Heatwaves with extreme temperatures during the summer; excessive rainfall at other times of the year; constant air pollution in large cities; or exposure to harmful gases, are the main threats facing the built environment. Sika seeks to improve production processes with the use of increasingly efficient technologies, also working firmly in its commitment to R&D to provide buildings with more sustainable materials.
The recent heatwave that has swept across all of Spain is just another episode of a phenomenon that is becoming more frequent and caused by climate change. NASA scientists warn that several Spanish regions will be uninhabitable by 2050. They assert this in the study “How climate change will make it impossible to live in some places,” which points out that thermal stress, which combines extreme heat and humidity, and is a leading cause of heat-related deaths, has doubled in the last four decades and will continue to increase.
The regions of Madrid, Andalusia, and Valencia are particularly at risk. These areas already experience high temperatures, and climate predictions suggest they could exceed human tolerance limits.
In the face of this, the cities of the future, with their buildings and infrastructure, are obliged to be more sustainable to ensure their durability and combat climate change.
Heatwaves with extreme temperatures during the summer; excessive rainfall at other times of the year; constant air pollution in large cities; or exposure to harmful gases, are the main threats facing the built environment.
To this end, Sika, which places the need to reduce CO2 emissions and uphold the principles of a circular economy in construction at the center of its 2024-2028 strategy, promotes innovation through cutting-edge technology to make cities increasingly resilient and sustainable.
“The correlation between sustainability and innovation is key to achieving net zero and decarbonizing buildings. As buildings are constructed with durability in mind, they will better withstand the test of time, as they will stop consuming new materials, which also represents significant energy savings and minimizes environmental impact, reducing carbon footprint,” argues Ana Arenas, Sustainability Manager at Sika.
Among sustainable solutions, Sika advocates for its wide range of innovative facade products, given the growing demand for bolder and more creative designs, with sustainable high-performance structural glazing for natural lighting. Its solutions, adhesives, and weatherproof sealants, with proven durability, stand out for their resistance to temperature and UV rays.
It also offers, from an energy efficiency perspective, next-generation coatings for facades with photocatalytic effects and, therefore, decontaminants. Additionally, it provides low-emission flooring solutions that meet all requirements to improve indoor air quality in buildings.
Likewise, the challenges of the cities of the future involve efficient and innovative waterproofing of buildings, essential for safe and long-lasting construction. And combating pollutants like radon through innovative and comprehensive waterproofing systems.
On the roofs, where a large part of the energy escapes from the building, Sika also contributes its expertise with sustainable solutions, such as solar reflective membranes that help save energy and, consequently, reduce the energy demand of buildings, as well as improve the efficiency of photovoltaic panels.
“One of Sika’s main contributions to the sustainability of the built environment is the durability of its sustainable solutions. For the company, durability is the ability of buildings to last and withstand adverse natural conditions, something that is also achieved with sustainable concrete that reduces clinker content in cement production, thanks to innovative technology,” highlights Arenas.
From Sika’s perspective, sustainability is understood in a dual sense: the pursuit of improving production processes with increasingly efficient technologies, while also firmly committed to R&D to provide buildings with more sustainable and durable materials.
Referrer: MiMub in Spanish
