The climate change discourse is touching all fields and aspects of scientific inquiry and research, as well as everyday life. This paper reviews some of the more pronounced aspects of planning and building design that are directly related to climatic issues. It attempts to show how the exacerbation of climatic extremes and ‘freak’ weather events influences people's living and working environments, and why the formulation of alternative, climate adapted principles and practices is no longer a ‘luxury’ that can remain along the fringes of the planning and building disciplines.
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