CHANGING TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE BUILDING: THE TRANSITION FROM TRADITIONAL TO SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IN PORTUGAL BY 2050

Nowadays, there is a progressive concern with a view to a sustainable future. In this context, the construction sector, one of the main sources of carbon emissions and resource consumption, is striving to find sustainable solutions to mitigate its ecological impact. The present study explores the transition from traditional materials, concrete and steel, to sustainable materials, CLT and bamboo, in Portugal, by 2050, positioning the country in compliance with the decarbonization objectives of the Paris Agreement. The dissertation focuses on demonstrating the benefits of using and applying these materials, highlighting how they will minimize CO2 emissions, while simultaneously enabling faster and more efficient construction. Creative destruction will happen as traditional practices will be replaced by innovative solutions, with technological change helping to promote sustainability. The advances will happen as the current state of art of building construction in Portugal is still very much concentrated on materials and typologies that have been rooted and unchanged for more than 80 years. The quantitative and qualitative results of the research carried out addresses the main obstacles that will be faced in this trajectory of change, assessing whether the transition from traditional materials to sustainable materials will be possible in Portugal by 2050.