CARoLINA MOnTANO OWeN Technical Lead Sustainable Buildings, at the World Green Building Council. ROLAND PEARSON Vice president and Executive director of the Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter, a division of Habitat for Humanity International. DO WE NEED TO REINVENT EVERYTHING TO BUILD SUSTAINABLY? As new sustainable building solutions and techniques continue to emerge, the question arises: does achieving sustainability mean reinventing everything, or can today’s and yesterday’s solutions provide a framework for the future? At the heart of this debate lies the meaning and role of innovation in creating a more sustainable and responsible built environment. Roland Pearson, Vice president and Executive director of the Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter, and Carolina Montano Owen, Technical Lead Sustainable Buildings at the World Green Building Council, share their vision this pivotal question. What does “innovation” mean for sustainable construction? What challenges must it address? C. M.O.: Sustainable construction, like sustainability in general, is an ever-evolving concept. As such, innovation is inextricably linked to its progress. Achieving true sustainability requires finding solutions capable not only of fostering economic growth but also of ensuring environmental preservation and taking social impacts into account. Although we have made significant progress, we have not yet fully achieved this delicate balance. That is why innovation remains critical. Efficiency has long been at the heart of innovation objectives for designers and builders, as optimizing time and resources is crucial to business success. However, at a time when climate events are becoming more frequent and having a greater impact on infrastructure, there is an increased emphasis on two critical factors: decarbonization and resilience. Together, these changes are giving greater impetus to innovation in favor of more sustainable construction practices. R. P.: Innovation for sustainable construction obviously involves continuing to invent new solutions – from low carbon to more resilient materials. But this is not enough. If not deployed at scale these innovations don’t have enough impact. Take the housing sector: Habitat for Humanity International has been committed to affordable housing around the world for almost fifty years. While our model has historically 07
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