It is said to be light, yet it is no less efficient. Set to be a heavyweight in the sector in the years to come, light construction is gaining ground and is now emerging as a sustainable response to the triple challenge of climate change, the scarcity of natural resources and demographic/urban growth. Action 5 Opting for light construction > In the new construction market, traditional building methods are being challenged by the rapid emergence of light construction techniques. These offer significant performance benefits in terms of raw material consumption (up to 50% reduction) and therefore decarbonization, but also in terms of time savings (reducing the construction process on site by up to 20%) and therefore productivity. This is particularly advantageous in cases of rapid urbanization. Light construction techniques also bring benefits in terms of wellbeing for building occupants, thanks to improved thermal, acoustic and visual comfort. Making the most of local materials Light constructions consist of a skeleton framemade of wood, metal, concrete or a combination of these materials. This approach is not just a modern phenomenon, it has been implemented for centuries around the world, representing both a traditional and local way to design buildings. The choice of materials depends mainly on local resource availability. In the United States, 90% of single-family homes are built with a wood structure, because it is an abundant and cost-effective resource. In Japan too, timber framing is a traditional technique that is applied to all types of construction. That includes ambitious structures such as the new Japan National Stadium, built for the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics and designed with a cedar and larch structure. Sweden, rich in forests, practices light construction with such mastery that in 2021 the country unveiled one of the highest wooden towers in the world, the 20-storey Sara Kulturhus. 61 CONSTRUCTING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
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