Sustainability is based on a simple principle: Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment. To pursue sustainability is to create and maintain the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony to support present and future generations.

Traditional construction operations are responsible for more than 30% of worldwide carbon emissions each year. The industry’s environmental issues are numerous and intertwined. Firms are fragmented throughout the building process, with only a fraction of the data and no motivation to modify methods. Despite the challenges, we will not be able to address the current climate and environmental issues unless we change the way we build.

Proptech Americas seeks and promotes contech and proptech solutions that give transparency and stewardship throughout the lifecycle of a building. This has the potential to significantly reduce long-standing environmental inefficiencies in the construction and property industries.

Proptech Americas’s strategy for sustainable solutions is guided by three guiding principles:

1. Driving operational energy efficiency;
2. Improving quality and productivity through end-to-end processes; and
3. Reducing traditional materials, time, and energy waste.

We believe that successful solutions must be both environmentally and economically sustainable in order to expand and have a real impact. As a result, we advocate for solutions that improve environmental efficiency, lower costs, and add value to all stakeholders.

Why Is Sustainability Important?

The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 committed the United States to sustainability, declaring it a national policy “to create and maintain conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations.” 

In the years since NEPA was enacted, the public’s interest in sustainability has broadened. According to the National Research Council, there are many additional drivers for sustainability. In the areas where the US has seen considerable progress in sustainability, a common driver for sustainability efforts is citizens and other stakeholders concern. In addition, sustainability practitioners are becoming more ambitious in their sustainability efforts and are working together to share best practices to ensure the greatest environmental, economic and social impact.