With millions sweltering in heatwaves that started earlier than ever this year, the buildings we live and work in have come under the spotlight. Northern Europeans have found that most homes are designed to trap heat rather than stay cool, making them saunas when temperatures rise.
But there are solutions available. Eco construction is an approach to building that prioritises techniques which keep buildings cool, while creating less carbon emissions by, for instance, using local materials that don't have to be shipped across the world. According to the European Environment Agency (EEA) the building sector is responsible for 35 per cent of the EU's greenhouse gas emissions
Eco construction keeps buildings cool even when temperatures rise
Adrien Poullain is an eco-construction architect and builder and founder of Les Grands Moyens. He explains the field as “a whole range of techniques based on natural materials." Often using "locally sourced materials, which are generally installed with few tools or with equipment that requires little electrical or mechanical energy. This can include construction using raw earth, timber, straw, or stone.”
The Simone Veil Library, in Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt on the outskirts of Paris, was built using eco construction principles - and they paid off during France's June heatwave. The building stayed open despite not having air conditioning.
