Page 39 - ZEB Final Report 2009-2017

Adapting Buildings to a Changing Norwegian Climate | 39

Understanding why damage caused by impacts from
Berit Time climatic loads happens, and learning how to reduce such
Chief Scientist, SINTEF damage is crucial to the design and function of buildings in
cold climates. The trend of the last 20–30 years, with milder,
wetter autumns and winters and more storms along the coast
of Norway, will continue and create new conditions for building
Extreme weather, increased focus on global warming, and and construction work.
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climate change at the end of the 20 century have provided
the motivation for recent research on the climate adaption of Important for the industry
buildings. The built environment has a life expectancy of from 60 to over
100 years per building. The implications of climate change on
New demands buildings constructed over the next few decades must be studied
Buildings account for about 40% of all primary energy use today. Knowledge about the potential effects of climate change
and contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. on the built environment, and how we can best adapt to these
A combination of making buildings more energy-efficient changes, together with knowledge about weather protection
and using more renewable energy is a key to meeting global during the construction process, will be of utmost importance
challenges related to climate change and resource shortages. for the construction industry for years to come.
This constitutes the background for the establishment for ZEB
– The Centre on Zero Emission Buildings.
The historical development of Norwegian building traditions Berit Time was keynote at the The Finnish Building
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incorporates both adaptation to different preconditions for Physics Symposium in Tampere, Finland, October 27
the use of buildings and for varying styles of architecture, but 2009. Oficial title: Adaption of buildings to a changing
also adjustment to the extreme climatic variations in Norway. climate in Norway – recent and future research work.
Berit is currently Centre Director for SFI Klima 2050.
Changes in building practice also reflect economic development
and new demands on the standard of living.