The need to respond to the rapidly changing city climate is particularly urgent in the tropics where the urban transition is currently at its peak. While the need is clearly felt by the tropical urban dwellers, texts that provide an overview of the problem and indicate possible design solutions are rare. This comprehensive reference will be welcomed by student and practising architects as well as other built envronment professionals engaged with the environmental effects of building in worldwide warm and humid climates.

The 'fit for purpose' of the built environment has been a focus of attention since classical times, both in the West and in the East. However, an explicit focus on 'sustainable buildings' is relatively new. The last two decades in particular have seen an explosion of published material on the design, construction and assessment of buildings purported to be 'sustainable.' Many governments and owners of buildings now routinely require their buildings be 'sustainable' and are certified to be so. In the case of sustainability certification, the recent growth in tools, techniques and assessment systems is phenomenal: even as early as 2005 there were over 600 such tools in different parts of the world! New ones sprout all the time and design guides attempt a losing battle to keep pace. This new title in Routledge's Major Works series brings together authoritative canonical and cutting edge reference work to establish a framework for easy comprehension of the vast and continually expanding subject matter. It is a four-volume reference work and an indispensable research tool for all interested researchers, students, building owners and policy-makers to gain a thorough understanding of the field. It showcases a variety of approaches to sustainable buildings from around the world and links these to on-site construction practices and assessment. Comprehensive introductions to each volume place the collected material in its historical, intellectual, and global practice context.

Three broad sectors of the economy are generally recognised as key to a low carbon future: energy, construction and transportation. Of these, carbon management in the built environment remains the least well-studied.

This much-needed book brings together the latest developments in the field of climate change science, building design, materials science, energy and policy in a form readily accessible to both students of the built environment and practitioners. Although several books exist in the broad area of carbon management, this is the first to bring together carbon management technology, technique and policy as they apply to the building sector.

Clear and succinct sections on the overarching principles, policies, approaches and technologies are combined with case studies and more in-depth coverage of the most relevant topics. It explains how to produce a simple carbon footprint calculation, while also being an informative guide for those developing or implementing more advanced approaches. This easy to read book is the ideal primer for anyone needing to get to grips with carbon management in the built environment.

Three broad sectors of the economy are generally recognized as key to a low carbon future: energy, construction and transportation. Of these, carbon management in the built environment remains the least well-studied.

This much-needed book brings together the latest developments in the field of climate change science, building design, materials science, energy and policy in a form readily accessible to both students of the built environment and practitioners. Although several books exist in the broad area of carbon management, this is the first to bring together carbon management technology, technique and policy as they apply to the building sector.

Clear and succinct sections on the overarching principles, policies, approaches and technologies are combined with case studies and more in-depth coverage of the most relevant topics. It explains how to produce a simple carbon footprint calculation, while also being an informative guide for those developing or implementing more advanced approaches. This easy to read book is the ideal primer for anyone needing to get to grips with carbon management in the built environment.

The need to respond to the rapidly changing city climate is particularly urgent in the tropics where the urban transition is currently at its peak. While the need is clearly felt by the tropical urban dwellers, texts that provide an overview of the problem and indicate possible design solutions are rare. This comprehensive reference will be welcomed by student and practising architects as well as other built envronment professionals engaged with the environmental effects of building in worldwide warm and humid climates.

Among the places worst hit by climate change are areas of high urban growth in the warm, humid tropics of Asia and Latin America. In these places, the global trend of rapid urbanisation and conditions of local warming compound the effects of climate change.This three-part book explores the unique local climate consequences of urban growth trajectories of tropical cities and provides strategies and design approaches to enhance the quality of life of tropical urban dwellers in the face of urban warming. Part One considers the philosophical basis of the climate challenge in this context and investigates tropical urbanism from the viewpoints of urban activity patterns and the notion of 'thermal pleasure'. Part Two explores specific, practical techniques in enhancing ventilation, shading and greenery as well as the challenges in local climate assessment in the tropics. Part Three explores the barriers and future opportunities for climate-sensitive urban planning and presents specific examples of good practice, contextualized within the wider global debate on adapting to climate change. Urban Climate Challenges in the Tropics is an indispensable companion for planners, designers, architects and students of all levels.