Adapting to climate change by planning sustainable construction

Brussels 23 June 2009 – Experts predict an increase in extreme weather events, such as flooding, sea-level rises and natural disasters as a result of climate change, necessitating the construction of secure new buildings and infrastructure. It is therefore essential that industry, policymakers and other stakeholders work together to help Europe adapt to climate change. 

Efforts must clearly be made to mitigate the causes of climate change, by reducing greenhouse gas production, for example. Nevertheless, despite mitigation, climate change is a reality now and society needs to adapt and protect itself from the consequences today and in the future. Technical and innovative solutions that help Europe, and the rest of the world, to adapt are necessary.  

The EU must, therefore:

• ensure that all new buildings and infrastructure meet the demands of a changing climate; 
• take due consideration of all long-term economic and societal aspects of climate change to build a secure future for those most affected;
• consider the overall environmental and energy performance of the whole building or infrastructure throughout its entire service life;
• take full account of thermal efficiency and the major benefits of durable heavyweight materials in building codes within the context of climate change;
• and establish planning and land use guidelines to maximise the reuse of brownfield land and avoid construction on flood plains. 

“Concrete, a cement-based material, has a key role to play in helping society adapt and face the impacts of climate change in an affordable way” states Dr Jean-Marie Chandelle, CEMBUREAU Chief Executive. “Concrete products help combat and prevent the detrimental consequences of climate change by protecting people, property and the environment”.  

Concrete can be used to provide comprehensive fire and flood protection including protection of people, animals, goods, property and the environment. It also plays a key role in guaranteeing a safe, secure supply of drinking water and power. The more robustly homes and infrastructure are built, the less adverse social and environmental impact future meteorological events will have. Concrete structures are both robust and flood-resistant and provide a high degree of protection against flying debris during extreme events (e.g. hurricanes and tornadoes). 

More information on how concrete can contribute towards adapting to climate change can be found in the latest CEMBUREAU publication “Building a future with cement & concrete. Adapting to climate change by planning sustainable construction”. Click here to download this publication. 

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Jessica JOHNSON, Head of Communications
Tel.: + 32 2 234 10 11 
Fax : + 32 2 230 47 20
aj.johnson@cembureau.eu
www.cembureau.eu