SS22

Building cities from timber was unthinkable just a few years ago. Lately, the idea of transition to biomass-based materials in urban construction however started gaining the traction. Specialized as well as popular media outlets publish articles and post episodes covering this topic. Political parties include transition to timber construction in their climate portfolios. Scientists from different fields argue forth and back about this transition as well as its implications for climate, land use and especially for the world forests.

Biomass, e.g., wood, is a renewable resource that has wide applications in different industries. Recent technological innovations in the processing of biomass have led to the development of products that can feasibly replace traditional materials, particularly in the construction sectors. Understanding the potential environmental impacts and societal implications of increases in both conventional and emerging biomass-based products is critical in assessing the climate mitigation potential of biomass-based products vs other materials.  This course will explore these and related questions.

Objectives

·         To develop an understanding of the fundamental feedbacks between building design (focusing on the choice of construction materials) and climate;

·         To learn about the existing strategies mitigating the impact of construction sector on climate such as green concrete, green steel, biomass-based materials and relevant assessment tools;

·         To explore and articulate how conscious and anticipatory building design and urban planning have a potential to limit the impact of urbanization on the environment;

·         To learn how to formulate scientific questions and answer them;

·         To learn how to organize an effective presentation;

·         To learn the basics of scientific writing and project management.