Oliver Rapf Oliver Rapf, Executive Director of the Buildings Performance InstituteEurope (BPIE) Designs and renovations that will withstand the test of time are possible Each region of the world faces very specific construction challenges. In Western countries, the challenge lies in carrying out quality energy-efficient renovations on an immense number of buildings. In the countries of the Global South, there are about 3 billion people who will require adequate and affordable housing by 2030, mostly in ever larger and more numerous cities. To gain a clearer understanding, we spoke to Oliver Rapf, Executive Director of the Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE) think tank and Ilari Aho, Chair of the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC). Why renovate rather than demolish and rebuild? Oliver Rapf (O.R.) : In order to answer this, we need to ask some questions first. What is the original structure? What is the quality of the building? And how much do we need to invest to renovate it? These questions must be examined from the point of view of the entire life cycle of the building in order to take into account the impact of the choices made on the environment, from the start of the project right through to its very end. And generally speaking, the outcome of this analysis is clear: in most cases it is better to renovate than to demolish and rebuild. Ilari Aho (I.A.) : I would caveat this by adding that the correct answer depends heavily on the context, the building and the area in question. In order to make the decision, it is essential that the effects of a renovation or a new construction are analyzed across the entire life cycle. Who can help make the right decision? I.A. : To start with, experts who are able to properly analyze the project over its entire life cycle: consulting firms, companies specializing in the analysis of the life cycle of a building. Their understanding of the data, coupled with the development of different scenarios, allows us to take a cross-cutting look. That is a prerequisite, not only for guiding policies and the regulatory framework, but also for carrying out specific construction projects, whatever the scale. 36 SAINT-GOBAIN
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