On November 27, Milan hosted the VIII National YouBuild Conference, dedicated to climate and construction technology. The event proved to be much more than a mere meeting for the construction industry, which is called to rethink its environmental impact and embrace a more sustainable future.
The conference highlighted an ambitious goal: regenerative design, an innovative approach aimed at creating structures that integrate with the ecosystem, generating energy instead of consuming it to contribute to decarbonization.
During the event, companies, projects, and materials that stood out for their contribution to the sector's sustainable transition were awarded. Among the winners, Favaro1 received recognition in the Adaptive and Regenerative Materials category for Recycle® 2.0, a permeable interlocking pavement that mitigates the heat island effect, maintaining a surface temperature up to 5 °C lower than traditional solutions.
Today's construction sector is no longer sustainable: data and solutions for the future
Numbers are clear: the construction sector must change. The built environment is responsible for about 39% of global CO₂ emissions related to energy, while cities—home to over 56% of the global population, a share expected to exceed 70% by 2050—account for 75% of global energy consumption. Additionally, the enormous production of solid waste from the construction supply chain reaches as high as 30-40% of the total in many European countries, alongside the unsustainable consumption of non-renewable raw materials.
These data not only highlight the need for change but also an opportunity: reducing the sector's carbon footprint by 10-15% by 2030 could eliminate millions of tons of CO₂ from the atmosphere, making a valuable contribution to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Cement was one of the most discussed materials during the conference: responsible for about 8% of global CO₂ emissions, it has become the focus of studies and pilot projects demonstrating how carbon capture technologies and the use of alternative clinkers can reduce environmental impact by 40% or more for each ton produced. The real challenge, therefore, is not to find new materials but to transform supply chains.
This vision requires profound changes: existing technologies must be combined with renewable energies and advanced methodologies, from raw material extraction to logistics, from prefabrication to recycling, and including the integration of parametric design strategies and predictive maintenance. In a circular perspective, some materials could even become carbon-negative over their lifecycle.
Another central theme was the role of digitalization. Sensors, construction robots, optimization algorithms, and 3D climate simulations could reduce material waste by up to 30%, lower human errors and delays by up to 20%, and optimize energy performance in buildings, with a reduction in internal consumption between 25% and 40%. Integrating real-time monitoring systems, satellite big data, and advanced climate models could revolutionize design, predicting how the choice of a specific facade material affects the urban heat island effect or how a green roof contributes to managing stormwater runoff. For these technologies, the initial investment would involve an increase in costs between 10% and 15%, but analyses shared at the conference demonstrate that the benefits would more than compensate for the expenditure in the medium to long term.
Beyond sustainability: building to give back to the environment
The construction sector needs a profound transformation, aimed not only at reducing environmental impact but also at generating a positive impact, actively contributing to the well-being of urban ecosystems.
Many presentations emphasized the need for a decisive shift in perspective. Regenerative design goes beyond mere pollution reduction: it aims to restore natural cycles, increase biodiversity, and improve the management of water and thermal resources in cities. Some pilot projects have demonstrated the concrete potential of these strategies: the use of reflective materials on roofs, green walls, phytoremediation systems, and permeable pavements can lower urban temperatures by over 2 °C, reduce post-rain flooding events by 15%, and improve air quality, decreasing fine particles by between 5% and 10%.
Adopting this approach means embracing a cultural as well as technological change, from the training of architects to the evolution of regulations, from procurement strategies to the participation of local communities. Climate change demands a critical reassessment of every risk factor for the future; every design detail must be conceived to amplify benefits: buildings that return resources, improve the surrounding environment, and regenerate.
This enormous paradigm shift brings with it challenges and complexities, but by the end of the conference, the prevailing feeling was one of optimism: the idea that a city can pollute less and even improve the environment is seen as a lever capable of inspiring investments and bold solutions.
See you at the YouBuild Conference 2025
The VIII YouBuild Conference sent a clear message: the ecological transition in construction is no longer an option, but a necessity. For this transformation to have a concrete impact, it is essential that solutions are accessible and scalable, avoiding being limited to a few elite projects.
In this scenario, industry professionals have a fundamental task: to lead and facilitate change. Favaro1, always committed to finding innovative and sustainable solutions, has made this vision its mission, actively contributing to more conscious and regenerative construction.
Now we can only wait for the next appointment. The IX YouBuild Conference is already scheduled: on November 27, 2025, it will provide another opportunity to discuss the challenges and opportunities of a future we can no longer postpone.