The Dilemma of Sustainable Architecture in Gulf Cities

Unsustainable Developments & Energy Conservation

Ali A. Alraouf, Ph.D.University of Bahrain, Faculty of Engineering

Dept. of Architecture

Why energy is a World Challenge?

Global Warming is Real

In 2003, the hottest European summer on record claimed 35,000 lives

In 2004, the US lived through its most costly hurricane season on record, with $42B in

hurricane-related damages

The future? The Day After Tomorrow

Transport

34%

Industry

22%

Energy Consumption in the UK by sector

Source: Energy Consumption in the UK, DTI

Buildings 44%

Industry 22%

Transport 34%

Energy Consumption in Building and construction Sector.

Contemporary Understanding

Sustainable,Green,Smart,

Intelligent,or

Traditional Architecture:

Towards a Definition of Smart Architecture: Smart, Intelligent or Sustainable.

I've never heard of a building with auto exposure before. Great idea! Looks like a lot of moving parts -- an engineering nightmare -- hope it doesn't break too often!

Intelligent Architecture

IBM head office in Subang Jaya (Malaysia).Ken Yeang, architect

Bioclimatic city.Ken Yeang, architect

Smart Traditional Precedents.“Treat the earth well. It was not

given to you by your parents. It was loaned to you by your children” Kenyan Proverb.

The Intelligence of Appropriateness

"We seem to know the COST ofeverything and the VALUE of nothing."  Oscar Wilde

The Traditional Patterns of Smart Architecture

Yazd City, Iran

Contemporary Regional Examples

Hassan Fathy in his studio

Gulf Cities 21st Century Challenges.

Istanbul

Cairo

Florence

Athens

World Traditional Cities

Jeddah

Dubai Bahrain

Traditional Gulf Cities

Los Angeles

Houston

Detroit

Phoenix

North American model – car dependent

Dubaization Phenomenon

.

The Emergence of a New Urban Brand

Energy Conservation & Built Environment

Urban Growth & Resource Use

From 1900 to 2000 human numbers increased four fold – from 1.5 to 6 billion

Resource consumption and urban populations went up sixteen fold

Every year we burn at least one million year’s worth of fossil fuels

Cities, on 3-4% of the world’s land surface use 80% of its resources, and discharge most solid, liquid and gaseous waste

Dynamics of Change

24

Increasing

Energy demandEnergy costsCO2 emissions Climate instability Sea levels

Decreasing

Fossil fuel reservesNatural resourcesTime left for action

Cost of renewable energy

Suggested StrategiesNew Paradigm: New Concepts

Transport Alternatives

The imperative of low carbon transport The potential of the ‘solar suburb’ The huge potential of hybrid technology Avoidance of unnecessary travel The importance of compact urban form Localisation and interconnection New emphasis on cycling and pedestrian

living

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

For distances up to 0.7 km it is faster to walk than to go by car

For distances up to 4.6 km it is faster to cycle than to go by car

For distances up to 10 km, it is faster to go by underground than to go by car

Distance (km)

Tim

e

Source: J. Whitelegg, Transport for a Sustainable Future

Urban Distances

Conserve Better Generate

•Solar technology can produce 200 times more energy per surface area than photo-synthesis.•Intra-urban: solar thermal, PV and CHP plus energy efficiency. •Suburban: turning the suburb into a solar power station.•Ex-urban: Large scale solar plus on- and off-shore wind farms.

Sustainable energy for cities

Learning from Traditional Architecture and Urbanism.

Notes on Architectural Education

CONCLUDING REMARKSQUESTIONS, CRITICAL ISSUES & SUGGESTIONS

Gulf

Pre

-2002

2002

2005

2011

2015

28% reduction?

25% reduction?

25% reduction?

EN

ER

GY

US

E

Staying ahead of the game

Seven Areas of Sustainable Design

Site and Climatic

Response

Form and Massing

ExternalEnvelope

InternalEnvironment

EnvironmentalSystems

Energy andWater

Materials

Thank You Ali A. Alraouf

Towards Smart,

& Appropriate Architecture & nUrbanism