Seminar
Prof. Dr. Max Welch Guerra, Dr. Nathalie Jean-Baptiste
Note - 3 LP/2 SWS
Global environmental change, such as climate change, will affect and impact cities worldwide. The effects on communities will however be felt most acutely among low-income economies. In that regard, much concern is given to the impact of extreme events on the housing sector in formal and informal settlements. Such impacts may be direct, in terms of damages of urban infrastructure, or indirect, in the form of outbreaks of diseases that affect vulnerable populations. Costal urban areas are particularly at risk. They account for already more than a third of the world’s total population and they are likely to house most of the world’s demographic and economic growth in the next 20 years. Extreme events have disastrous consequences across the globe resulting in financial, social and environmental losses. The world has experienced tremendous challenges to anticipate, cope with and recover from hurricanes, typhoons, flooding, droughts and earthquakes. This will make the whole issue of housing even more relevant in the future. For that reason, we argue that the question of housing in connection with growing demands and pre-conditions for adaptation to climate change needs to be considered in the framing of sustainable housing development.
This course highlights the specific impacts and innovative responses towards climate adaptation in housing particularly at the intersections of formal and informal systems. It discusses how extreme events have transformed the localization, construction and maintenance of housing and particularly what are the drivers and impact of climate-related events and how have they shaped the vulnerability and responses from planning, design and policies in the housing sector.
The course will couple social and ecological research perspectives as well as notion of participatory approaches and different methodologies. It will employ a modality of co-generation of knowledge using tools such as Ketso, serious games and lighting rounds.
Requirements:
Good level of English - ability to discuss, read and contribute to the class in that language.
Basic knowledge of sustainable concepts
Basic knowledge of mixed research methods