"Safer Buildings": a cause our industry should embrace?
Promoting safer buildings is a cause which should increasingly resonate amongst our politicians:
- Every year more than 4000 people die in fires in Europe, 80% of which start in their own homes. 70,000 severe fire victims are hospitalized. Without corrective actions the situation is only likely to get worse. The increased pressure on improving the energy efficiency of buildings has diverted the focus away from safety. Legislation regulating the use of certain insulation materials and construction products to meet energy efficiency targets, do not take into consideration an increased fire risk. As a result, there is an increased risk of fires occurring more and more often with devastating consequences.
- An ever increasing number of citizens are living in more compact urban environments. It is therefore essential that we grasp a better understanding of all the emissions and impacts generated by the construction materials that the buildings in which we live & work are composed of.
- Global warming is leading to more intense climatic events: storms, hurricanes & floods. Policymakers and the construction sector must now work together to ensure that the right policies and construction techniques are in place to protect our citizens from such adverse events.
For each of these major societal challenges, concrete has a solution to provide. We therefore call on all stakeholders to work with us to promote safer buildings. I am sure that we all agree that the safety of our citizens must be a priority