The various environmental regulations related to the building sector tend to encourage the use of more environmentally friendly building materials. In France this is particularly the case with the creation of the bio-sourced label (2012) and the future environmental regulation RE2020. It will take into account the carbon impact of a building throughout its life cycle. The use of biosourced materials from local sectors should be particularly promoted. However, these materials have specific characteristics that differ from “traditional” materials. Making known the advantage of these materials in the sustainable construction of a building by informing about their use is a major challenge to ensure their dissemination and proper implementation.
Convincing future professionals by focusing the actions discovered on students:
The Campus “ecological construction and energy efficiency (Campus 3E) based in Strasbourg is largely made up of training institutions ranging from level 3 to 8 (it means it includes all training in the building sector). The French education system remains a highly centralized system where training programs are updated on a piecemeal basis. Although sustainable development is gradually being integrated, biosourced fields are not necessarily represented. However, we are convinced that it is important to teach good practices from the very beginning of training so that they become the daily practice of tomorrow’s professionals.
Examples of concrete actions for the presentation of bio-sourced materials
One of the strengths of the Campus 3E is to work in networks with local actors and to be able to organize concrete actions to raise awareness about sustainable construction.
Here are two examples:
Conference presenting bio-based materials
This conference organized at the Lycée Le Corbusier for construction quantity surveyor students was led by specialists in biosourced materials. It began with a presentation of the regulatory context and existing financial incentives, biosourced materials produced in the region, construction and insulation systems and technical characteristics (with the provision of samples).
Raw earth discovery workshop
This workshop was organized by the Marc Bloch high school with teacher-researchers from the IUT Robert Schuman, specialists in this material for a whole day.
The first part of the conference consisted in presenting the material, its characteristics and examples of mud brick constructions. The second part of the workshop allowed students and teachers to build mud bricks to test and become familiar with the material.