Currently, buildings are responsible for almost half of European energy consumption, and the construction sector accounts for over a third of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions as well as its waste generation. Furthermore, the dominant construction model in Europe is highly linear—in other words, based on the extraction, processing and eventual disposal of raw materials.

Cities have started to tackle this issue by regenerating their built environment through green spaces and infrastructure. The city of Paris has launched The Paris Construction Pact, with ten objectives aiming to make Paris more resilient, collaborative and better anchored in its territory. Among these, the Pact wishes to develop and protect the city’s vegetation and biodiversity spaces, and to greatly integrate blue-green infrastructures. The Pact aspires to preserve the existing trees and to reinforce their number.

In addition, as part of the Pact, the built environment is also encouraged to restructure and reuse the buildings and their materials instead of demolishing and throwing them. Overall, regenerative resources (natural, renewable, recyclable, bio sourced materials) will be used, and solar panels installed, as often as possible. Finally, urban projects are being thought with the possibility of being disassembled, reversible, adjustable and evolutive.

The greenery will provide more freshness and a better air quality in the city, while tackling the urban heat island effect. The Pact also expects to have several social outcomes, such as increasing diversity in neighbourhoods, involving citizen participation in the urban transition, and improving the sharing and the multifunctionality of public spaces.

Photo by Gabor Molnar on Unsplash