The document discusses the challenges facing cities and the construction sector in becoming more sustainable. It notes that 50% of the world's population lives in cities, which consume 40% of the world's energy, produce a large amount of waste, and deplete natural resources. The construction sector accounts for 50% of all material taken from the earth's crust. It emphasizes that the majority of a building's environmental impact occurs during its operation, not its construction. It argues that all actors in the construction sector must work together using an integrated approach to mainstream sustainable practices and reduce environmental impacts.

1. SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION
PROVIDING EFFICIENT SOLUTIONS TODAY
WILL BE OUR WEALTH TOMORROW
www.sustainableconstruction.eu

2. OUR CITIES ARE OUR CHALLENGE
50% of the World population lives in cities (today 3 billion people)
80% of the population of Europe lives in cities (today 400 million people)
The population of the planet will increase from 6 billion to 9 billion people
during your life time

3. OUR CITIES ARE OUR CHALLENGE
People spend 90% of their time indoors;
The construction sector accounts for
approximately 50% by weight of all material
taken from the Earth’s crust;
The building industry is depleting natural
resources beyond sustainable levels.

4. OUR CITIES ARE OUR CHALLENGE
40% of the world’s energy consumption is
required to operate buildings;
Buildings are directly responsible for a
considerable amount of the world’s waste
production;
The built environment is a stable
environmental resource.

5. OUR CITIES ARE OUR CHALLENGE
85% of the impact buildibngs have on the
environment occurs during operation;
Only 15% of the impact buildings have on the
environment occurs during construction and
demolition;
The initial construction cost of buildings is
equivalent to the average buildings’ running
cost for between 7 to 20 years – every 13 years
on average buildings’ double their initial
construction cost.

6. THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR
• EU
• Utilities
• Banks
• Mortgage Institutions
• Insurance Companies
• Member States
All actors in the construction sector need to
be addressed individually and collectively; • Municipalities
• Promoter
A special effort has to be made in relation to
• Design Team
refurbishment of buildings;
• Contractor
An integrated approach to construction has • Manufacturer
to become part of the everyday business as
• End-user;
usual culture of the construction sector;

7. MAIN BARRIERS IN THE WAY OF MAINSTREAMING SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION
Lack of political will and coherent top down message and consequentially public
commitment
Lack of information and knowledge available to the main actors in the construction
sector
Unclear links between environment and economy for most of the daily environmental
impacting behaviours

8. ENVIRONMENTAL DIMENSION
“ The natural world - an
ecosystem which is finite, non
growing and materially closed…”
Herman Daly
“We must only use natural
resources coming from well
managed ecosystems, using them
in the most efficient and
productive way taking care of all
modifications we impose on
nature.”
Karl-Henrik Robert

9. SOCIAL DIMENSION
The city’s public spaces are its
first level of identity;
The more people identify with the
built environment they inhabit, the
more they will care about it and
the better they will contribute to
maintaining it;
Attractive urban contexts promote
connected communities;

10. ECONOMICAL DIMENSION
“The new economical model can’t
associate progress with
quantitative growth. It needs to
focus on qualitative improvement,
that relies on the fact that nature is
a finite, non growing and materially
closed system.”
Herman Daly, Beyond Growth
“If, with our acts, we destroy the
planet, what value does our
material and economical wealth
have to give us?”
Al Gore, Uma verdade
inconveniente

11. SPATIAL DIMENSION
Our life style has changed and our
dwellings need to adapt to our
contemporary needs;

12. ENVIRONMENTAL COMFORT
The absence of comfort induces
pain and this triggers action - if we
are hot we open a window if we are
cold we turn on the heating... In
order to achieve the desired
comfort conditions;

13. ENERGY CERTIFICATION OF BUILDINGS
The European Commission’s
Energy Performance in Buildings
Directive is being transposed in all
Member States;
Energy Certification in Buildings
empowers the end-user, as it
provides an objective and easy to
understand rendition of each
buildings’ comfort levels and
energy consumption levels;

14. ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION OF BUILDINGS
There are many voluntary
environmental certification
systems that are adapted to each
Member State’s climate and
construction reality;

15. REDUCING ENERGY DEMANDS
The first step towards improving
the energy-environmental
performance of a building is
reducing the energy demand while
increasing the indoor health and
comfort conditions;

16. REDUCING ENERGY DEMANDS

17. DECENRTRALIZED ENERGY SUPPLY
The European Commission
Directive on Energy End Use
Efficiency and Energy Services
provides the legal framework for
utilities to provide energy services
and for the end user to produce
energy from renewable sources,
interacting with smart grids;

18. REDUCE THE DEMAND FOR DRINKING WATER
There is a limited resource of
drinking water on the planet;
Buildings can be designed and
constructed to reduce the demand
for drinking water;

19. DECENTRALIZED WATER SUPPLY
Recycling rain and grey water to
use for non-drinking purposes
such as watering of green areas,
washing outdoor spaces, flushing
toilets and washing machines;

20. SPECIFYING MATERIALS TAKING THE
LIFE CYCLE INTO ACCOUNT
Manufacturers interpret every act
of purchase as an expression of
the direction the market wishes to
develop into;
Before specifying materials it is
important that we research their
life cycle and impacts on the
environment;

21. REUSING AND RECYCLING MATERIALS
Buildings must facilitate materials
to be reused and recycled;
Adequate space for recycling
processes will encourage end
users to perform their role in the
life cycle of the materials they
consume;

22. OUR ROLE AS THE END USER
The end user is being empowered by the global Climate Change challenge;
Knowledge is power - ICT can help us access the relevant knowledge;
Power needs to be given to people - and ICT can help people contribute to change
their behaviour and practices, in order to assist sustainable development;

23. www.tironenunes.pt
www.construcaosustentavel.pt
Every act counts...… www.sustainableconstruction.eu TIRONE NUNES