Special edition

The special “building and construction” edition of Medadapt Awards was launched in 2023 on the initiative of ADEME, the French Agency for Ecological Transition, and its international partners.

It has rewarded three structures for their exemplary and reproducible projects:

The awards ceremony took place on May 9, 2023, during meetMED Week in Marrakech.

Ceremony for the special "building and construction" edition of the Medadapt Awards

Winners of the special “building and construction” edition

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Renewable energy and energy efficiency for public schools in vulnerable communities in Jordan - JREEEF

Implementation of a program to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and to integrate solar equipment. 67,950 beneficiaries were reached with cumulative savings on energy bills of 500,000 (JOD/year) and a decrease in CO2 emissions of 2,101 (T/year).

A detailed presentation of the project is available in English and French, on the visual.

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Building retrofitting and improving energy efficiency for Palestinian refugees in Qaddoura camp - PALGBC

Training local contractors in energy efficiency and building renovation: insulation of doors, walls and roofs, installation of solar water heaters, etc. 14 houses have conducted retrofits with an average reduction in energy consumption of over 30%.

A detailed presentation of the project is available in English and French, on the visual.

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Production of drinking water: Sun Air Fountain® solution - AGUA DE SOL

Development of an effective solution for the production of drinking water from moist air, using solar thermal energy, enabling the supply of drinking water in an off-grid context. This solution allows the production of 1.2 l/day, per panel of 0.7 square meters.

A detailed presentation of the project is available in English and French, on the visual.

The Medadapt Awards ceremony at MeetMed Week

On the occasion of the international conference on energy and climate transition in southeast Mediterranean countries (MeetMed Week), held in Marrakech from May 9 to 13, 2023, ADEME and its partners rewarded the three winners of the special “building and construction” edition.

To download the press release, click here (PDF – 491 ko)

To download the edition synthesis, click here (PDF – 1 315 ko)

What are the impacts of climate change on the building and construction sector in the Mediterranean?

The Mediterranean basin is a climate change “hot spot”. The dual phenomena of coastal densification and urbanisation amplify the pressures and risks in the north and south of the Mediterranean, which are already subject to the effects of climate change.

The challenges of increasing the effects of urban heat islands, air pollution and the scarcity of water resources are multiplying, especially in urban areas. They contribute to a significant deterioration in living conditions, particularly for the most vulnerable. The construction sector is particularly affected by these adaptation issues.

 

How can buildings and constructions be adapted to climate change?

Solutions exist to adapt this sector and to improve thermal comfort in buildings: massification of energy renovation measures, new bioclimatic constructions, passive ventilation and shading measures, use of local bio-sourced materials, installation of heat and cold networks, etc. They can be combined with more appropriate urban planning: vegetation, use of low albedo materials for construction, etc.

Overall, these measures make it possible to reduce energy consumption and the use of air conditioning, a real climate “time bomb”.

GlobalABC, a partner in this special edition of “buildings and construction”, has established 10 principles that can be followed in order to implement effective adaptation projects:

  1. 1. Urgency: Act now
    2. Stakeholders: Consider a systemic integration of measures for adaptation across the entire value chain
    3. Process: Consider adaptation along the entire lifecycle of an asset
    4. Mitigation: Implement adaptation and mitigation in tandem
    5. Data: Understand climate risk data and accept uncertainty
    6. Scale: Think beyond asset-level
    7. Green: Consider nature-based solutions
    8. People: Promote a “just adaptation” of the building sector
    9. Finance: Enable adaptation of the building sector
    10. Local: Fit adaptation measures to the local context
adaptation of the building sector to climate change: 10 principles for effective action

The full brochure detailing these principles is available on the GlobalABC website.

Other publications on adapting buildings to climate change are available:

La brochure complète détaillant ces principes est disponible sur le site de GlobalABC.

 

État des lieux et étude prospective sur les impacts du changement climatique pour le bâtiment aux horizons 2050 et 2100Better design for cool buildingsRafraîchir les villesDes solutions pour rafraîchir les villes

[1] MedECC (2020) Climate and Environmental Change in the Mediterranean Basin – Current Situation and Risks for the Future. First Mediterranean Assessment Report [Cramer, W., Guiot, J., Marini, K. (eds.)] Union for the Mediterranean, Plan Bleu, UNEP/MAP, Marseille, France, 632pp, ISBN 978-2-9577416-0-1, doi: 10.5281/zenodo.4768833.