Climate Change’s Invisible Toll on the Built Environment
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Mohamed Benyahia poses in front of the cracked walls of his house in La Trugalle, France, in May 2023. Extreme heat and drought contracted the soil beneath the home, causing structural damage.
Photographer: Jean Francois Monier/AFP via Getty Images
Buildings constructed under a once-typical climate are buckling under new global warming scenarios: More severe heat waves are degrading roofs and straining HVAC systems, while commonly used asphalt shingles warp and steel rails kink under wild temperature swings. Transportation authorities are also noting more potholes and road degradation, with repair and maintenance costs rising fast.
Investments into building retrofits and clean energy technologies may make a dent in mitigating these problems, but they’re far from comprehensive, reports contributor Patrick Sisson. Today on CityLab: Climate Change Is Killing Buildings in Slow Motion