Putting up buildings, exploding myths


Sustainable construction is expensive. Low-income housing does not match sustainability and solutions should be imported. Green building and certifications are the best alternatives. These are some of the myths of sustainable construction discussed in the panel “Sustainable Management in Civil Construction”, held at the Ethos Institute 2008 International Conference. The first one to be dispelled is high cost. Sustainable constructions cannot and should not be expensive because, in order to comply with the basic principle of sustainability, they should meet its economic, social and environmental requirements. 

According to Vanderley John, member of the Brazilian Council for Sustainable Construction, what makes the constructions expensive are excess and extravagance. It is the so-called over-engineering: proposals beyond real needs that disregard the impacts of unconscious consumption. In John’s opinion, ”comfort zone does not lead to sustainability.” Some choices, however, truly contribute to achieving it: loss reduction, waste management (adequate disposal), selective demolition, higher durability of structures, eco-efficient materials (which does not necessarily mean using recycled materials) and choice of supplier.

Therefore, the key question is: how much does a sustainable construction cost? According to Luiz Henrique Ceotto, design and construction director at Tishman Speyer Properties, it depends on the level of implementation of the systems adopted and the initial construction cost. The ideal scenario is the one in which cost-effective items that reduce natural resources consumption by, for instance, enabling water reuse or natural lighting are incorporated into the project conception and design. A sustainable construction would be 15% more expensive. However, along 50 years, this building would spend 80% less in operation and maintenance costs. The conception phase accounts for 0.2% of the development, whereas the design is below 1%. In short, “it is in the cheapest phase that the sustainability issue is resolved in civil construction,” states Ceotto.

Sensitizing the investor

The process of sensitizing the market to demand more sustainable constructions has already started and should be completed in five years’ time, according to Marcelo Takaoka, director-president of Y. Takaoka Empreendimentos and moderator of the debate. The concern can come from the investor side. The fact is that the investor is more and more willing to pay an additional amount for a lower risk of problems in the building after some years.

Most of the times, the builder is not the same company that administers the building. And the lack of communication between them is the reason for many high costs borne by dwellers and the society. Takaoka believes in tacit encouragement: “We need strong building administrators in the market, whose role is to encourage companies to realize the importance of a project planned from scrap, focused on sustainability and durability of the development.”

When the market starts to demand sustainable constructions, green building certifications can be important, but not the only way. Certifications may raise the price of the building, and not always play the role of verifying all phases of construction and useful life of the project. Even if a building is environmentally-friendly, this is not the only relevant aspect. Kaarin Taipale, chair of the UN Marrakech Task Force on Sustainable Buildings and Construction, states that “being green is not enough.”

Vanderley John adds that “besides green constructions we need to consider the social issues. Therefore, we can’t say green building is the solution.” He stresses the importance of social issues related to this theme: “Those who work directly in the worksite are low income class members. The cost of each worker is minimum when compared to the cost of the building.”

Some builders are beginning to invest in environmental education and offer training in the worksite – for they need to reduce the high consumption, and due to the market demand for social responsibility. Nevertheless, John says that “around 80% of constructions are not made by builders, but informal workers.” And he concludes that both corruption and informal economy are challenges that need to be met so that Brazil can more consistently pursue sustainable development in civil construction.

 

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