Dresden, Germany ¡ª On 27 August 2024, the future of sustainable construction took center stage during a press briefing at the CUBE on the TU Dresden campus. As the world¡¯s first building made of carbon concrete, the CUBE exemplifies cutting-edge research and innovation within Saxony's construction industry. With a mix of on-site attendees and international participants connecting digitally, the event highlighted the vital role of building research in addressing global challenges.
Convened by the ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Institute for the Integrated Management of Resources and Material Fluxes and Technische Universit?t Dresden¡¯s Institute of Concrete Structures, the briefing underscored the urgent need for resource-efficient construction. UN Under-Secretary-General and ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Rector, Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala, articulated the critical need for construction research: ¡°In the face of escalating climate change and a growing scarcity of resources, raw materials, energy, and physical space, it is essential to rethink our built environments.¡± He further noted that in 2022, buildings accounted for 34% of the global energy demand and 37% of energy and process-related CO2 emissions. With the global population expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, urbanization will accelerate housing demand. Approximately 60% of the buildings projected for 2050 have yet to be constructed, primarily in the Global South.
Prof. Edeltraud Guenther, Director of ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ-FLORES, emphasised, ¡°Building decisions are resource decisions.¡± She advocated for a comprehensive planning approach that incorporates environmental factors, citing an inspiring project: a home designed from waste materials, which showcases the collaborative potential of diverse disciplines.
²ÝÁñÊÓƵ-FLORES is involved in the Living Art of the Building initiative, focusing on advancing climate-neutral and resource-efficient construction. This collaborative effort brings together top researchers from various fields, aiming to revolutionize the construction industry by integrating high-performance sustainable materials, cutting-edge manufacturing processes, artificial intelligence, and full digitization.
