News

Pompidou Renovation: A Modern Architectural Icon Looking Toward the Future

The world-famous Centre Pompidou, an iconic landmark in the heart of Paris, is now officially closed — but only temporarily. In September 2025, the building shut its doors for a five-year renovation, scheduled for completion in 2030.

Five Years of Renovation for Fifty Years of Relevance

Inaugurated almost half a century ago, the Pompidou was born from a utopian vision: to be a living, accessible space — connected to both the city and its people. The renovation, which began last month, seeks to revive that original spirit, with an ambitious technical and architectural plan to adapt the building to today’s global challenges.

This undertaking is no small feat: the building will remain closed until 2030, with initial interventions having already begun in the fall of 2024. While work is already underway, the symbolic closure was marked by the event Because Beaubourg, held on October 24-25, 2025.

Sustainability in Action: Technique, Culture, and Responsibility

This renovation is a powerful example of how sustainability extends far beyond the use of eco-friendly materials. It rests on three key pillars:

1. Technical

   • Removal of asbestos;

   • Enhanced fire safety systems;

   • Improved accessibility;

   • Energy efficiency upgrades throughout the building.

2. Cultural

   • Creation of new inclusive spaces (such as the New Generation Hub);

   • Reconfiguration of the Public Library (BPI) into a flexible, hybrid space;

   • Emphasis on circulation, natural light, and full spatial use.

3. Heritage

   • Dialogue with the original architecture, respecting the Pompidou’s identity;

   • Creation of a new panoramic esplanade;

   • Preservation and activation of the building’s legacy as a living cultural landmark.

Cost, Challenge, and Collaboration

The renovation is estimated at €460 million (over US$530 million), with substantial support from the French government. However, there remains a €168 million funding gap to be filled through sponsorships and partnerships.

This highlights a crucial lesson: sustainable projects require collaboration between the public sector, private stakeholders, and civil society.

The Pompidou Lives On: Culture in Motion

During the five-year closure, the Centre Pompidou will stay active through its “Constellation” program, which will bring parts of its collection to exhibitions worldwide — including Shanghai, Amsterdam, Madrid, and Philadelphia.

In addition, 2026 will see the opening of the Centre Pompidou Francilien – Fabrique de l’Art in Massy, within the Paris metropolitan area — a 30,000 m² facility dedicated to art conservation, restoration, and cultural outreach.

What Can We Learn from This Renovation?

This renewal teaches us a fundamental lesson: sustainability is long-term planning.

If even one of the world’s great icons of modern architecture has understood the need to pause and update itself, what does that say about our own projects, buildings, and cities?

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News

Sustainable Materials Set to Reach $1.4 Trillion by 2034

The global market for sustainable building materials is undergoing an unprecedented expansion. In 2024, the sector was valued at approximately $430 billion, but projections released in a report on October 1, 2025, indicate a remarkable surge — expected to reach $1.4 trillion by 2034.

More than just an increase in volume, what we’re witnessing is a structural transformation in the way we build. Sustainability, once seen as a differentiator, has now become a technical, regulatory, and commercial requirement. And that changes everything — from the materials used to how a building’s environmental performance is measured.

Previous forecasts were already optimistic, showing an annual growth rate of 8.5% through 2030. Yet the recent acceleration suggests we’re not facing a mere trend, but rather a true paradigm shift. The large-scale adoption of technological solutions, stricter climate policies, and the rising demand for high-efficiency buildings are reshaping the entire industry.

What’s Driving This Transformation

Three major global forces are acting as catalysts for this movement:

• Climate: The climate emergency is pressuring governments and corporations to cut emissions and improve building energy efficiency.

• Regulation: Stricter standards and fiscal incentives are encouraging the use of low-impact materials.

• Market: Buyers and investors are seeking sustainable properties with lower operational costs and higher long-term value.

Together, these forces are redefining the landscape: building sustainably is no longer optional — it’s strategically essential.

New Materials, New Possibilities

The rise of sustainable construction goes far beyond discourse. It is materializing — literally — through the arrival of new high-performance environmental materials.

One example is Alkali-Activated Material (AAM), also known as geopolymer concrete. Used as an alternative to Portland cement, it has already demonstrated up to a 24% reduction in CO₂ emissions per cubic meter, while maintaining equal or superior structural performance.

Another innovation is Phase Change Materials (PCM), which contribute to passive thermal regulation inside buildings, reducing the need for artificial air conditioning. Studies show that when properly applied, PCMs can maintain thermal comfort during nearly 100% of analyzed hours, even in affordable housing contexts.

Additionally, bio-based and nature-inspired materials such as bamboo, adobe, and bioplastics are gaining ground. Naturally sustainable and low in embodied energy, they represent an intelligent return to ancestral solutions — now enhanced by research and technology.

Data, Standards, and Performance: The New Foundation

Strengthened performance standards are at the heart of this transformation. Tools like Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), based on ISO 14040/44 standards, are becoming the benchmark for measuring the environmental impact of construction materials and systems.

This data-driven approach is now required by major international certifications such as LEED, BREEAM, and AQUA-HQE, which go beyond symbolism and are solidifying their role as market value indicators and gateways to green financing.

In Brazil, for instance, ABNT NBR 15575 has also incorporated environmental criteria, requiring that projects account for impact, durability, and maintainability as integral parts of a building’s performance.

The result? Sustainability is now driven by metrics, not by narratives.

International Initiatives Leading the Way

Several countries are standing out for their large-scale adoption of sustainable construction strategies:

• France and Germany are leading the regulation of embodied carbon and promoting local, circular materials.

• The United States is investing heavily in innovation, with companies such as Holcim, Saint-Gobain, and Owens Corning at the forefront.

• Singapore has integrated green building criteria across its entire urban planning policy.

• Brazil, Chile, and Colombia are advancing with new regulatory frameworks and incentive programs, despite ongoing structural challenges.

Cities like Curitiba, for example, already feature energy- and water-self-sufficient buildings, showcasing what the future could look like elsewhere.

Scaling Up and the Need for Smart Policy

Despite major technical progress, the scaling challenge remains. The high upfront costs of innovative technologies — such as blockchain for waste tracking or 3D printing with recycled aggregates — still limit their application in large-scale or affordable housing projects.

There’s also significant cultural resistance to the use of recycled materials in many regions. The lack of specific regulation and incentives for waste prevention hinder the growth of advanced practices like selective demolition and digital traceability of construction waste.

Governments, businesses, and research institutions will play a decisive role in closing these gaps. Beyond promoting “green” materials, the focus must shift toward proven environmental performance, coherent regulatory frameworks, and the development of regional innovation ecosystems.

The Future of Construction Is Regenerative — or It Won’t Be

Sustainable construction is no longer a niche; it’s becoming the new normal for the global building industry. The projected growth reflects a transition already underway — one that will intensify as global decarbonization goals advance.

We are facing a strategic window to redefine how we build — not just with less impact, but with more intelligence, more circularity, and more responsibility.

An industry once synonymous with excess now has the chance to become a symbol of regeneration.