Building construction consumes a considerable amount of resources and generates large quantities of waste. From the extraction of raw materials to their manufacturing, installation, maintenance, replacement, and ultimately demolition, the environmental impact is both multiple and significant.

It is therefore imperative to rethink our approach to the use of material resources. The most promising perspective is grounded in recognizing that the life cycle of materials is not linear, but circular. In this regard, the World Congress of Architecture has established several fundamental principles to be integrated into architectural design:

Prioritize the use of existing structures.

Avoid the use of new materials when reused, reclaimed, or retained materials can be employed.

Minimize waste generation as much as possible.

Favor renewable and locally sourced materials.

Ensure that the carbon sequestered through construction exceeds the carbon emissions generated.

When it comes to requalifying a building, financial arguments are often put forward to justify demolition and replacement with new construction. However, a purely economic comparison fails to account for the many benefits associated with preserving the built heritage. Beyond its historical and aesthetic value, the rehabilitation of existing buildings offers undeniable environmental advantages. Preserving these structures helps reduce ecological footprints while honouring the memory and architectural identity of a given era.

The sustainable development of cities is one of the defining challenges of our time, and heritage conservation plays a vital role in this process. These two concepts intersect in many ways. The goal of sustainable development is to reconcile, over the long term, the three core pillars that are environmental, social, and economic, in order to ensure a viable future for generations to come.

It is therefore essential to continue our efforts to preserve the built environment as much as possible, not only for environmental reasons such as resource management, but also for social and cultural considerations: the transmission of traditional know-how, the preservation of historical and identity-based values, and the improvement of the quality of urban spaces.

Photography: Roger St-Laurent