4. The craftsman's role

The purpose of this exercise is to provide insight into and understanding of the role and importance of craftsmen in society.

Teacher's guide

4. Intro_EN.pdf

A crucial role in society

Craftsmen play a crucial role in society. Some of humanity's most basic needs are met by the work performed by craftsmen. In the Nordic countries, people primarily spend their time indoors, made possible by the craftsmen who have constructed the buildings. The Nordic region is connected by infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and ports, which are also built by craftsmen. However, construction also contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and accounts for a large portion of the raw materials consumed by our society.

Looking back

In the past, reusing was widely practiced. The relationship between labor costs and building materials was quite different than it is today: Materials were relatively more expensive, while labor was significantly cheaper. Therefore, it was economically viable to spend time cleaning, repairing, and reusing materials instead of buying new ones. In some cases, new materials were not even an option.

Overall, there was an economic motivation to recycle materials, and in some cases, it was a simple necessity.

Up to today

During industrialization, the price of building materials decreased due to the possibility of mass production and improved infrastructure. There was no longer the same need for reusing. Therefore, the reuse of building materials has been much less widespread for many years.

Today, the reuse of building materials is back on the agenda. Even though recycled materials are not always cheaper than new ones, the reuse of building materials has become part of today's political agenda because it can help address various issues such as climate change, resource scarcity, and environmental destruction.

Therefore, it is crucial that the new generation of craftsmen is trained to build with reused materials so that the construction sector can contribute to a more sustainable society.

What do I want to do with my craft?

New laws from the EU will have an impact on the construction industry in the coming years. Construction companies will need employees who can build more environmentally friendly. Until now, it has not been a significant part of the education or the subject, and therefore, in the coming years, there will be a demand for employees with these skills.

There are many paths to take with your craftsmanship, and the opportunities are constantly changing because we become wiser, and our needs evolve. Therefore, it is important that you and your classmates familiarize yourselves with the requirements, trends, and methods that prevail now and will influence the job market you enter.

Duration: 45 min.

Reading: 20 min.

Task: 25 min.

LCA requirements

In these years, there are requirements for life cycle assessments (LCA) with a focus on the climate impact of new construction. This means that there are demands on how much greenhouse gases a building may emit. The materials used in construction are incredibly important for the overall LCA of the construction and thus its greenhouse gas emissions.

The purpose is to reduce the overall climate impact from construction. When using reused materials, there is a lower emission of CO2 and less resource consumption compared to using new materials. Therefore, using reused materials is advantageous for the overall LCA calculation for construction.

This means that craftsmen now and in the future need to be able to work with reused materials in construction to meet new requirements and needs.

Life Cycle Assessments (LCA)

When calculating how much each construction project impacts the climate, the assessment includes the influence of all the materials used, along with the impacts from the construction process and the operation of the building.

Biogenic materials

Biogenic building materials are made from plants, including trees. The plants used for biogenic materials possess a characteristic known as photosynthesis, where the plant takes in carbon dioxide (CO2) through its leaves, binds the carbon (C), and releases oxygen (O2). In this way, plants reduce CO2 in the atmosphere.

Mineralogical materials

Building materials originating from underground stones, sand, and clay are called mineralogical materials. In most cases, producing these materials requires significant amounts of energy.

Biodiversity

Bio is an abbreviation for biology or nature, and diversity can also be referred to as variety or multiplicity. Biodiversity, therefore, means something along the lines of diverse nature.

The craftsman has a choice!

Craftsmen execute construction based on drawings provided by a client or the client's advisor. Therefore, craftsmen rarely have direct influence over the choice of materials for a specific project. However, craftsmen can choose which company they want to work for. As a craftsman, one can indeed take a stance and decide to work for companies and clients who prioritize recycling or other initiatives that can contribute to a better environment.

A common attitude among craftsmen to demand construction under the best environmental practices will force clients to prioritize in favor of the environment.

Furthermore, craftsmen have the opportunity to inform clients, colleagues, and companies about the sustainable solutions available. Dialogue is crucial to changing practices in the industry to focus on, among other things, reuse.

Biogenic materials

The requirement for life cycle assessment has led many in the construction industry to focus more on biogenic building materials.

Building materials made from plants serve as carbon stores. This carbon can be released again as CO2 through combustion or decay, thereby contributing to increasing climate change.Therefore, it makes sense to reuse or extend the lifespan of the materials to preserve the carbon in the material.

Mineralogical materials

By reusing mineralogical materials, energy is saved that would otherwise have been used to produce a new equivalent building material. Mineralogical building materials contribute to global warming during the production phase. However, mineralogical materials have almost no impact when disposed of. Since the majority of energy consumption occurs during the production phase, there are significant advantages to reusing mineralogical building materials and thereby avoiding the energy consumption required for the production of new materials.

Biodiversity

The extraction of virgin materials takes space from nature, and areas with tree plantations are very uniform.

This provides a poor foundation for biodiversity, as biodiversity thrives poorly in a uniform environment. Pollination of plants depends on good biodiversity, where insects of different species are indispensable.

By reusing and recycling materials, the need for the production of new trees and the extraction of raw materials for the production of building materials is reduced. This can create more space for biodiversity.

En mark med grantræer. En grusgrav.

Reflection exercise (25 min.)

In the following exercise, you are to reflect on and answer the questions below. Copy the questions into a document to write your answers for each question. You will need your answers when you go through them in class later.

Work independently (15 min.):

1. Do you think construction plays an important role in a more sustainable future? Describe in your own words what opportunities you believe craftsmen have to promote a more sustainable construction industry.
2. What tools, methods, or initiatives do you think would be most effective in helping craftsmen reduce global warming, limit the consumption of raw materials, and improve biodiversity? Write at least two.
3. Are you open to using reused materials in your future work? Why or why not?
4. Is there anything you are unsure about or find challenging to understand regarding what you have just learned about materials and reuse?

Collective summary (10 min.):

1. Share which tools, methods, and initiatives you believe are the best.
2. Is there anyone not willing to work with reuse? Why? Discuss in the class.
3. Is there anything that was difficult or that you need further clarification on?