At a time when climate change is accelerating, natural resources are being exploited to the limit, and weather anomalies are being felt even more acutely,raising the public's environmental awareness is as important as taking appropriate steps to protect nature. This goal today guides not only various types of organizations, but also local companies and multinationals, increasingly implementing bold environmental strategies. In the race for global leadership in sustainable construction, the Saint-Gobain Group is leading the way. How is it pursuing zero-carbon and engaging in climate education?
"Making The World a Better Home" is the Saint-Gobain Group's overarching goal.
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Responsibility for current and future generations
Today, the construction sector is responsible for nearly 40% of global carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Green approaches to the production of building materials and responsible design are undoubtedly some of the most essential elements that define contemporary architecture. Climate neutrality of buildings has become a priority for sustainable construction, and changes in this direction have been made for several years.
The Saint-Gobain Group in October 2021 published a new strategic plan, "Grow&Impact." According to it, the Group aims to become a global leader in sustainable construction by implementing pioneering high-performance solutions to improve the daily lives of building users, thereby responding to global environmental, social and industrial challenges.
- The premise of our "Grow&Impact" strategy is based on a model of profitable growth with the imperative of ecologically responsible and socially engaged development," says Michal Ciesielski, Saint-Gobain Group's Director of Brand, Communications and Digital in Poland. - Our diverse range of resource-efficient construction solutions or the decarbonization of our production processes, which has been implemented for a long time, reinforces the Saint-Gobain Group's position as a key player in the construction sector. For us, the title of leader means being an inspiring role model and a pioneer in the field of sustainable construction that is transforming the market and mobilizing other companies to introduce widespread, pro-environmental innovations - in the name of ensuring the well-being of people and caring for the planet.
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What does putting the above strategy into practice mean? Lower carbon footprint of production facilities and structures erected with the company's manufactured solutions, more rational management of natural resources, easier disassembly of materials, their recycling, greater energy efficiency of buildings, financial savings for investors and, finally, greater comfort of the spaces themselves.
The common goal and ambition of the Saint-Gobain Group is to make the planet a more livable place for all of us. In line with "Making the World a Better Home," the company is prompting reflection, calling for reactions and engaging discussions on environmental issues by modern architecture - not just its business partners or teams of employees, but society as a whole. The aforementioned positive impact on the collective, drawing attention to the role of building materials as well as architectural structures themselves in creating a better future for current and future generations, is also manifested in the Group's many active educational projects.
A vision of the city of the future through the eyes of the young
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The vision of the cities of the future is getting closer
An excellent example of this is last year's public campaign entitled "Polish Cities of the Future 2050," the core of which was a series of interviews with respected industry experts - architects, scientists and specialists in the fields of construction, transportation, climate and others. The guests invited to participate in the interviews shared with the audience their ideas about cities and their transformation in a 30-year perspective, and debated the quality and specificity of the spaces in which we will come to study, move, live or work. They also considered what infrastructural changes will be necessary to implement in order to not only favor residents, but also actively support the environment.
The project culminated in a foresight report prepared by the Saint-Gobain Group and the Polish Society for Future Studies, in which prominent futurologists and experts envision specific scenarios for the future of domestic cities based on our current and future decisions. The experts, in the course of their research, also developed a ranking illustrating the preparedness of several of Poland's largest cities for the coming tomorrow.
The "Polish Cities of the Future 2050" initiative has been repeatedly recognized and honored among pro-social and pro-environmental undertakings, and has allowed the start of apublic debate that continues to this day - as it is being continued in 2022 by the student community and scientific circles of the University of Warsaw and the Warsaw and Silesian Universities of Technology. Based on the findings of the PMP2050 report, young architects and engineers have already produced a separate report in which they forecast the future of Polish cities on the basis of their own knowledge, as well as analysis of foundational data, questionnaire surveys and workshop work for profiled groups of young people. The publication presents theses that are likely to come true with high probability. It also presents creative urban planning and construction solutions to enhance the quality of life on Earth. The report "Polish Cities of the Future 2050 through the eyes of the young" is now available at www.miastaprzyszlosci2050.pl.
ESG Leaders 2021 Gold Award in the "Education Program" category, for the "Polish Cities of the Future 2050" campaign.
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Believing that the future of architecture already rests in the hands of young professionals, the Saint-Gobain Group prioritizes the spread of sustainable construction knowledge and the opportunity to put it into practice. A prime example is the international Saint-Gobain Architecture Student Contest, the final of which was held in Warsaw this year. The aim of the project is to encourage architecture students from around the world to present their original ideas for actively saving the degraded planet by implementing innovative technologies and building materials that realistically increase the energy efficiency of buildings and reduce greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.
The challenge of this year's competition was to revitalize a plot of land located in the vicinity of the Warsaw East railroad station. Participants were tasked with presenting their own vision for the renovation of the old factory building located on Berka Joselewicza Street, as well as designing a university house located nearby. Importantly, the solutions used had to be in line with the vision of a climate-neutral Warsaw 2050 and the #Warsaw2030 strategy.
International Saint-Gobain Architecture Student Contest
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- We also spoke about the cities of the future and the steps that need to be taken to make the positive scenario come true in 30 years, during the recent Togetair 2022 climate summit, Michal Ciesielski noted. - During the event, we also participated in debates in which we talked about, among other things, countering global warming, the role of the circular economy in protecting the Earth's natural resources, and our support of the construction industry in the pursuit of sustainable development. World Earth Day also saw the launch of the next edition of the Green Economy project initiated by Puls Biznesu, whose slogan was "Let's invest in our planet." It's an idea that is extremely close to our goal of "Making the World a Better Home," so we couldn't miss it there," he adds.
The future starts today
Progressive climate change is already affecting almost every aspect of our lives, so making conscious consumer choices and implementing thoughtful, eco-friendly solutions by global brands is our shared responsibility for the environment - on a small and large scale. Taking care of the climate is worth encouraging not only on World Earth Day. For it should be remembered that there is no alternative planet or plan B, and every day brings us closer to 2050, which will be a fundamental date for the world's economies. It is therefore worth following the example of companies that put the well-being, health and comfort of users on a par with concern for a better future for the planet. Here is the key to achieving global success and harmony with nature.
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For more information, visit the company's Saint-Gobain Glass page on the A&B portal.
