Architecture and the built environment. The built environment is the "collection of man-made or induced physical objects located in a particular area or region" (ISO 21929-1, 2011, p. 3) understood to encompass "all of the buildings, spaces and products that are created or significantly modified by humans" (Health Canada, 1997, p. 12) and in this context comprises: Buildings and structures Facilities and networks for communication Facilities and networks for transport Plants, facilities, and networks for water supply and wastewater treatment Plants, facilities, and networks for solid waste treatment Plants, facilities, and networks for energy production and distribution. The building and construction sector alone is responsible for 10-40% of countries’ GDP, as well as 10% of employment (UNEP, 2009). The sector is not only the largest consumer of natural resources, in terms of both land use and materials extraction, but is also responsible for 30-40% of global primary energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Huovila et al., 2007). Residential and commercial building operational energy consumption alone accounts for 29% of global, and 34% of European primary energy use (EIA, 2011). While there are many current initiatives that aim to reduce the impact of the built environment on the natural environment, according to the United Nations: "…there is still a clear lack of initiatives aiming at addressing global issues from a life-cycle perspective of the built environment" (Xxxxxxx et al., 2007, p. 1). Architecture is a discipline that involves a broad variety of perspectives, dealing with "the creation, transformation and interpretation of the built environment and the articulation of space at various scales" (EAAE, 2012, p. 1), ranging from buildings to public spaces, landscape and urban design. At the urban scale, components and parameters for architectural and spatial quality include infrastructure, urban form, proximity to facilities and functions, access to green areas, building typology and morphology, transition between different urban areas and city boundaries (Alexander et al., 1977; Xxxx, 2011; Jacobs, 1961; Xxxxx, 1990, 1984; Xxxxxx, 1997). At the building scale, examples include views, isolation and contact, internal and external arrangements, transition between public and private domains, and perceived density (Xxxxxxxx, 1981; Xxxx, 2011; Xxxxxxxx, 1994; Xxxxx, 1995). Resilience of architecture is thus imperative for people’s quality of life and the spatial quality of the environme...
