The beautiful and the sustainable must go hand in hand
Ever since Rahel Belatchew founded the architecture firm, she has made sure that everything created is relevant to its time and contributes to the place and the people who live there. The biggest issue our time has to deal with is about sustainability.
– We believe that it is possible to make the world a little better with architecture. And for us at Belatchew, it’s not just about designing houses. The biggest challenge today is how to change an entire industry to be more sustainable, says Rahel Belatchew.
A big driving force for the team at Belatchew is to constantly learn more and look ahead. It’s about being open to finding new solutions that can best support our changing need for housing, workplaces and recreation in urban environments.
– Our industry has long lead times. Therefore, it is particularly important to have the ability to look ahead so that we can meet tomorrow’s demands already today. One such requirement is Sweden’s goal of being climate-neutral in 2045. The decisions we make today must be aimed at that goal, says Rahel Belatchew.
Sustainability involves many parts. To be able to make progress and be confident with what you achieve, you must be able to measure sustainability.
– The level of knowledge at companies in construction and real estate is quite uneven. Often there are individuals with a very high level of knowledge in sustainability, but for organizations as a whole there can be large variations. For those who feel that they need to build on their knowledge, or gather their team to ensure a common knowledge base, we have developed an education in measurable sustainability.
– When talking about sustainability, there is one aspect that is important not to forget, and that is aesthetic sustainability. If no one wants to live in the environments we create, because they are not attractive enough, we will be forced to demolish buildings long before they have reached their technical lifespan. Then we won’t have won anything at all, concludes Rahel Belatchew.
Do you want to talk about how sustainability can become an integral part of your project? Contact Rahel Belatchew at rahel@belatchew.com
To book a training, contact Elinor Blomberg at elinor@belatchew.com