doing nothing

These approaches involve choosing to ‘do nothing’ (or nearly nothing). Proponents of this emphasise that this is as conscious a choice as ‘doing something’. These approaches can be low-carbon by having low or zero embodied carbon.

Public Loitering Area

Adaptive Actions

Place Léon Aucoc

Lacaton & Vassal

References:

Untapped. [n.d.]. “The Architecture of Doing Nothing,” Untappedjournal.com <https://www.untappedjournal.com/issues/issue-7/edwin-heathcote-architecture-of-doing-nothing> [accessed 25 February 2024]

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Embodied carbon is 'the emissions from the construction materials, the building process, [...] as well as from deconstructing and disposing of [the building] at the end of it’s lifetime' (UCL).

The figures featured on this website were calculated using Structure Workshop's Carbon Calculator v4 (unless otherwise stated).

Each case study includes carbon equivalents - the equivalent barrels of oil burnt and the equivalent hectares of US forest growth per annum to offset it. The figures these are based on are available here.

Find the carbon database here. Submit a case study here.

In future the website aims to compare 'whole life carbon' - this is 'the carbon emissions resulting from the materials, construction and the use of a building over its entire life, including its demolition and disposal' (Greater London Authority, 2022).