Climate adaption & Environmental sustainability

The effects of climate change have not only been researched for a long time, they are also becoming increasingly noticeable for all of us, with the number of heat days (and thus also heat deaths) in summer increasing. Densely built-up urban areas in particular cool down noticeably less at night, and slowly but surely the animal and plant world is also changing.

What to do? On the one hand, we need climate protection that combats the causes of climate change, with environmentally friendly construction methods, circular economy, renewable energy systems and much more. On the other hand, even in achieving climate neutrality, we cannot avoid climate adaptation measures that respond to the inevitable changes: shading, cooling, greening.

Climate change is also a challenge for social housing in the city. This is because there are not only ecological, but also socio-spatial effects. Some neighborhoods and groups of residents are more affected than others. In short, the urban climate is also about issues of equity. It is about making buildings and neighborhoods climate-friendly and providing cool green and open spaces for as many people as possible.

The IBA_Vienna projects have developed constructive contributions to climate protection at all scales, from building greening to sponge cities, from innovative timber construction to circular economy. This is because without answers to the climate question, even the best housing model would not be sustainable.