Foster + Partners has launched a sustainability manifesto that outlines its methodology for designing buildings that will go beyond current environmental certification schemes to meet the demands of the Paris Agreement.
The Norman Foster-led studio developed its evaluation methodology, which is outlined in its eight-page manifesto, as it believes that designing buildings to current environmental standards will not reduce carbon emissions enough to meet the requirements of the Paris climate agreement.
Current standards don't go far enough
Foster + Partners calculates that even if buildings are designed to meet the standards set by current certification schemes this will still lead to a three degree celsius rise in global temperatures.
To meet the Paris Agreement's target of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees celsius its buildings need to be more environmentally efficient. "Our research over the past few decades has shown that even if all new and existing buildings are designed or refitted to comply with best practice, as set by the many international green building certification schemes, global temperatures would still rise by three degrees celsius," said Chris Trott,  head of sustainability at Foster + Partners.
"Therefore, we must find ways of reducing the increase by a further 1.5 degrees celsius."
Embodied carbon "generally missed by other rating schemes"
Foster + Partners' methodology, which will be offered to all future cli...