Tribune. Over the centuries, the “builders” have known how to support the development of our societies, from the most rudimentary housing to today’s mega-cities, by inventing the techniques and technologies that have enabled major transformations. The builders of modern times, all those involved in construction, once again have the opportunity to be at the rendezvous of history by taking up the environmental challenge, vital for our common home.
A century before our era, the Roman Vitruvius laid down the principle of an architecture which was to imitate nature, in the right proportions. In the industrial era, the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) or the ecological essayist Pierre Rabhi have never ceased to alert designers so that nature is not forgotten for the sole benefit of consumption. . It is still necessary today to draw inspiration from it in order to reduce our environmental footprint and achieve the national objective of a carbon neutral contribution by 2050.
However, if we stick to the residential construction sector alone, there is no reason to say that this objective will be achieved.
Credible and mature solutions
CO emissions2 of the residential stock in France today amounts to just over 100 million tonnes per year, of which 33 million come from new homes and 74 million from existing homes. The gap to be crossed is immense, and the conditions are not met within our industry to be sure of crossing it. This would suppose, for example, to renovate 70% of the current residential park so that it reaches the level “low consumption building” (BBC) in 2050 and that the new constructions, including the processes to carry them out, pass quickly on systems. carbon free!
However, the commitment comes from the legislator carried by the company, which expresses itself on the subject, on the one hand, by the ballot boxes, admittedly still weakly, and, on the other hand, through important citizen movements.
The axis of decreasing or slowing down the production of new housing, sometimes presented as a solution, does not apply to the most essential need which consists in providing everyone with a dignified, healthy, pleasant and comfortable habitat. Everyone aspires to live better and live better. It is therefore our ways of living that must be changed.
Credible and mature solutions exist to drive the sector towards zero point: change the industrial processes for manufacturing components in the residential sector (decarbonization of concrete, materials and energy), change the construction processes themselves (off-site construction , bioclimatic design), change scale in the use of bio-based materials, change behavior to consume less and better, and finally store and share energy.
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