Sustainable development in the construction industry - Optimizing resources through R&D

Beyond the hype, sustainable development seems to be inescapable. It's probably not so much a concern for future generations as a recognition that the current effects of "globalization" can no longer be taken for granted, and that accompanying measures are needed. In fact, for those involved in the construction industry, it is interesting to refer to the Anglo-Saxon term "glocalization" (contraction of globalization and localization). While economic exchanges are multiplying and becoming global, it is no less true that the objects exchanged are indeed created locally. This balance between trade flows and local production is essential for the future of the building trades.

On a global scale, three requirements are now recognized and considered essential:

• end-users play an increasingly important role in decision-making. Although the construction industry is not yet directly exposed, direct work for the maintenance of private property continues to grow;

• investors are beginning to introduce environmental and social criteria when selecting companies in which to invest;

• progressively, companies are required to play a social role within the community, rather than being economic players focused solely on the quest for immediate profit.

At local level, the status of buildings and infrastructure is beginning to change. A number of industrial companies, in both the consumer goods and services sectors, are outsourcing their premises and expecting a fairly precise level of service from the built environment, rather than having to capitalize on it in their balance sheets.

Little by little, the notion of service began to emerge. Construction must first and foremost enable end-users to carry out their activities in the best possible conditions. Buildings thus become a vector of economic competitiveness. This evolution can be described as the generalization of a "functional economy". What counts is the level of performance available for use, rather than the technical means used to build.

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