The changing climate means that each year cities all over the world will face increasingly dangerous weather events such as the heat wave that ravaged much of Europe in 2022, or more recent US blizzards and floods across California.

We sat down with three industry and community experts who are already working to prepare urban environments for exactly these sorts of challenges. Sabrina Bornstein, Principal and Head of Climate Resilience at Buro Happold, Christopher Westley, Senior Vice President of Strategic Services at Skanska USA Commercial Development, and Sylvester Turner, Mayor of Houston, are all leaders working to shape climate-resilient urban spaces.

This episode features Sabrina Bornstein, Principal and Head of Climate Resilience at Buro Happold; Christopher Westley, Senior Vice President of Strategic Services at Skanska USA Commercial Development; and Sylvester Turner, Mayor of the City of Houston.

How can cities prepare for the impact of climate change in ways that also improve social equity? In this episode of Shaping Sustainable Places, we discuss what cities are doing to become more resilient.

Fires and floods, droughts and downpours: the extreme weather seen around the world this year, which has killed thousands and forced millions from their homes, is in line with predictions under climate modeling of global warming.

The built environment is responsible for around 40 percent of energy-related carbon emissions globally. Reducing emissions throughout the entire life cycle can have a significant effect on carbon minimization as we try to limit global warming to 1.5C.

 

We see a world where sustainability is simply built into living. By coming together to think differently and solve problems today, we have the power to shape sustainable places to support healthy living beyond our lifetime.