This year, we will neither send branded “mug-wine-bejgli” gift packages, nor will we continue to pollute the sea with plastic waste, instead we will plant trees and help a hospital in a difficult situation from more than 1 million HUF. Because this year was very different from the previous ones.
Let’s start with some very good news: global greenhouse gas emissions have fallen, the rate of global warming has slowed. Don’t forget the bad news: COVID has slowed economies, paralyzed industries and endangered or ruined people’s health, lives and jobs.
We are part of a global and a local crisis at the same time, and while it would be easier to focus only on our customers and our profit, as a responsible organization, we are obliged to do more than that.
Anyone who saw David Attenborough’s – A Life on Our Planet knows that two-thirds of forests have disappeared from the face of Earth since the beginning of industrial civilization and biodiversity is declining rapidly, plunging our planet into a global catastrophe.
We are filled with hope that our hard work spreading a new framework (BIM) will reshape the way the construction industry works and is about sustainability in every way.
It is a new digital ecosystem that through technology and smart devices, implements efficient design, radically reduces unnecessary work processes and construction waste and allows a more economical building operation.
This means 20-40% cost reduction in the life cycle of a building which also means, less energy consumption, lower carbon emissions and reduced environmental impact overall.
This is our future, but we also want to have an impact on our present, so we decided to plant 1 tree seedling for every 100 m2 space planned in BIM on behalf of our customers.
So half of the amount we spent on Christmas presents was used to plant 1,000 seedlings with the help of MyForest.
However, sustainable development is not about only ecological balance, but also about increasing the quality of life.
As almost one-third of the BuildEXT team originates in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén and Hajdú-Bihar counties, it was an obvious decision to give the other half of the amount to support the Foundation for Patients in Zemplén run by Dr. Ernő Rácz, president of the foundation and head of maternity at Erzsébet Hospital, Sátoraljaújhely.
“Five years ago, by adopting the Paris Agreement, our countries committed to decreasing their greenhouse gas emissions but it was only the beginning. The urgency remains and it’s up to us, governments, private companies and citizens to turn these commitments into reality. This is our shared responsibility!” – French Ambassador Pascale Andréani said in her closing remarks.
“Fighting climate change, climate protection is teamwork. Our common goal is to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, where all contributions count. Renewables are taking over in the power sector in Europe. Next steps in energy transition: replace fossil fuels in transport, industry and heating. Hydrogen will play a crucial role” – German Ambassador Johannes Haindl said. Germany holds the rotating presidency of the European Union from 1 July 2020 which sets the standard for achieving climate neutrality.
“We are proud to be collaborating with the British Embassy and our other partners on the Race to Zero Business Ambitions Forum and working for a carbon neutral world by 2050. Climate change is a global problem and it will take a coordinated response to find global solutions. Canada continues its work to reduce emissions and build resilient communities and a low carbon economy, knowing the strong connection such efforts have with long-term health and financial well-being.” – Canadian Ambassador Caroline Charette said in her closing remarks.
“The Netherlands deems climate actions very timely and important that is why it will host the Climate Adaptation Summit on 25 January 2021, focusing on how we can adapt globally to the changing climate and what solutions need to be scaled up further. Please, join this on-line event which will mobilise governments, companies, organisations and citizens worldwide in order to set out a roadmap towards a climate-resilient future by 2030!” – Dutch Ambassador René van Hell said.
