Biodiversidade no Ambiente Construído

Globalmente, o formação indústria responde por 40% (ou 3 bilhões de toneladas cúbicas) de matérias-primas into the economy every year. It is arguably one of the most resource-intensive and environmentally damaging industries in the world. While the focus in the industry has primarily been around decarbonisation and reaching net-zero carbon built environments, we cannot ignore the impact construction is having on biodiversidade.

Construction projects have the potential, and too often do, impact on natural habitats, affecting wildlife and plant species. In addition to construction projects, the processes used to produce the raw materials are also affecting the biodiversity of the area.

Species extinction rates are soaring, with 28% das espécies animais e vegetais do mundo estão agora ameaçadas de extinção. (2022) Ou, vendo de outra forma, há um total de 42,108 espécies ameaçadas de extinção segundo Statista.

Scientists are warning of an ongoing collapse of biodiversity, and threat of a “sixth mass extinction”. With more than half of the world’s population living in urban areas and urbanisation expected to reach 68% by 2050, significant areas of natural land and habitats are being removed. Combining the rise in extinction rates with the rise in urbanisation, cities are an essential factor in sustaining biodiversity.

No Brasil, na África Ocidental e no Sudeste Asiático, vemos áreas urbanas em rápida expansão em diversos ambientes naturais, com consequências destrutivas para a biodiversidade. Estamos vendo os efeitos também no Reino Unido. Um relatório de Hayhow et al (2016) mostraram que 56% das espécies do Reino Unido diminuíram entre 1970 e 2013, e que a biodiversidade no Reino Unido está pior do que em muitos outros países.

Por que a biodiversidade é importante?

Biodiversidade é a forma abreviada de duas palavras “biológico” e “diversidade”. Refere-se a toda a variedade de vida que pode ser encontrada na Terra (plantas, animais, fungos e microrganismos), bem como às comunidades que formam e aos habitats em que vivem.

The natural environment provides the basic conditions without which humans could not survive. Ecosystem services are the benefits provided by ecosystems. These include providing food, water, timber, fibre, and genetic resources; regulating services such as the regulation of climate, floods, disease, and water quality as well as waste treatment; cultural services such as recreation, aesthetic enjoyment, and spiritual fulfillment and supporting services such as soil formation, pollination, and nutrient cycling.

O governo do Reino Unido em 2008 declarou que:

With everyday life dependent on ecosystem services, we need to do more to prioritise biodiversity and give it the regard it deserves, if we want to develop sustainable and healthy urban life.

While there is more action needed, there is progress being made in understanding the importance of biodiversity and the effect it is having in the construction industry. Singapore is transforming itself into a “Cidade na Natureza“. This includes species recovery plans for 100 species of plants and 60 species of animals, and have each household within a 10-minute walk from a park. 

O Fórum Económico Mundial lançou recentemente o BiodiverCidades até 2030 iniciativa. Em maio de 2021, o Reino Unido tornou-se o primeiro país a comprometer-se com um acordo juridicamente vinculativo meta de abundância de espécies para 2030.

In 2019, the UK Government announced that new developments would be required to demonstrate a 10% increase in biodiversity to gain planning approval. This “Biodiversity Net Gain” (BNG) is an approach to embed and demonstrate biodiversity enhancement within development.

Envolve primeiro evitando e minimizando a perda de biodiversidade as far as possible, and achieving measurable net gains that contribute towards local and strategic biodiversity priorities.  It becomes law in November 2023.

Ganho líquido em biodiversidade – Ouça o principal advogado ambiental do Reino Unido, Ben Stansfield 

Que progressos houve até agora?

O ambiente construído pode promover habitats multiespécies?

Fostering biodiversity and multi-species habitats can be achieved by creating habitat opportunities as part of new developments, protecting on-site habitats, and seeking to link them with others further afield. Biodiversity can be fostered by including planted roofs, green facades, roadside trees, together with larger green infrastructure like parks and wetlands. This will provide habitat for breeding, shelter and food for birds, pollinators and other animals. During the construction phase, components can be fabricated off-site to minimise the highly disruptive process for local fauna and flora. When it comes to brownfield sites, which feature rich ecosystems, biodiversity conservation is even more critical for developments.

Alguns arquitectos e urbanistas estão a trazer a biodiversidade para o primeiro plano dos seus projectos. Um exemplo é Stefano Boeri Architetti. The studio is already transforming modern buildings into breathing organisms to regenerate urban biodiversity and ultimately mitigate climate change.

Eles estão por trás das “Florestas Verticais” em várias cidades, incluindo Nanjing, Paris, Milão, Eindhoven, Utrecht e Antuérpia. In each city, the Vertical Forest undergoes a design iteration to tailor a unique design to its urban ecosystem. In Nanjing, the chosen plants are indigenous to the region and capable of absorbing 20 tonnes a year of CO2 and producing 10 tonnes a year of oxygen.

In the centre of Milan, the building is capable of absorbing 30 tons of CO2 a year. Not only does it absorb CO2, it also produces oxygen, absorbs the dust and other urban pollution, and the buildings feature rooftop photovoltaic panels, while greywater is reused as irrigation for the flora. 

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