Proud sponsor of Glass & Sealed Units Extra
GLASS & SEALED UNITS Extra
‘ CONSTRUCTING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE ’ MAGAZINE , ONLINE COMMUNITY AND FIRST GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION BAROMETER
As much of Europe basks in record temperatures , the construction sector is at the crossroads of many major contemporary issues that humanity and the planet face : the climate crisis , energy emergency , rapid urbanisation and the social challenge of decent housing , as well as the necessary protection of natural resources . These are essential issues all of those working in construction and its supply chain here in the UK must play an active part in helping to solve .
To help the industry on this journey Saint-Gobain has launched a new quarterly publication ‘ Constructing a Sustainable Future ’. Available as a flipbook here - https :// csf . saint-gobain . com / en / and an online space - constructing-sustainable-future . com , it features contributions from experts both in the UK and around the world , and examines many examples of new technologies , developments and studies from the UK and further afield that provide insight for the construction industry on how we can make construction more sustainable .
Richard Halderthay , Director of Brand and Communications at Saint- Gobain commented :
“ Our Constructing a Sustainable Future Magazine is designed to be a link between representatives of the building and construction industry , as well as a platform for exchange and dialogue to share the greatest achievements , best practices and innovations that will help to accelerate our sector ’ s transition .”
The Barometer research was conducted by the CSA Research institute with more than 800 respondents ( professionals , public officials , associations , students ) from 10 countries ( Brazil , France , Germany , India , Italy , Japan , South Africa , Spain , UK and USA ). Their responses help us understand how these stakeholders perceive sustainable construction in a context of the fight against global warming , the need to preserve natural resources , the demographic explosion and increasing urbanisation .
88 % of respondents say they know the concept of sustainable construction and 97 % believe that the implementation of more sustainable buildings is a priority or important . However , the definition they give is mostly limited to environmental issues , without taking into account the social and human dimension i . e . the health or well-being and comfort of occupants .
While sustainable construction is widely perceived as a priority issue , it is less visible in the field or in decision-making .
Thus , only 30 % of the professionals surveyed have already carried out projects that take sustainable construction into account , whereas 63 % of them say that its implementation is a priority , and 57 % estimate that more than half of their activity will be in the field of sustainable construction within the next five years .
To accelerate the development of sustainable construction respondents identified three main drivers :
1 . Competitiveness of solutions
For 70 % of respondents , all profiles included , the perceived cost is considered as one of the obstacles to developing sustainable construction . Yet , building sustainably is not more expensive in the medium or long term . By considering the entire life cycle , from the design of a building to its renovation or demolition , sustainable construction solutions make it possible not only to conceive buildings that are very well insulated ( direct savings on the energy bill ), resilient to climatic hazards and modular ( possibility of multiplying the uses of the same building over time ) but also to reuse materials .
2 . The role of public policy
44 % of respondents believe that public institutions are the most legitimate stakeholders to advance sustainable construction . However , even today , most elected officials never exclude from public contracts projects that do not take into account sustainable construction methods .
To accelerate the development of sustainable construction , 52 % of students cite private companies . Regarding the role of elected officials , only 22 % of students perceive them as legitimate in advancing sustainable construction . 37 % of respondents believe that increased regulatory requirements will accelerate the deployment of sustainable construction , which makes it the second most important factor identified , after funding .
3 . Better support for all stakeholders in the sector
One paradox : the Barometer reveals a gap between the importance given to the subject of training in sustainable construction techniques , which seems uncontested , and its expertise , which appears less certain . Thus , 38 % of professionals say they do not feel adequately trained in sustainable construction . 61 % of students consider the lack of training and qualification of professionals as one of the main obstacles to the development of the sector .
www . saint-gobain . com
CLEARVIEW-UK . COM SEPTEMBER 2023
79