Ivana Stankovic

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Master of Science Thesis 2005/06 KTH, Stockholm 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 The context Environmental changes we are facing today are a world-wide problem of human interactions. Media are full of warnings: climate change … pollution … global warming ... necessity for immediate action … World leaders are debating on the reliability of the data presented by scientists. While some scientists are warning that it is already too late to save the earth from an ice age, others stay skeptics on the human influence on the climate and the amount of changes we create. At the same time, sustainable development trends are becoming part of all human activities. It brings to human society numerous intellectual challenges. The well known Brundtland Report defines sustainable development as: ‘Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs’. The built environment, as a major supporter to human existence, is related to all human activities. It has a significant impact to the environment, since nature provides all the resources needed for construction, operation, and maintenance, while nature receives back all waste products. The unsustainable use of land, energy, water, and materials, which is still a characteristic for most developers in the construction industry, must change if we want to sustain the world we live in for the future generations. Currently there are 6.49 billion people living on Earth. The prediction is that by 2050 the population will rise to more than 9 billion. In 1950, 30% of the world’s population lived in urban areas. The prediction by the UNHabitat is that more than half will be living in urban areas by 2008. The number is expected to rise up to 60% by 2030. The rates of urbanization are different for developing and developed countries, but nevertheless the figures are alarming. In high income countries, somewhere around 1% of new buildings are being built each year, while the remaining 99% of the built stock in total are old buildings that are still in use. Building regulations are changing as the new demands are set for protection of the environment. A majority of new building projects are required to comply with them. Buildings are becoming more efficient and environmentally friendly in terms of construction, materials, energy efficiency, operation, and maintenance. Unfortunately, the majority of the built environment represent old buildings built under none or old regulations, with no environmental considerations. They consume a lot of energy and resources for regular operation and maintenance, affecting watersheds, air quality, transportation, and living patterns of communities. Buildings account for one-sixth of the world’s freshwater withdrawals, onequarter of its wood harvest, and two-fifths of its material and energy, leaving a large negative impact on the environment and health. 1 In the cities, centers are mostly defined by the old building stock. Old buildings are heritage, and they represent the character, culture, and history of the city. Therefore it is important to maintain them. Unfortunately, some city centers are becoming less desirable places to live, work, and play in. In addition, old buildings often cannot meet the demands of a modern man, in a need of new infrastructure services. A significant part of my growing up was in the centre of Belgrade, where I finished my primary and secondary education. My connection to the city centre is also partly established through my father who grew up in the same area. His stories about the life in the city 50 years ago and my 1 Cortese, A. (2005) Features Integrating Sustainability in the Learning Community, Facilities Manager, Volume 21, Number 1, January/February 2005, article available at: http://www.appa.org/FacilitiesManager/articleDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=2255&parentid=2248, retrieved: Dec 2005 Ivana Stankovic 2
Master of Science Thesis 2005/06 KTH, Stockholm memories that go back to 28 years ago, allowed me to view, compare, and analyze the current state of the city centre. Even though almost all buildings were built before the mid 1960s, many changes have occurred in the area. My interest and concern for the existing building stock, specifically housing, was brought after a lecture given by my supervisor Örjan Svane, associate professor at KTH. As an architect, my previous education focused only on designing new buildings, fitting them into the existing, mostly urban matrix. I chose to specialize in bioclimatic architecture design, having a strong sense for nature and a wish to create pleasant environments in harmony with the surroundings we live in. With my newly established awareness of the great share in consumption and environmental impacts of the existing building stock, I have found it very interesting and challenging to observe, understand, and investigate possibilities for its sustainable redevelopment. The fact that only 28% of the dwellings in the EU were built after 1973-1975 (in Belgrade perhaps even less), when new regulations were introduced as a result of the energy crisis, poses an urge to address the group of ‘older’ buildings in order to primarily reduce the huge amount of energy they consume. 2 With my personal background I could see no better place for such research than Belgrade’s city centre. Furthermore, in Serbia, due to the bad financial and social situation over the past years, which led to further degradation of the building stock, the necessity for sustainable redevelopment is even higher. The central city area of Belgrade was mainly built between World War I and II. Within the research site, the last legally built buildings were built in the mid 1960s. Most buildings are housing which are, due to the ongoing social and economic changes, turning into offices. 1.2 The thesis The overall aim of this thesis is to create a flexible framework for upgrading the physical environment in order to ensure long term improvements in the environmental, social, and economic conditions leading to better quality of life and sustainable living. My focus is multifamily housing. In order to develop a meaningful framework, it has been necessary to do an intensive study of sustainable development issues, various guidelines and case studies, analyze different approaches and then develop my own approach. Sustainable development can be achieved only through involvement of all stakeholders. 3 In order to develop a successful framework it was necessary to test it by involving stakeholders in research. Since achieving benefits for future stakeholders through sustainable development is the main target, a part of the thesis work was to investigate different stakeholder groups and finally perform action research with primary school children. Children are believed to have the highest stakes in the future, but their opinions and needs are rarely considered in decisions affecting the future of our communities. Furthermore, children can give good and fresh ideas for the development. Once they feel that they can contribute to the development of their surroundings, it is believed that they take responsibility for their actions. Therefore long term benefits can be achieved. Finally, results from action research with children are analyzed through the professional prism, using different policies and goals for the development. They are formed as a guideline with instruments and means for achieving the better future. Hopefully, the proposed framework and solutions could be used as a principle for “upgrading” other parts of Belgrade as well. I see the topic of this thesis as a challenge and a beginning, full of possibilities for further research and development, involvement of other researchers, stakeholders, and authorities. 2 David, H. Sustainable renovation of the existing housing stock, Institute for Housing and Urban Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Oct 2001, document downloaded from http://www.eurima.org/downloads/Rotterdam.pdf, retrieved: Dec 2005 3 The document of the Aarhus Convention is available at: http://www.unece.org/env/pp/ Ivana Stankovic 3
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