Experts advocate, in an event organized by LA VERDAD and Serycoin, for buildings that consume fewer resources and take into account people and the environment
Construction is intimately linked with sustainability. Architecture studios are increasingly betting on efficient buildings that use renewable energy sources, maintain a stable temperature or save time and costs thanks to intelligent systems. All these aspects not only improve the quality of life of those who live in these constructions, but also favor a sustainable character, more in tune with society, the economy and the environment of the environment in which they are framed.
Precisely, the challenges of sustainable construction, innovation in this area and the economic viability of projects are some of the aspects that were put on the table last Tuesday at the event ‘Conversations on sustainable construction’, organized by LA VERDAD and Serycoin, with the collaboration of Rosal Stones and Puvisa.
The meeting, which brought together a large group of professionals from the sector in the Estrella de Levante Tasting Room, was attended by Jaime Pérez Zulueta, general director of Territory and Architecture of the CARM, who was in charge of opening the event . The professional opted for “a change of model to have more respectful cities”, while highlighting the economy, society and the environment as the three areas that make up the concept of sustainability. “If one of them fails, it doesn’t exist,” he stressed. To improve today’s buildings, the general director of Territory and Architecture stressed the need to “plan well, use vernacular materials and be able to build with common sense” and argued that sustainability in construction “is not just an architect’s thing or of the builder, it is everyone’s business”. Lastly, he did not want to end without highlighting the Sustainable Architecture and Construction Strategy promoted by the Community, a “road map, with an action plan and objectives”, which seeks, as indicated on the initiative’s website, «The transition from a linear economy model to a circular model in the construction sector in the Region».
This paradigm shift in the construction sector is also one of the objectives of Serycoin, which was present at the hands of its manager, Adrián Lillo, and its director of Communication, María José Moreno. The director of Serycoin began his intervention by valuing sustainable construction “not as an option, but as a moral duty”, while giving his own company as an example, through which he tries to “be aware of the impact of our work . We want our impact to be as small as possible.” In this sense, he was optimistic despite the current situation and indicated specialization and professionalization of the sector as new challenges. “Instability and uncertainty are bad traveling companions, but we always have the illusion and the effort to do things well,” he stressed.
In his opinion, the strength lies in the joint work between the Administration, companies and society and defended the idea of surrounding yourself with professionals “with similar ideals. If you don’t surround yourself with people who want to progress, innovate and experiment, construction will always be the same.
Vicente Vicens / AGM
Everyone’s job
The second colloquium brought Anthony Renton, CEO of Vrio, and Toño Santa Cruz, director of Santa Cruz Arquitectura, to the Estrella de Levante Tasting Room, who have formed a perfect tandem to design and build the new headquarters of this company dedicated to the transport sector. The project is the result of a way of looking at architecture that Toño Santa Cruz defines as “the way in which we transform the environment we inhabit” and that, in line with what Adrián Lillo declared, “encompasses the whole world. The architecture is also made by the Administration, the promoter and the user. The important thing is that we are all aligned because it is teamwork”, he explained, while claiming that the concept of sustainability in construction “goes beyond not polluting and has to do with the economy, by consuming fewer resources, and the social, by making cities better and promoting equity and equal rights».
This way of seeing it was shared by Anthony Renton, who emphasized that this concept “is closely related to responsibility.” Along the same lines, he highlighted the relationship between sustainability and profitability «because the space in which you work influences your motivation. In the end the team produces more in such an environment », he indicated.
On the other hand, the director of Santa Cruz Arquitectura wanted to emphasize the importance of “being true to oneself” as the only way to “connect with people who have a similar way of seeing things” and gave as an example his good harmony with the CEO of Vrío. “With this building, the company shows that it wants to improve the city and that it has added up,” he said.
innovative materials
That desire to add is what also drives the daily activity of Rosal Stones, a company located in Caravaca de la Cruz that last Tuesday presented the multiple uses of stone by its CEO, Catalina Sánchez, and the architect Pepa Díaz. Albamiel stone. This material, produced by Rosal Stones and used in multiple joint projects by both professionals, stands out for its low emissions, its efficient extraction process, its minimal maintenance and its high durability, with the possibility of reusing the ashlars and bricks created by from her.
