The measure will be implemented by 2022 and affect all public buildings financed by the French state, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Friday, February 14, 2020
French public buildings to be built with 50 per cent wood
The measure will be implemented by 2022 and affect all public buildings financed by the French state, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
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The idea of sustainability in public buildings is amazing for France and everywhere around the world. This does bring up a small concern: deforestation. I worry that there is already so much deforestation due to exploitation of other resources that wood farming or just taking down what already exists could hurt the environment more. Also this only applies to public buildings, and I don’t know much about the ratio of public versus private construction in France, or anywhere really, but I can imagine that private construction trumps public. Also from the times I was in France, I don’t recall much active construction. Most of what I saw was restoration to historical buildings, many of which were originally wood based. So this makes me question if wood or bio-based elements are the most ideal to use. This also makes me wonder if the renovated buildings will be renovated with these same stipulations or still use concrete.
In the current day and age, humans as a species desperately need to get their shit together. We have constantly abused the Earth we live upon, plundering it for its resources and all but destroying it in the process. If we don’t make big changes very soon, these may just be out last years as an extant species. That being said, such sudden, drastic change will be incredibly difficult to achieve. However, it is nice to see that initiative is being taken, especially on a countrywide, governmental level. Sure, governments have passed laws and regulations regarding pollution and emissions and such, but this is not to the same scale as the measure that France has just passed. That being said, this measure is a double-edged sword. Deforestation is also a massive problem that we have created and are currently facing. In order for this measure to be effective and not a swing and a miss, the timber used for these now buildings should be sustainably harvested. If not, while this measure would solve an issue of sustainability, it could also potentially contribute to deforestation.
France is at the forefront of the sustainability initiative. They’ve already banned plastic bags and have begun to push for sustainability in its many industries. I remember quite particularly that they made a groundbreaking law to ban grocery stores from throwing away edible food, requiring these shops to donate them to charities that would distribute the excess food to the poor. I am excited to see that France will ensure 50% of its new public buildings to be constructed of wood. I wonder what architectural revivals or innovations this will bring. But if this really works, it will be a model for other countries that all of its construction materials don’t necessarily need to be outsourced.
While France is on their game, the rest of the world needs to catch up. Resonating what Dean said above, we collectively need to make our lifestyle and systems more sustainable. There’s no future if we don’t live sustainably now. This article prompts me to reflect on how I can be more sustainable in my own life, and how sustainability can be incorporated in theater practices because as we know, theater is not sustainable at all.
For some reason, France always seems to be on the forefront of sustainability. I may be wrong about this, but it always seems like they are in the news about sustainability initiatives all the time. That being said, I do think this is a great idea. Building public buildings is a process that negatively impacts carbon emissions and the environment as a whole. Using materials that are cleaner and more sustainable will have a great positive impact on the environment. I do think, however, that there needs to be some caution here. I worry about deforestation because there will be a much greater demand for wood. It would be good if they added that one tree needed to be planted for every tree cut down, or something of that sort to protect our natural resources. This is a great start in trying to be more sustainable and I think it sets a great example around the world of what other countries should be striving to do.
In the past decade, France has been putting sustainability at the front of the governmental policies and it's really incredible. To be putting so much effort into reducing their carbon footprint, in the midst of heated political tensions and Brexit, France is still putting the Earth first. I love that this is also centered around the 2024 Olympics build. The Olympics can cause a lot of issues for the community that hosts it. Often they pump a lot of money into communities and build an entire infrastructure that can no longer be supported once the Olympians and tourists leave. This is a really wonderful approach to this huge task that at least avoids the major environmental costs. I think this is a really wonderful idea, as long as all the lumber is sustainably farmed. It really makes me think about how unsustainable our industry is. The amount of waste that theatre creates is truly horrible, and there is little being done to address the issue. We could really learn a lot from looking at countries like France addressing these problems.
I'm super excited for this initiative. Not only is this more sustainable, I think it's more attractive. It's great to see that France saw something possibly problematic for sustainability (such as the Olympics) and elected to make it more sustainable. The Olympics are always incredibly wasteful and usually harmful for the city they're taking place in. This will avoid environmental costs and, in my thought process, monetary cost. I can only assume it's cheaper to build a building out of wood than steel and concrete, so these buildings would not only be more sustainable environmentally, but also for the communities they'll remain in after the Olympics. It's very evident that France is very forward-thinking when it comes to issues of sustainability and thoughtful construction of communities and buildings. I think the rest of the world, especially the United States, should try to emulate the initiatives being taken overseas by those who very clearly think through their decisions and their relationships to the environment.
I recently read another article about French architects asserting that the roof of the burned Notre-Dame Cathedral should be reconstructed by the same wood used in its original construction, rather than any fire-resistant materials. I wonder if this event pushed the French government to make such a decision. Although I think this policy would not be suitable for many other countries, like Japan (earthquakes) or Australia (bushfires), it is admirable how France is always working hard and developing cutting-edge way for the environmental conservation. However, it is often the case that when the government make decisions for the future, people will be concerned about the use of their taxes. The disparity between the rich and the poor in France is not small. In fact, I believe the discussion of sustainability should not be considered in the exact same framework. But I do wonder what people in France think about this policy.
This is an interesting concept, but I do wonder about the long term effectiveness of something like this. Because municipal buildings have changed over from being massive stone structures that last forever, but at least here that has changed into being cheaper buildings that aren’t meant to last as long. I wonder if the wooden construction will lead to the buildings not lasting as long and then they have to be replaced more often. That being said, the overall idea is obviously pushing them in the right direction and I assume that they did complete a carbon analysis before committing to a project like that. While the headline points out the wooden buildings, the urban farms will most likely also do wonders for the community at large, creating jobs, growing produce, and making green spaces that are in the suburbs and city. I’ve definitely seen more of a shift towards having urban farms in recent memory and I think it’s for the best.
At first glance, this sounds like a positively horrible idea. Because, you know, wood is really flammable. Buildings generally do not do well when they can light up like a match, especially not public government financed buildings, especially not in France (yes that was a French Revolution joke, comments have to be fun somehow). Once I started reading more into it in this article, I thought this could actually not be the worst idea out there. Reducing a national carbon footprint should have been made a priority by major world governments for the last 50 years or so, but it has not really made its way up there until within my lifetime. It is very reassuring to see France taking such a drastic step like this, and hopefully it sets an example for other world powers to make similar motions towards a greener planet. I have seen a spattering of bio-based materials and recycled materials popping up globally for some time now, and I hope this trend continues.
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