Complexity of sustainable and resilient building design and urban development

Abstract

Given the sizable contribution of the building industry to greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing the capacity of the building industry to mitigate climate change is critical. Sustainable design and development strategies can lead to significant reductions in energy consumption as well as minimizing the carbon footprint of buildings. The following paper provides an overview of the complex issues, current design and development processes, and barriers in achieving goals of sustainable and resilient built environments.