More conscious product choice, smaller ecological footprint: is this the green transition for the construction industry?

The introduction of a national ESG law and the recently launched information system on the environmental impact of construction materials are also inspiring the construction industry to go green. Sustainability aspects are becoming more and more prominent in the construction industry, as reducing the energy and material demand of the built environment is an important step towards achieving climate targets. The construction and real estate sectors are responsible for around 40% of energy use, so sustainability is a very important issue in these industries.

How can the construction industry be greener?

Many aspects play a role in achieving a smaller ecological footprint, such as the environmental impact of construction materials, the greenhouse gas emissions from raw material processing, the way waste is treated and used, the distance of transport, the use of renewable energy sources. It is therefore important to minimise the use of energy and natural resources from the design, construction and use stages.

This can be helped by the recent launch of the online register, which makes technical and environmental information on construction products available. In addition, the Building Act adopted at the end of last year requires buildings to have a green passport and a life-cycle service book, in addition to energy certification. All this could contribute to a stronger presence of greener architecture, with a more environmentally conscious approach.

For Terrán, an environmentally conscious approach is key in both their products and manufacturing processes. At the group's site in Bóly, a solar park provides the entire electricity supply for the tile manufacturing plant, while in Pécs and Kunszentmiklós, the development of renewable energy sources has reached its final stage.

The Terrán solar farms provide ⅔ of their annual energy consumption with 1600 MWh/year of production. As of this year, 48% of their historical energy sources will be replaced by renewable sources. By 2030, Terrán will target carbon neutrality. If not the only, perhaps the biggest step on the road to environmental protection, Terrán has been the creation of a solar rooftop system.

The Generon, which debuted in 2021, was previously available in black, but this year the group has introduced the Generon RED, a red solar roof tile, primarily for those who prefer classic-coloured roof tiles.