Speakers: Luciano Villalba, Ailén Acosta, Velázquez Diego, Marcelo Stipcich, Simone Sandholz, Nathalie Sänger, Patrick Sanady, Tania Vachon, Christina Eisenbarth
Luciano Villalba, Velázquez DiegoThe Sixth Assessment IPPC report states clearly that climate adaptation in vulnerable regions is a matter of action that requires urgent and just transformations. In Latin America, vulnerability to climate change, like wealth, is unfairly distributed: those who contribute less to carbon emissions because they have very low or subsistence incomes, live in poor housing conditions and lack access to public services and infrastructures.
In this context, innovations that can contribute to solving more than one of these factors at once are especially relevant. However, there are plenty of examples in which “good” ideas conceived by academic or institutional actors to be implemented by “vulnerable people” fail to succeed. Often, this failure is related to the lack of participation of non-academic actors in the design process and to a misregard vis-à-vis non-academic knowledge.
In this oral presentation, we discuss the results of a transdisciplinary project in which researchers and social organizations co-designed a panel based on recycled polystyrene foam (EPSr) to insulate houses in vulnerable neighbourhoods in the city of Tandil, Argentina. We describe how the transdisciplinary alliance evolved and the role different actors assumed over time; how context influenced project dynamics and outcomes; the impact of the project on the houses where we installed the panels; the main challenges the team faced.
In conclusion, we discuss to what extents transdisciplinarity projects like this can foster systemic change in the form of sustainability transformation and climate-resilient development, keeping the protagonism of non-academic actors, and what are the main barriers that would allow a wide-spreading of this kind of innovations.
Urban sustainability transformation – What is it actually and how can you make it happen?
Simone Sandholz, Nathalie Sänger, Patrick Sanady
Transformation is increasingly seen as one – if not the only – path to sustainable and zero-carbon futures. The same is true for transformation of urban areas, which are home to more than half of the world’s population. Due to unsustainable and excessive use of resources, unplanned urbanization and other factors, cities are a cause of climate change. At the same time cities are witnessing climate change and disaster impacts, putting urban inhabitants at risk. Hence cities are part of the problem, but at the same time they possess a huge potential to become vital parts and enablers of transformation processes. However, literature remains largely theoretical and conceptual, lacking actionable knowledge. Transformation literature is scattered and uses different frameworks, or even refers to general transformation needs without the use of a definition or theory. So far, there is no consensus at all around what such transformation actually should look like, how it is defined, implemented or evaluated. Based on a systematic literature survey on urban sustainability transformation this presentation therefore seeks to provide a comprehensive overview on the understanding(s) of transformation in urban contexts, as well as related frameworks and theories. Transformation case studies from cities across the globe given in the publications are assessed regarding the sectors mentioned, actors involved, and actions taken. In addition, key barriers and enablers of urban transformation are identified to allow for conclusions on how transformation can succeed. Thereby the presentation seeks to contribute to both advancing research as well as facilitating practical implementation of transformation.
The transformative power of art to inspire, activate and sustain behaviour change
Tania Vachon
Resilient water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) systems must go beyond building or rehabilitating water infrastructure. Despite billions of dollars invested in WASH infrastructure, one in three people globally lack access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services due to a continued failure to invest in the systems underpinning their service delivery.1 It is increasingly clear that sustainable change will only happen if user needs and desires are centered in the development of these systems. And what do humans do? They behave following rules dictated by societal and systemic norms and values. As such, behavioural changes are needed to start and maintain WASH systems. Supporting local artists in communities plays an instrumental role in WASH system change. Through their deep connection to the local context, through their imagination and creativity, they generate a fun and enabling environment, translating complex and often taboo issues into accessible formats that inspire, activate and sustain change. They bridge the art with the non-art and, by doing so, become the mediators of individual and collective change. Projects implemented in the field give social artists a platform to drive collective intelligence: train, explore, elaborate, innovate and share their experiences, learnings and insights so that others can apply them and install an iterative process of innovation and knowledge. This profoundly changes power relationships amongst actors of the development sector, it contributes to reducing discrimination and stigma. We have data to demonstrate great results in Latin America (5 countries) as well as in health care centers in Burkina Faso and communities and schools in Mali. The results from those projects bring very interesting and challenging questions to the development sector overall by introducing decolonized methodologies that recognize the auto-determination of peoples, the notion of endogenous individual choice and community-led evaluations.
Transformative Innovation in Urban Climate Resilience: HydroSKIN Façade for Rainwater Retention and Evaporative Cooling
Christina Sina Eisenbarth
Extreme heat and heavy rainfall events affect urban architecture with considerable personal injuries and material damage on buildings and infrastructure. While social developments lead to increasing urban densification, surface sealing, and the construction of high-rise buildings, the effects of climate change urgently require the creation of more infiltration and buffer surfaces. Building envelopes cover a considerable part of the urban exterior surfaces, and therefore have a significant leverage effect on the climate resilience and sustainability of buildings and cities. HydroSKIN represents a revolutionary façade element for rainwater retention and evaporative cooling. The lightweight textile skin collects the wind-driven rainwater hitting the building façade. Use of the harvested rainwater inside the building e.g., for toilet flushing and plant irrigation aims to a reduction of fresh water and energy consumption. In heat periods water is released by HydroSKIN to cool the interior and exterior environment by evaporation. The aim is a drastic reduction of urban inundation and heat risks by relieving the sewage infrastructure and providing natural microclimate regulation with a minimal amount of embedded mass, energy, and CO2 emissions. Due to its lightweight system design, the façade add-on element is suitable for both new and existing building façades. The core element of HydroSKIN is a so-called spacer fabric, which consists of two textile layers that are kept apart by threads and so are well ventilated. The high rate of air circulation facilitates the evaporation of water and enhances the cooling effect of the facade. On the outside, the spacer fabric is covered by a water-permeable textile layer, which allows almost all raindrops to penetrate and at the same time protects the fabric from impurities. A film on the inside drains the water into the lower thread system.