What is the value of international climate agreements if the world's largest countries are not committed to them? Or how would it be possible to achieve ambitious emission reductions if the industry does not commit to the goals and promote them effectively with its actions? The end result would be bad in both cases: without big players, we will not reach our goal.
One large and significant entity that has put climate goals at the center of almost all its decision-making is the EU. The Green Deal, the EU's recovery tool and the new classification system for sustainable finance, just to name a few. The purpose of all these large entities is to promote sustainable growth and curb climate change. These lines set by the EU will significantly change the entire European operating environment.
The EU's actions are also suitable for Finland, which has also set its own ambitious climate goals. It is no exaggeration to say that without the construction industry, Finland will not achieve its goals, because the built environment accounts for about a third of Finland's total emissions.
The construction industry is strongly committed to advancing towards the common goal of a carbon-neutral society and finding ways to realize it. As a large operator, we know our responsibility and our potential for influence.
Construction industry RT has drawn up the Low Carbon Construction Industry 2035 roadmap together with its stakeholders and the Ministry of the Environment. The road map comprehensively explained the annual emissions of the entire built environment and ways to effectively reduce them.
The results of the road map clearly show that the greatest emission reduction potential lies in improving the energy efficiency of the existing building stock and renewing heating methods. Three quarters of the carbon footprint of the built environment is generated by the energy consumption of buildings during operation, which is why the main focus should be on low-emission forms of energy and energy renovations. In terms of the carbon footprint of the built environment, extending the useful life of buildings, timely maintenance and reducing emissions and consumption of natural resources during the construction phase are also essential.
The RDI activities carried out in the construction sector are moving us impressively towards our emissions targets. For example, capturing carbon dioxide and increasing the use of recycled fuels in the cement industry, or increasing the use of cement-replacing binders in concrete production, have been proven to offer effective emission reduction opportunities.
If we want to accelerate Loikka towards low carbon and our climate goals, we need sufficient R&D investments as well as updating and renewing our old building stock. By investing in the built environment, we can increase the well-being of people, the economy, and the planet. The EU's recovery instrument and green transition financing offer an unprecedented opportunity to speed up the necessary RDI investments and renewal of the built environment.
The article was originally published in Kauppalehti New construction advertisement supplement as an editorial on 26.11.2020 November XNUMX.
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