Saint-Gobain Group committed to carbon neutrality by 2050

Portugal was the first country in the world to announce the goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. The Saint-Gobain Group is supporting this transition by reinforcing its commitment to carbon neutrality through concrete actions

The construction sector is currently responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions worldwide, three quarters of which correspond to the use phase of buildings (through heating, energy used, etc.) and a quarter result from construction materials. On the other hand, it is responsible for the consumption of 40% of the world's raw materials, often not used efficiently.

In order to move towards a greener economy it is essential that buildings are energy efficient. Energy losses in the sector can register values between 25% and 30%, representing 40% of total energy consumption in Europe and about 30% in Portugal.

According to specialists, 60% of the buildings that will exist worldwide have not yet been built. This data reinforces the importance of sustainability in construction, alerting to the urgency of a change in attitude in the most polluting sector in the European Union.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION

For the Saint-Gobain Group, sustainable construction is far from being a passing trend. According to José Martos, "it is a completely new environmental and social approach to building future cities, focused on community coexistence, sustainability and conservation of natural resources and biodiversity." The CEO of Saint-Gobain in Portugal also highlights that "responsible cities, with more virtuous buildings designed to provide better energy performance, contribute to the preservation of resources, emit less carbon and offer greater well-being to their users."

In addition, a sustainability-driven strategy must take into consideration the health and safety of employees, professionals, and end users of buildings. This is only possible, for example, by designing non-irritating or low-dust products, or lighter products that are easier to handle and install, to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries. Through lighter materials and recycled content, healthier buildings can be designed with less energy consumption.

To achieve a 100% circular world, with zero carbon emissions and waste, buildings must be designed efficiently, considering material production, building design and construction. This is already possible today through the products of the Saint-Gobain brands since they allow the construction of a sustainable city that integrates a wide range of buildings.