The National Climate Assessment report on the impacts of climate change on the United States outlined the effects of climate change, such as heat waves, flooding, drought, and more frequent extreme weather.
In 2013, Arlington adopted a transformative Community Energy Plan which aimed to reduce Arlington's greenhouse gas emissions by 75 percent by 2050. This came as Virginia continues to feel the impact of rising sea-level.
With buildings contributing to 39 percent of carbon dioxide emission in the United States, Arlington has to come up with creative ways to solve its shortage of affordable homes and still keep up with its 2050 vision. According to an article at Greater Greener Washington the shortage of affordable homes has become even more pressing given Amazon’s decision to move one of its new headquarters to Arlington.
Vertical Forest
http://https://www.curbed.com/2017/8/9/16059384/vertical-forest-italy-climate-change
Bosco Verticale which translates to Vertical Forest is a creative concept that may solve the housing problem and climate change in Arlington. The brainchild of Italian architect Stefano Boeri, the concept involves two residential towers that are covered with greenery. The first 'vertical forest' was done in 2014 in Milan and involved two towers with over 100 apartments between them and hosted nearly 500 medium and large trees, 300 small trees, 5,000 shrubs, and 11,000 plants.
According to Boeri, trees are the cheapest and most efficient way to absorb carbon dioxide. The 20,000 trees and plants across the pair of towers can transform approximately 44,000 pounds of carbon dioxide into oxygen each year. The trees can also keep temperatures cool indoors and filter out fine dust particles and noise pollution from the traffic below.
“I really hope many other architects, many other urban planners, many politicians will be in the condition to replicate and improve what we have done,” Boeri said.
Green roof Project
Although vertical forest is yet to reach the Arlington, there has been an increasing number of green roofs project throughout the state of Virginia. The green roofs which consist of plants and soils that collect and absorb rain waters have been shown to lessen the force of stormwater runoff, reduce pollution and clean the air.
The green roofs also produce shade and help to cool buildings, which is especially beneficial in urban areas such as Arlinton where building materials retain heat. One of the buildings in Virginia with a green roof is the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Pollak Building.
