The Built Environment
Buildings provide a physical interface between people and the environment. Among many things they provide a critical function by controlling exposure to climatic variables with particular emphasis on water and heat.
In many cases changes in climate will challenge the existing capacity of buildings to maintain and moderate climate exposure.
Planning policies, building controls and local development plans all need to recognise the impact that changes in climate, in particular relating to increased winter rainfall and increased summer temperatures, will have on existing and planned buildings.
Buildings of significant historical importance are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and special consideration must be given to how these cultural assets can best be managed in the face of a changing climate.
The sector faces many challenges in addressing the impacts presented by climate change:
Key Impacts
- As climate changes in the future the built environment will increasingly be impacted by high impact weather events. Flooding in particular poses a key threat and has the potential to impact many thousands of residential and business properties.
- Increasing areas of land are likely to become susceptible to flooding; this will restrict the suitability of large areas of land for development and will increase pressure on land that is suitable.
- The increased need for sustainable urban drainage systems will place further restrictions on land available for building developments.
- Many historical buildings and archaeological sites are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change with a disproportionate number located in vulnerable coastal areas or in regions already particularly affected by extreme weather conditions.
- The public estate, including buildings such as hospitals, schools, universities, community and recreational facilities will be impacted by increased flooding risks and exposure to warmer summer temperatures. Increasing the resilience of the public estate represents a huge logistical and financial challenge.
Key Opportunities
- Innovative design of new buildings and retrofitting of existing ones mean that in many cases the built environment can be created with resilience to climate in mind.
- New developments have the potential to facilitate wider climate change adaptation objectives including the incorporation of habitat networks and the inclusion of sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS).
- Scotland has a strong base of expertise in the field of sustainable urban design providing excellent opportunities for innovative design with the potential to meet the challenges presented by climate change.
What’s happening?
A co-ordinated, cross cutting approach is required in order to ensure that stakeholders across the built environment sector understand and implement measures to reduce the vulnerability of the built environment to the impacts of climate change. The information below outlines some of the key policy drivers and practical action that is already taking place within the sector:
Scotland’s Climate Change Adaptation Framework
The Built Environment sector action plan within Scotland’s Climate Change Adaptation Framework provides an overview of how the sector will continue to address climate change adaptation requirements. The sector action plan will be developed on an ongoing basis through consultation with key stakeholders and information provided by ongoing research and policy implementation.
Scottish Planning Policy
Climate change is identified as a key theme across Scotland’s planning policies:
- Scotland’s National Planning Framework (NPF2) identifies that climate change adaptation poses a key challenge for the planning sector and states that actions outlined in the Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Framework will identify priorities for the sector in seeking to minimise the impacts and maximise the opportunities resulting from the impacts of climate change.
- Scotland’s National Planning Framework (NPF2) is underpinned by Scottish Planning Policy and Planning Advice Notes. Scottish Planning Policy clearly states that climate change adaptation measures should be included as part of the design of new developments: ‘The design of new development should address the causes of climate change by minimising carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions and should include features that provide effective adaptation to the predicted effects of climate change. The changing climate will increase the risk of damage to buildings and infrastructure by flood, storm, landslip and subsidence. Development should therefore normally be avoided in areas with increased vulnerability to the effects of climate change.’
- Several Planning Advice Notes cover some considerations of climate change adaptation, and in particular all documents stress the need for planners to work in partnership with other departments and bodies to manage these issues effectively:
Building Standards
Building regulations and technical guidance are intended to ensure that buildings are safe, efficient and sustainable for all. The Built environment sector action plan states that the Scottish Government will propose changes to building regulations and guidance, including improved guidance on Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems, flooding and other sustainability measures. These changes should ensure that the capacity to adapt to changes in climate is considered in more detail during the building design and construction process.
In February 2012 the Building Standards Division (BSD) within Scottish Government published a report reviewing progress towards progressing the actions identified against BSD in the built environment sector action plan, you can download this report from the Scottish Government website.
Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland is tasked with safeguarding the nation’s historic environment and promoting its understanding and enjoyment. Historic Scotland has been tasked with undertaking research aimed at better understanding the impacts of climate change on the historic environment; an action plan will then be developed to support the implementation of appropriate adaptation responses.
Adaptation action
Advice for Planners
The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) recognises that climate change is transforming the framework of spatial planning and changing its priorities. As part of the RTPI’s 7 commitments to Climate Change, it aims to support and participate in research that provides a sound evidence base about the contribution of planning, land use and development to climate change.
- View the latest information on the RTPI’s 7 commitments to climate change here
- View the RTPI’s Climate Change Compendium: Adaptation of Places here
Environmental Association of Universities and Colleges
80% of Scotland’s universities and colleges have signed up to the Universities and Colleges Climate Commitment for Scotland. This commitment states that Universities and Colleges will assess the risks identified in projected climate change scenarios and ensure safeguarding measures are incorporated in strategic planning, including each estates strategy review. The practical implementation of this commitment will lead to buildings with greater resilience and adaptability to climate change.
More Information
- The adaptation section of the Energy Savings Trust Scottish Planners Pack provides planners with practical help and advice on incorporating climate change adaptation into development planning and management.
- The report ‘Climate Change Adaptation by Design’ (Town and Country Planning Association 2007) considers how adaptation options are influenced by geographical location and the scale of development. It considers the interrelated roles of the planning system, communities, other stakeholders and delivery bodies and seeks to ensure a better understanding of climate risks while demonstrating effective adaptation strategies through case studies from around the world.