Adapting Argentine Structures for Climate Change Resilience

In the heart of Argentina, a shift towards sustainable housing is underway. This transition is evident in various initiatives, including the National Housing Labelling Programme (Pronev) and the growing popularity of bio-construction.

Established in 2023, Pronev was created to assess the energy efficiency of houses. As of now, 1,357 labels have been issued, and 3,738 dwellings have been analyzed under this program. This initiative aims to promote energy-efficient housing, which can help mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and combat poverty in Argentina, a country with a housing deficit affecting around 4 million families and an urgent need for social housing.

Meanwhile, bio-construction, a sustainable and culturally rooted technique in Argentina, is gaining traction. This method, which promotes the use of local, renewable, and environmentally friendly materials, is particularly beneficial in adapting to the unique climatic conditions of Patagonia. The Bioca Network, based in Argentina, has been instrumental in promoting bio-construction in this region, even publishing a draft ordinance in 2021 to enable local governments to regulate bio-construction.

As of now, municipalities in 15 provinces have approved local ordinances on bio-construction, while three provinces have passed laws relating to such methods. However, there is no national regulation to legally enable bio-construction, which is a significant gap that needs to be addressed.

In the city of Gonnet near La Plata, architect Gustavo San Juan is leading the way in sustainable construction. He has designed a building that will become the Renewable Energy Centre of Buenos Aires province. The structure, located in the town of Gonnet at the edge of the city of La Plata, is built using environmentally friendly techniques and materials. These include recycled plastic bricks, bricks made from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET), bricks made from mycelium, board made from peanut shells and agro-industrial waste, adhesives made from soy protein, and insulation from recycled expanded polystyrene and sheep's wool.

The use of "dry" construction, based on prefabricated materials that do not require the use of water and can make building more efficient and faster, is also increasing in Argentina. Additionally, the use of timber frame structures as load-bearing structures and filled in using light straw clay to create walls is becoming more common, and no longer requires a Certificate of Technical Aptitude (CAT) after its recognition as a "traditional" system in 2018.

It's worth noting that the global buildings and construction sector contributes significantly to climate change, responsible for 37% of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and 34% of energy demand in 2022. Steel, cement, and aluminium, all materials required in modern construction, are estimated to be responsible for 15% of global emissions. Thus, the shift towards sustainable construction in Argentina is not only beneficial for the local population but also for the global environment.

Brazil and Mexico lead the Latin American ranking in the construction of sustainable buildings, while Argentina maintains a sustained growth and an increase in the demand for this type of housing. As more initiatives like Pronev and the growth of bio-construction continue, Argentina is poised to join its neighbouring countries in the vanguard of sustainable construction.

Adapting Argentine Structures for Climate Change Resilience