The benefits of this material was the starting point of a conversation in which Pepa Díaz criticized that sustainable construction is seen as “more expensive and more expensive”. In addition, he claimed the presence in the projects of a design that highlights the identity of the place where it is located, a request that is easy to fulfill with the material presented, since, in the words of Catalina Sánchez, “stone links us with our tradition ».
To finish, Sánchez stressed sustainability as the backbone of Rosal Stones. The company has the ‘I calculate and reduce’ seal and ISO 14001 certification, they reuse the water used for cutting the stone, they use only renewable energy, “20% of their own production,” Sánchez stressed, and they are changing the fleet of the company for electric vehicles.
The event ended with statements by the Minister for Development and Infrastructure, José Ramón Díez de Revenga, who valued the presentations as “examples of how we can apply sustainability criteria to our daily lives.” He also valued the European Green Deal and called for cooperation between the different social agents. “We have to be able to talk to align ourselves with the same goal, which is none other than improving people’s quality of life and preserving the environment,” he concluded.
Anthony Renton, CEO of Vrio: “Companies have a responsibility to our environment”
The direct relationship between sustainability and responsibility was one of the aspects that the director of Vrio, Anthony Renton, highlighted during his presentation. For this professional, companies have “a responsibility to their environment” that he has known, together with Santa Cruz Arquitectos, to translate into a new headquarters that seeks not only to contribute something to the Vrio team, but also to society as a whole. Along these lines, the professional thanked the architectural firm for his work and valued its ability to «interpret my needs and adapt to them. The future is sustainable construction », he sentenced.
Catalina Sánchez, CEO of Rosal Stones: “We must devise a way to build in harmony with nature”
The CEO of Rosal Stones, Catalina Sánchez, began her presentation by stressing the need to devise a way to build “low carbon emissions and high energy efficiency, aesthetic and in tune with nature.” To put its grain of sand in this movement, Rosal Stones focuses all its activities under a sustainable prism that is evident in each step. In this sense, the CEO highlighted the use of recycled water for cutting the material, the maximum use of resources, the use of renewable energy and the start of a process that will replace the company’s vehicles with electric ones.
Adrián Lillo, manager of Serycoin: «Sustainable construction is not an option, it is a moral duty»
The manager of Serycoin described sustainability as “a moral duty” during his speech, which he applies to all the processes of his company. “We try to be aware of the repercussions of our work on the environment,” he clarified. Despite the current situation, Adrián Lillo was optimistic about the future and advocated fighting the current uncertainty with “work and effort”. He also called for continued collaboration between the Administration, companies and society and recognized the importance of public bodies “providing all the means so that employers can continue creating jobs.” On the other hand, the manager of Serycoin brought to the event the benefits of the metallic structure, made with steel, in the field of construction. Along the way, he highlighted the versatility of this material, which is also recyclable and allows “unique constructions” to be carried out, as Lillo cataloged them, not only in the industrial field but also in civil construction. Finally, he demanded that professionals in the sector commit to innovation and surround themselves with professionals “who experiment and try. We have to take risks », he stated, while very positively assessing the growing interest of customers in sustainable constructions and calling for greater awareness in this regard. “It is true that the initial investment is 20% or 30% more expensive, but when a study is done, it is seen that it pays for itself in three or four years in aspects such as air conditioning, hot water and comfort,” he concluded.
Pepa Díaz, architect: «Constructions must have the identity of the place where they are»
The architect Pepa Díaz claimed sustainability as part of architecture. She emphasized the use of ‘zero kilometer’ materials, such as Albamiel stone, to avoid emissions caused by transport and to “provide constructions with the identity of the place”. Next, she expressed the importance of “building in consolidated urban spaces so as not to continue expanding into virgin land”, and underlined the need for sustainability to be “economically viable” so that it can reach the whole of society.
Toño Santa Cruz, director of Santa Cruz Arquitectos: «The company that does not take care of the environment is out of the market»
For Toño Santa Cruz, sustainability “is not only focused on protecting the environment, but also on consuming fewer resources, making cities better and designing with the rest of the planet’s species in mind.” In this regard, he emphasized that CSR must be part of the strategy of any company, because “the one that does not take care of the environment is out of the market.” Finally, he thanked the “fundamental” publicity work of the Administration and encouraged people to be true to themselves, “because that connects with clients who have a similar way of seeing things.”
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