Breaking even: Carbon-neutral high-rise envelope design and engineering for extreme tropical climate impacts

The pathway to sustainable and resilient buildings and urban habitat winds right through the building facade. Tall building facades are a particular concern in tropical cities subject to extreme weather events. Solutions that resist storm impacts at the cost of amplified materiality are problematic, as they add to the embodied carbon lifecycle footprint. Rather, minimalist solutions that flex in the face of extreme impacts, absorbing shocks and minimizing stresses to primary building systems with quick recovery and minimal damage are the way forward. This forward-looking session considers carbon neutrality in the context of tall buildings in tropical climes and explores the potential shape of urban futures that balances the often-competing demands of carbon neutrality and resilience.