CIB is hosting a new seminar series in partnership with Purdue University – hear from leading global built environment researchers
The series will feature Coordinators from many of CIB’s Working Commissions, and Michael Lacasse will host this seminar.
Title: Nature-based solutions for buildings and communities – An overview
Abstract: The building sector is responsible for nearly 40% of global direct and indirect CO2 emissions and buildings account for 28% of global energy-related GHG emissions; this share is even greater in large cities. Strategic implementation and maintenance of urban green infrastructure (UGI), which includes trees, vegetation, green roofs and vegetated facades, can reduce urban CO2 emissions and support necessary climate change adaptations.
While promising an array of cost-effective options for municipal climate action, these nature-based solutions provide many public policy co-benefits, such as enhanced urban livability. As well, and though there has been research in the area of urban design through the use of urban modelling software tools, additional work is needed in further developing such tools to permit adapting to and mitigating the effects of climate change in urban agglomerations. In this brief presentation, an overview is given of the planned programme of activities for CIB’s Task Group 97 and the expected outcomes from the collaboration amongst research groups located in 9 countries around the globe.
Biography
Dr. Lacasse is a senior research officer in the Construction Research Centre of NRC having over 30 years’ experience as a researcher in building technologies and engineering.
He joined NRC in 1991 and is currently Interim Team leader for the Low-carbon assets through life cycle assessment initiative. He is also project coordinator and a lead researcher within NRC’s Infrastructure Canada’s Climate Resilience Built Environment research program, working on the durability of the building envelope to changing climate loads, the risk to overheating in living and working spaces due to heat extreme events arising from climate change and updating of building codes and standards to permit adapting building enclosures to a changing climate.
Dr. Lacasse is a board member of CIB and coordinator to CIB W080 (SL Prediction) & TG97 (Nature based solutions). As well, he supports the standing committee on “Environmental separation” for the National Building Code of Canada and also chairs ISO TC 59 SC14 on “Design Life”.
