From April 8 to 11, São Paulo hosts the 29th edition of Feicon, the largest construction trade show in Latin America. The event takes place at São Paulo Expo and brings together over a thousand brands, along with professionals in architecture, engineering, and construction from across Brazil and more than 70 countries.

On April 8 at 5:00 PM, Sami Meira, architect and co-founder of UGREEN, will present the talk Materials & Sustainability at the Central Arena, as part of the “Professionals Who Inspire” track.

The talk is built on a clear premise: sustainability is not a trend. It is a technical requirement. And when applied incorrectly, it directly compromises project outcomes.

In 30 minutes, Sami will focus on what actually matters when making decisions:

What does sustainability mean in construction today. No generalizations, grounded in real market conditions.

Why generic data leads to poor decisions. Choosing the wrong material is not just an environmental issue. It is a design failure.

Carbon accounting as a decision-making tool. How to quantify the impact of each specification and use that data to make better choices.

Sustainability as a business strategy. Firms that master this approach deliver stronger projects and position themselves differently in the market.

The risks of greenwashing and how to avoid them. Being able to identify empty claims protects both the project and the professional behind it.

How to turn sustainability into a competitive advantage. Data, decision, and performance aligned.

The core message is straightforward: better decisions lead to better buildings. Specifying materials without environmental criteria means making incomplete decisions.

📍 Central Arena — São Paulo Expo

📅 April 8 | 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM

Most homes waste water, energy, and ventilation simply because the right technical choices were never made, and all of this waste can be addressed in a practical way, without renovation and without major investment!

That’s where the UGREEN Sustainable Home Mentoring comes in. Four recorded classes covering expert-validated methodologies to transform any home into a more efficient, ecological, and healthy environment.

The program covers the six pillars of a sustainable home:

Designed for people who want concrete results without spending a fortune. For just US$ 67, you get lifetime access to this mentoring!

ECSUS Design, a British construction firm based in Haute-Savoie, France, has been building luxury chalets in the French Alps for over 20 years.

What stands out beyond their track record is that in 2023, their clients saved a combined €48,000 on heating bills. That happens because these properties consume just one-third of the energy of a typical home in the region.

The foundation is the SIP panel: a prefabricated structure that combines wall, insulation, and air barrier in a single unit. It performs 50% better than conventional timber framing, and the structure can be assembled in 5 to 6 days, something critical in a region where the building season runs from May to November only.

The chalets pair SIP panels with mechanical heat recovery ventilation, which recaptures up to 90% of extracted heat, air-source heat pumps, and underfloor heating. Chalet Cote, a 256 m² property, has an estimated annual heating bill of just €318.

The construction sector accounts for 37% of global CO₂ emissions. In the Alps, the Mer de Glace glacier, one of the most iconic in Europe, retreats 4 meters every year. Building efficiently is a direct response to that reality.

ECSUS chalets cost up to €2,436/m², well below the regional average of €3,000 to €4,000/m². Most chalets in the area fall below an E energy rating, while ECSUS properties reach AA.

The technology exists. The numbers work, but what’s missing … is scale.

The famous pyramids of Giza in Egypt were built next to an active branch of the Nile River that no longer exists today.

Recent research using satellite radar and sediment analysis shows that limestone and granite blocks were transported by boat directly to the base of the plateau. This system relied on canals, ports, and docking areas connected to a waterway that extended for up to 63 kilometers.

The social structure behind the construction was just as organized. Workers were primarily farmers mobilized by the state during the Nile’s flood season, when agricultural activity paused. A full support settlement was built on site, including bakeries, breweries, storage facilities, and collective housing.

A diary discovered in 2013, written by a supervisor named Merer, documents routes, deliveries, and hierarchies with remarkable administrative precision.

Watch the full video on YouTube and understand how engineering, social organization, and environmental impact came together in one of the most ambitious construction projects of the ancient world.

Disclaimer: The video is in Brazilian Portuguese, but simultaneous translation and subtitles are available in multiple languages.