Construction and design - Conditions for the necessary cooperation

At the start of this millennium, it's interesting to assess the state of construction.

From the point of view of decision-makers, this sector is above all a "mature business" from which little progress can be expected. Construction techniques are here to stay. Admittedly, they contribute to the creation of a certain number of nuisances, but they are tried and tested and, all in all, fairly robust. Construction is therefore not a high-tech industry, and its vernacular character is not lost on many politicians.

From the point of view of end-users, the opinion is quite different. Product quality is far from flawless. The volume of activity is far from meeting all needs, and working conditions are still reputed to be harsh and dangerous. It's an industry that is clearly lagging behind contemporary technology, but whose culture seems impervious to the attractions of modernity.

Is this context, which reflects the status quo, an inevitability specific to the construction industry, or are the elements of appreciation about to change? At a time when the notion of sustainable development is gaining ground in many sectors of the economy, can the construction industry be a stranger to this new call for professionals to reflect on their role vis-à-vis all stakeholders?

The exercise is worth attempting, because an industry that is content with a state of affairs is in decline. It perpetuates practices and has forgotten the reasons for them. It is impoverishing itself without necessarily realizing it.

To move beyond this stage, it is useful to refer to the three principles of sustainable development: responsibility, transparency and economy.

In sustainable development, the principle of responsibility means that every player in economic life must feel that he or she has a mission to fulfil with regard to civil society, i.e. the entire community to which he or she belongs. It's about putting everyone's role into perspective, not just analyzing immediate impacts, but also placing them within the wider context of the collective system. As far as construction is concerned, this means overcoming professional divisions and considering the whole process, as well as everyone's contribution.

The principle of transparency corresponds to a duty to explain. Indeed, over and above responsibility, it is important for everyone to be able to explain the reasons behind the choices they make, not so much in order to justify themselves, but rather to ensure the traceability that is essential if unexpected consequences are to be reversed. In the case of construction, this means looking back at each of the processes that make up an operation. In particular, it is becoming essential...