Sustainable Mediterranean Buildings: Monaco Professionals Create the Changes they wish to see in the Whole World

The battle for an eco-friendly Principality and a sustainable lifestyle is intensifying in the building sector. This has to happen for a long-term effective solution to Prince Albert’s wish for Monaco to be a shining example for how to progress to a green sustainable future. There is no Plan B for action because there is no Planet B” has quoted Prince Albert echoing a pronouncement at the United Nations.

Buildings set the pace every day in how we use resources, particularly how we use water and conserve energy and how we manage waste – and how we avoid polluting our environment. Not to mention the “carbon impact” in the choice of construction materials themselves. Cities and how they are constructed also impact the local environment and even the local climate.

Buildings account for 30% of greenhouse gas emissions. The goal is for a reduction of carbon emissions by 30% by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050. And so a call to arms to everyone involved in the full range of building trades. Between now and 2019, meat will be put on a plan to take the BDM 2009 “sustainable buildings code” of approaches to building and catapult themto BD2M – a visionary voluntary code of best practices to encourage sustainable development.

And it all started, this October 23 last, at Monaco’s Technical College and School of Hospitality where 160 drivers of building practices convened to exchange ideas on forging the new code BD2M.

Marie-Pierre Gramaglia, Government Minister of Equipment, Environment and Urbanism, had invited the principal professionals in the building sector (the Services of the State, the Monegasque Real Estate Chamber, Building Trustees, the Chamber of Construction, the Order of Architects, the Design Offices, companies of the Principality; all these bodies combinedto participate in a work-day with the subject being a presentation on “Sustainable Mediterranean Buildings”. The objective is to promote good practices in construction.

“You must be the change you wish to see in the World”, used to say Mahatma Gandhi and echoed by Cyril Gomez in the gathering:

“This is a voluntary initiative, fully consistent with the Mediterranean climate and meets the expectations of users, as defined by and for them. This ‘Mediterranean Sustainable Buildings of Monaco’ program is to build for the future: it will be what you will do,”said Cyril Gomez, Director General of the Department of Equipment, Environment and Urbanism.

Marie-Pierre Gramaglia had convened this first meeting, but this is just the start. Six full days spread over several months will follow – congresses involving leaders in the building industry and all the trades involved.

The new energy regulation for buildings and the new code for Sustainable Mediterranean Buildings in Monaco are all part of the Principality’s ambitious trajectory and support for its green future. Monaco is using every tool at its disposal including the Climate Energy Plan, the creation of the Mission for Energy Transition, the National Green Fund and now the second wave of the enhancement of the code for Sustainable Mediterranean Buildings.