Charalampos Giannikopoulos from DCARBON discusses the importance of sustainability in building and construction materials. He notes that the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the need for measures to avoid overstressing the resilience of healthcare systems, and argues that the same principle applies to the Earth itself. He suggests that the old “business as usual” model is no longer sustainable and that a new reality is emerging in which sustainability is a priority. He also emphasizes the importance of meeting the requirements of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, many of which are linked to the design, construction, and operation of buildings.
Charalampos Giannikopoulos is the founder of DCarbon. He holds a Diploma in Architecture & Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens, Greece and a MSc in Environmental Design & Engineering from University College London, UK. He started his career in the UK as the Sustainability Coordinator of the R&D group at Aedas. In 2010 he was involved in the inaugural implementation of LEED in Greece at large–scale commercial projects. With extensive experience in multi-disciplinary teams on major international sustainable projects, he has been involved in prominent commercial, industrial and educational projects, including the LEED consultancy of more than 90% of all LEED projects in Greece, as well as dynamic energy modelling projects, creation and implementation of environmental management plans and green advocacy programs and ESG and green bond issuance consultancy.
