James Wescoat: Climate, energy, and water-conserving design
Landscape architect James Wescoat discusses water supply and other hydroclimatological conditions in major American cities.
Water
In nearly all American cities, clean drinking water is available with the turn of the tap. Behind the spigot, however, is an energy-intensive system of legacy infrastructure governed by layers of policy and administration. How can the carbon intensity of providing a clean and adequate water supply be minimized, and what can design and planning contribute to that goal?
The Five Thousand Pound Life: Water brought together twelve experts in water resource design and management — from architects to geographers to former government officials — to address issues of water supply in the context of climate change. The event was organized by The Architectural League and The Cooper Union Institute for Sustainable Design and held on February 7, 2015.
The symposium addressed regional and climatological differences in water supply and management through case study sessions on Los Angeles, the Great Lakes region, and New York City. The day opened with a lecture on “Climate, Energy, and Water-Conserving Design” and closed with a panel discussion, “A Conversation on Water Supply.”
Opening Remarks
In the opening lecture of The Five Thousand Pound Life: Water, James Wescoat establishes context for the subsequent regional case studies and provides an overview of water resources management in the context of climate change.
Case Studies
The symposium focused on issues of water supply in the context of climate change by examining case studies on Los Angeles, the Great Lakes region, and New York City.
Closing Remarks
The closing panel discussion of The Five Thousand Pound Life: Water touched on ecological literacy, community health, and integrative approaches to climate change mitigation.