1.5 ConEd Learning Hours
1.5 AIA LU

 
A currently ongoing Master’s of Architecture thesis (to be completed by the conference date), this presentation will cover how climate data and bio-climatic design can influence buildings in the Arctic. The site of study is currently an Arctic Research Station in Labrador, 200 km away from any permanent settlement and experiencing the rapid changes of climate change. Through an understanding of quantitative predictive changes in the climate (permafrost thaw, wind current breakdown, heating day changes, and precipitation changes), both passive and active strategies will be designed and integrated into the building to create something ‘futureproofed’—that is, built to not only withstand but also adapt to the changes beyond the community’s control. The project will also be a partner for socio-cultural sustainability, providing an economic opportunity for its neighbouring communities, a place to incorporate Inuit stories and land-use practices, and programmatically allow for self-sufficiency of the remote site through food production, lodging, and emergency services.

Learning Objectives:

 
1. Learn about the need and potential for self-sufficiency.
2. Understand various building adaptions.
3. Gain an appreciation for issues related to food insecurity.
4. Understand the use of climate predictions.

Speaker

 
Sarah Wetteskind, B.A.S, M.Arch Candidate (student, McEwen School of Architecture)

Sarah Wetteskind is an M.Arch candidate (expected completion April 2022) whose interest and research focuses on understanding and incorporating climate science within building technology and design. From working in Newfoundland and Labrador as well as Norway, she has developed a sensitivity for northern and coastal climates as well as those which are highly vulnerable to climate change. This has evolved into a thesis project revolving around bracing Arctic infrastructure for the future.