused mainly on the suburban sprawl, we know that the lack of sustainable practices are not limited here. Look at any big city in the United States and you are likely to see a smog filled area where chugging smokestacks are not uncommon. Even as we just learned of our dependency on coal and the problems it brings us, the urgency to move towards a more sustainable future within our cities is ever more present.
I feel as we move towards the future, it is important to change how we erect our human habitats. We must put up cities and towns that our fitting for future generations to come. The way of thinking about our architecture must become creative and innovative; we must think outside the box.
This article, which I came across while on CNN.com, looks into just what was mentioned above. It discusses the possibility of an advanced technology in architecture which would be made of self-regulating building materials. Building materials that can absorb carbon emissions and make them into something useful. Building materials that act like a building's skin and remove the need for radiators and air conditioning. These buildings could be used all over our cities and would be programmed to extract carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. The material would even be self-repairing.
Technology such as this, which seems too much like science fiction to be real, is real. However as with any significant change, the start up is very slow. Attitudes in investment and legislation will have to change in order to make this risky investment work. It is time to get creative and innovative and start thinking outside the box.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/14/tech/innovation/living-buildings-carbon/?hpt=hp_c1
http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/14/tech/innovation/living-buildings-carbon/?hpt=hp_c1
"Advanced Technologies in Architecture" was posted by me, Danny Bulster. I forgot to write my name in the title
ReplyDeleteComing from a rural community of only 1,700 people, the smoke-filled cities are a bit unfamiliar to me. It is easy for many small-town folk to blame sustainability issues on city dwellers, but as you said, the urban communities are not the only source of the problems we have.
ReplyDeleteMany members of my hometown’s agricultural community will be the first to promote fuel that is largely comprised of corn materials, but they also turn a cold shoulder to the amount of fossil fuels that are emitted on a typical day on the farm. Another example would be the amount of massive trucks that flood the streets of my town, which is a common occurrence.
I also read the CNN article about the skyscrapers and other buildings that could absorb various carbon emissions. Although it seemed farfetched, it’s at least a step in the right direction. Government representatives should no longer be allowed to ignore the most important issues that face our current generation. We have available to us technology that could rapidly improve our nation’s sustainability path; it’s now up to use to utilize it.
The move to a more sustainable future is in all of our hands, no matter what our background. While large cities will most likely continue to receive the brunt of the criticism, rural communities are still partly responsible. It’s up to all of us to promote change.
really interesting-and while we need to avoid a techno-trance--as we redesign our communities we will need technology help move us forward.
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