Masterclass at COAC Tarragona

 

On February 29, our partner Jade Serra gave a Masterclass at the Tarragona Delegation of COAC, as part of the cultural program of the AVANTGUARDA cycle, titled ‘Bioconstruction and Bioclimatism’.

In her presentation, Jade Serra discussed the need to address all impacts of a building, starting with the primary premise of sustainability, which is preservation, and moving through each strategy for impact reduction through criteria of reuse, recovery, and the use of biomaterials.

Among other issues, the new EPBD and the new circular economy regulations in architecture were discussed. These will depend on the establishment of a materials passport to enable the traceability of all building materials, as well as material repositories, known as urban mining or material banks, which will facilitate material reuse—an essential step for reducing the ecological footprint of the architecture sector.

 

The presentation reflected on the need to go beyond mere carbon accounting, questioning the socioeconomic model that underpins our built environment. Despite its aspiration to be labeled sustainable, this model must be re-evaluated at a deeper level, questioning the square meters per capita we need to live and interact, with the aim of reducing the consumption of planetary resources and staying within planetary boundaries.

 

Additionally, she took the opportunity to recommend readings and three key studies for further information on decarbonization materials and minimum-impact architecture.

Beyond growth, Pathways towards sustainable prosperity in the EU

Towards embodied carbon benchmarks for building in Europe, Ramboll

Status quo, Techno-economic and environmental assessment of construction and demolition waste management in the European Union