> Buildings have an average lifespan of 70 to 100 years. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + The entire value chain needs to be assessed for society to move towards a less carbon-intensive circular economy with a positive impact. To make this happen, all stakeholders must be committed. Both large and small companies have a role to play in training their teams in the use of new technologies (smart sensors, smart buildings and BIM) to effectively manage their production lines and transform buildings into true ‘connected platforms’. Decarbonizing industrial tools Another major challenge is industrial manufacturing facilities, the transformation of which must also be accelerated. Acutely aware of this need to transform, the construction sector has several options available to optimize its processes, which are mainly powered by fossil fuels. Some manufacturers are now turning to the electrification of their production lines, relying on energy sources derived from biomass, biogas and other renewable, lowcarbon sources of energy. Others focus on recovering waste heat (unused heat generated by a process whose main objective is not energy production) to transform it into energy. For their part, cement manufacturers are updating their processes through the development of new cement formulations. Produced from ‘wasterials’ (waste materials) such as blast furnace slag or fly ash, these neo-cements open up new avenues for decarbonization. A shared policy approach Only a collective approach, supported by real political will, can drive change. To this end, the European Union seems to agree on the adoption of common carbon reduction targets for all Member States. Finland, Denmark and Sweden are leading the way on this and plan to integrate carbon reduction requirements into their regulations. In France, RE2020 is strengthening previous legislation by adding environmental requirements that take the entire building life cycle into account. But political will alone is not enough to change minds. Fiscal or financial incentives are vital to supporting low-carbon efforts. Several countries have taken such steps, including France with its Plan de Relance (Recovery Plan) and the United States, with President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act2, partly inspired by the European Green Deal. 2. The European Green Deal contains a series of measures to make the European Union climate-neutral by 2050. 25 CONSTRUCTING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
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