Sustainable Building Now

07/11/2025

Earthen constructions represent one of the oldest — and at the same time, most innovative — solutions for sustainable architecture 🌍
Techniques such as compressed earth bricks and rammed earth panels make it possible to create buildings with a low environmental impact, excellent thermal performance, and a unique natural aesthetic.
Thanks to their high thermal mass, these materials absorb and release heat slowly, keeping interiors cool in summer and warm in winter.
Earth is a local, recyclable material capable of providing natural and long-lasting comfort — the perfect balance between tradition and the future.

22/10/2025

I’ll be speaking at Big 5 Global 2025, the world’s most influential event uniting the construction and urban development industry. From 24–27 November at Dubai World Trade Centre, connect with 85,000+ professionals, explore 120+ expert-led Talks, and discover 2,800+ global suppliers shaping the future of our industry.

Get your complimentary visitor ticket here: https://www.big5global.com/b5g25-sp-smt

15/08/2025

With our project Desert Roots, we participated in the 2024/2025 House of the Future competition in Dubai, in collaboration with Architecture Competitions // Buildner and Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation and Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme. Desert Roots is more than a design... it’s a construction philosophy rooted in performance, place, and purpose.
Every material was selected not only for its technical performance, but also for its sustainability, local relevance, and cultural continuity. The goal was to create a breathable, durable envelope that performs in extreme climates with minimal environmental impact.

🟤 Rammed Earth (300 mm) – Delivers high thermal mass, regulating indoor temperatures and connecting the home to its desert roots.
🟡 Natural Cork Insulation (up to 120 mm) – Renewable and non-toxic, it ensures excellent thermal resistance while allowing the envelope to breathe.
♻️ Recycled Tiles (15–30 mm) – Reduce embodied carbon while giving surfaces unique texture and local identity.
🌿 Mashrabiya Screens (Accoya Wood) – Inspired by tradition, these movable elements ensure year-round solar shading, privacy, and light control.
⚪ Concrete Structure with Prefabricated Slabs using Quicklime and Pozzolana – Inspired by ancient Roman concrete, this blend offers exceptional durability and resilience, designed to last for centuries while reducing environmental impact.

The building envelope was designed to meet and exceed local thermal performance regulations in Dubai:
* External Wall U-value: 0.28 W/m²K (vs. mandatory max. 0.57 W/m²K)
* Non-walkable Roof/Terrace U-value: 0.30 W/m²K
* Ventilated Ground Floor U-value: 0.32 W/m²K
* All systems are designed to reduce thermal bridging, extend durability, and support passive climate control.

Team:
🔸
🔸 .e.con
🔸

Contact us for your next sustainable project.

30/07/2025

🌿 Desert Roots: Rooted in the Past, Designed for Tomorrow
📍 Dubai, UAE – House of the Future 2025

A home shaped by the climate, not against it.
Our design embraces nature instead of resisting it, using passive strategies to achieve year-round comfort with minimal energy use.

🏡 A flexible C-shaped layout wraps around a shaded central courtyard – the social and climatic heart of the home.

Key strategies include:
🔸 Mashrabiyas and light shelves for daylight control and heat reduction
🔸 A water feature for evaporative cooling and microclimate balance
🔸 Cross ventilation through every space using pressure differentials
🔸 Exposed thermal mass to regulate temperature naturally
🔸 Rainwater harvesting integrated into the courtyard
🔸 Rooftop PV panels for hybrid energy support
🔸 Breathable, insulated wall assemblies
🔸 Native vegetation for local identity and thermal comfort
🔸 All rooms oriented to enjoy green views and enhance well-being

✨ Architecture rooted in vernacular wisdom, informed by climate science, and reimagined for the future.

📩 Get in touch to design your next sustainable and bioclimatic project with us!

👥 Project Team:
Michela Battaglia • Francesco Emanuele Contaldo • Anahita Oyar

18/07/2025

🛖DESERT ROOTS – Rooted in the past, Inspired for Tomorrow
We’re proud to share our project submitted for the House of the Future 2025 competition: a villa designed for the desert climate of Dubai, using earth-based construction and passive environmental strategies.

Our concept is rooted in a powerful idea:
The house of the future doesn’t need to rely on advanced technology … it can emerge from the intelligent use of local materials and climate-adaptive design inspired by traditional architecture.

This home reinterprets vernacular wisdom in a contemporary way:
🟤 Rammed earth walls offer thermal inertia and regulate indoor temperatures naturally
🌬 A shaded central courtyard promotes cross ventilation and evaporative cooling with a water source
🌞 Mashrabiya-inspired screens reduce heat gain while allowing filtered light and privacy
🌿 Native vegetation and smart orientation contribute to comfort and resilience year-round

👥 Team:
.e.con

📩 Contact us for your next sustainable and bioclimatica project.

14/06/2025

🕌 The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat is not just a place of worship — it’s a lesson in sustainable architecture.
From passive cooling strategies to the use of local materials and drought-resistant landscaping, this masterpiece shows how tradition and sustainability can beautifully coexist. 🌿
Inspiration from the past, designed for the future. ✨

25/04/2025

From the construction site to building a movement….When I started in the construction industry, I was the only woman on site — facing challenges, doubts, and stereotypes. But I kept going. And moving to the UAE changed everything. Here, I saw women leading, creating, inspiring. That gave me the courage to start my own company.Thanks to social media, I found my voice. I became a sustainability influencer, sharing what I love most: helping others, protecting our planet, and working toward a better future.Because sustainability isn’t just a job — it’s a calling. A mission led by care, compassion, and courage.This reel is for every woman building a more sustainable world.

15/02/2025

🔎 How much do you really know about sustainable building? 🏗️🌱

I’ve created a mini quiz to test your knowledge and understanding of sustainability in architecture and engineering! 💡

📋 What’s inside?
✅ 10 multiple-choice questions to assess your expertise
✅ 5 open-ended questions (optional) to share your thoughts and challenges
✅ A chance to reflect on key sustainability principles in building design

⏳ It only takes 3 minutes! Take the quiz now:

With this short quiz, you'll be able to assess your knowledge of sustainable building. Answer honestly....no cheating! It's not an exam; it's just for you to understand how much you really know.

29/12/2024

20/12/2024

In the construction industry, sustainability is no longer optional...it’s a necessity. DesertBoard® is leading the way with Palm Strand Board (PSB®), a revolutionary material made entirely from annually regenerated palm frond biomass in the UAE.

Learn more in my article about how PSB® is changing the future of construction!

https://sustainablebuildingnow.com/desertboards-psb-turning-palm-waste-into-sustainable-building-solutions/

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