World Environment Day: Will the future of construction be green?

This Sunday, June 5th, the whole world celebrates Environment Week . This is an important date to remember the importance of awareness and preservation of natural heritage . The construction industry has always been condemned for its unecological practices – and the sector has been working to change this image . One concept – not so new, but widely discussed now that ESG has gained more relevance – is that of sustainable construction : to apply engineering and civil construction practices in a greener way . The term emerged in the 1970s due to the oil crisis. The concern to seek less aggressive alternatives and to get away from dependence on natural resources has grown. New generations are even more concerned about these issues, after all, they already feel the negative impacts of neglecting Mother Nature. Sustainability is not It's a simple fad , but a real trend that promises to transcend generations.

Will the future be sustainable?

Analyzing the present, it is possible to predict that yes, the future will be sustainable . Brazil is home to most of the world's largest tropical forest, the Atlantic Forest, and preserving this important heritage has become a mission (internal, among Brazilians, as from the rest of the world). Another fact that shows this concern was the growth in the use of renewable energy , especially solar energy. Brazil has 48% of renewable sources in its energy matrix (the world average is 14%). In 2022 , the world broke records in the use of solar energy, and Brazil led among Latin American countries. Specifically regarding sustainable constructions, Brazil ranks 4th as the country that invests the most in green buildings worldwide. CASACOR , for example, considered the largest and most complete architecture and interior design exhibition in the Americas, has a strong sustainability pillar, and every year receives innovative projects with sustainable trends – whether through construction methods, sustainable materials and implementation. cleaner options for residents (houses with photovoltaic panels, green roofs, etc.).

Dry constructions

Dry construction is no longer a novelty, but it is impossible not to think about it when talking about sustainable construction and what to expect for the future. Because the truth is that what is expected is that these two construction methods that cause little (or almost no) harm ) the environment are increasingly adopted. Wood Frame is a construction system whose main pillar is the structuring of an eco-friendly project without generating waste . This type of project considerably reduces waste with raw materials and resources such as water, for example. Steel Frame is a system of frames formed by steel profiles that give body to the structure of the project. To replace ceramic or concrete blocks, cement boards make the external closures, while plasterboard takes responsibility for this role inside the building. .

Beware of communities

A pillar that is often forgotten in ESG – Environmental, social, and corporate governance – is the "social" one. Increasingly, construction is seen as a way to democratize and give people access ; whether to housing, a space for leisure or even as an art form to enjoy.

An example of this is the Soori Hotel in Bali. The hotel is one of the most luxurious hotels in Indonesia and invests in products from local communities to strengthen the local economy and boost small entrepreneurs. In addition, the hotel also reuses all of its water. of the rains .

At CASACOR , community participation and engagement has also become essential. In 2021, a container designed by Gustavo Martins, displayed at CASACOR, was donated to serve as a library in a peripheral neighborhood in the south of São Paulo. In general, these are just a few examples that show that caring for the community has also entered the agenda of construction professionals , showing that sustainable practices are going far beyond just caring for nature.

Pritzker Architecture Prize 2022

One fact that cannot be ignored and that gives hope for a greener future was the selection of this year's Pritzker Architecture winner . Francis Kéré was the first black person to achieve such an honor, and his work is very focused on transforming communities and bet on sustainable materials . "I hope to change the paradigm, to encourage people to dream and take risks. It's not because you're rich that you should waste material. It's not because you're poor that you shouldn't try to create something of quality, (...) Everyone deserves it quality, everyone deserves luxury and everyone deserves comfort . We are interconnected and concerns about the climate, democracy and scarcity are concerns for all of us", argues the architect. Discover some of his projects in the gallery below:

Zero carbon

Despite modern and, in some ways, revolutionary practices, the construction industry still faces a major challenge: reducing carbon dioxide emissions . The sector is currently responsible for almost 40% of global carbon emissions. Given this scenario, a concept has begun to gain traction: Zero Carbon . This is a series of measures that countries around the world are adopting to curb the production of CO2 – a gas that is harmful to health. According to the Climate Observatory , Brazil in 2020 went against the world trend and saw an increase in CO2 emissions. There were 2.16 billion tons of carbon dioxide versus 1.97 billion in 2019 – this in the middle of a pandemic. In architecture, the idea of " Net-Zero Architecture " has begun to be discussed to mitigate or even eliminate the emission of this gas in projects. To make this a reality, experts are adopting bioclimatic architecture practices, using clean energy whenever possible. during the work, use of embedded carbon , among other items. " Net-Zero " is the name given to a building that manages to balance consumption during construction with what will be saved throughout its useful life . In other words: it is difficult to eliminate 100% of carbon production during construction, but, It is possible to create an environment that has greener elements so that, throughout its useful life, it does not produce greenhouse gases . Many materials are still being studied and trends are emerging year after year with the evolution of technology. The future will be green and more and more professionals are trying to adapt to this new requirement that is so important for the preservation of species – including our own. the human one, too.