How applied physics might save the world

In all the movies about superheroes, defying the laws of physics to prevent a major cataclysm is part of the hero job description. But looking into the Summary for Policy makers of the just-released AR6 IPCC 6^th Synthesis Report it is clear that to address the climate crisis, applying the laws of physics on a much larger scale to the task of adaptation and mitigation is crucial.

The summary notes that the gap between ambition as seen in Nationally Determined Contributions and quantifiable action, particularly in relation to adaptation, is much wider than would be consistent with limiting warming to below two degrees centigrade by the end of this century.

We are currently very likely to reach 1.5 degrees of global average temperature rise against baseline before 2050 – the year of the Paris Accord net zero milestone that optimistically aimed for the world to be at less than 1.5 degrees by that year.

As in prior reports, the authors have singled out urban settlements, cities, infrastructure and transport as the most significant opportunity for rapid and effective reduction in emissions. However, in this report the reduction of emissions – mitigation – is consistently partnered with the need for urgent action to address adaptation.

Simply put, our current buildings, communities, infrastructure, food systems and even economic systems are not ready for the escalating impacts of climate change.

In many communities, particularly low-income communities in developed nations and the majority of communities in developing nations and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), homes and other buildings are not designed and constructed in a manner that protects the occupants from the increased mortality and morbidity caused by heatwaves.

We saw this first-hand when the 2022 heatwaves hit. This deadly climate-driven event was estimated to have caused more than 20,000 excess deaths across Western Europe.

We also cannot be complacent about the efforts to date towards mitigation of emissions. According to the report, the success of emissions reductions has been outpaced by the continued growth in emissions. It is like we have been saving money on socks - but have been going into debt to buy extra jewellery. As a result, the global carbon budget is heading into the red zone more rapidly than ever.

This is where the IPCC has clearly signalled the need for integrated approaches that simultaneously address mitigation/reduction of emissions; adaptation/resilience in relation to climate change impacts; and the social equity dimension of ensuring the lowest income communities who are bearing the brunt of impacts are effectively supported.

This holistic lens shifts the discourse well past the prior focus on political levers and enablers.

The call to action is not for more policy, it is for more applied scientific and engineering knowledge that can directly enact improvements to the quality and performance of all buildings, including existing buildings.

The report calls for improved financial flows to adaptation, and greater recognition of the solid links between adaptation, mitigation and long-term economic benefits. As the authors note, measures such as energy-efficiency for buildings and industry, low-carbon mobility infrastructure and improved health and wellbeing for people all have positive financial implications.

The key according to the report is taking a longer-term view that recognises the need to design, construct and retrofit for the conditions we are likely to face in the coming decades, not just current codes and the short-term profit ledger.

And this is where the use of applied physics starts to come to the fore. As multidisciplinary engineers, applied physics is the basis of everything we do when we design, specify, project manage, commission and support lifecycle maintenance of an asset.

It also enables us to see the interconnections between the elements of a building, a neighbourhood, a city or an energy system that either contribute to mitigation and adaptation or cause the opposite effect. A badly-designed building that is exposed to major thermal heat gain and houses vulnerable people will not perform better if the electrical grid supplying it is 100 percent renewable. In fact, the increased use of energy required for cooling worldwide will impact infrastructure reliability and impose additional demands for new carbon-intensive renewable energy developments.

Building physics and the physics of energy systems makes it clear that we need to address the whole – the building envelope, the building systems and the building context including both energy supply and the physical context.

This is where we can change the script of business as usual. We can have the conversation with clients, with stakeholders and across our global business to develop and deliver the integrated solutions that will help address the climate cataclysm.

Every time we use evidence-based innovation to improve a building’s passive performance and reduce its environmental and emissions impact, while also improving the resilience and wellbeing of occupants, it helps save the world. No cape is required – just the courage of our convictions and confidence in our ability to apply science for the greater good.