At the recent New European Bauhaus discussion, which was organised by the European Commission and hosted in Brussels - one theme stood out. The decisions we make today about how materials, carbon, and circularity are addressed in buildings will shape outcomes for decades.
In construction, we are often too focused on the immediate.
But buildings last. Materials last. And so does their impact.
"The long-term carbon impact of materials is one of the most critical decisions we make and one we don’t always fully account for.”
Dr. Mila Duncheva
A whole-life perspective changes that. It pushes us to think beyond the point of construction and consider:
From that perspective, something becomes clear:
Affordability and carbon reduction are not in conflict; in fact;, they can reinforce each other when we optimise across the full lifecycle.
This intersection is where we should focus our attention.
Circularity is no longer a future ambition; it is becoming a practical requirement.
Another shift I see clearly is around circularity.
Not long ago, circular construction was something we talked about mainly in pilot projects and concepts. That is changing.
Today, we see it in practice:
Circular economy principles are moving into the mainstream. However, if we are to unlock their full environment, social and economic potential, we need to accelerate adoption and scale solutions more quickly.
At the NEB Festival Fleming Voetman, VP, External relations and Sustainability, VELUX highlighted the importance of refurbishing homes to increase well-being. While Martin Skea, Co-Founder and CEO, ToGatherHomes and Jan Wurm Professor, KU Leuven and EU Engagement Lead, ARUP explored the role of prefabricated and bio-based solutions.Together, their perspectives point to an industrialised, biogenic circular economy as a potential source of Europe’s competitive edge.
The challenge now is to move from good examples to standard practice.
Photo by by Stora Enso partner: CLT Slovacia/©Michal Lachkovič, showing the extension of the Andel Elite Dental Center in Slovakia.
At Stora Enso, we manufacture renewable materials made from wood because they can help reduce embodied carbon, store carbon over time, and support circular construction models. But I think it’s important to be very clear:
There is no single material that solves everything.
What matters is how we design systems:
This is where we need to move the conversation — from “which material” to “how do we build better systems?”
Something we discussed openly is that the industry already has many of the solutions we need.
What we don’t always have is alignment.
Collaboration across the value chain is what will determine how fast we move — and ultimately enable the industry to transition at scale
That means stronger connections between:
Because without that alignment, even the best ideas stay small.
Photo: Participants at the 2026 New European Bauhaus Festival, including Stora Enso CEO Hans Sohlström and European Commissioner Jessika Roswall.
Sustainable buildings are ultimately built for people. That means designing not only for carbon performance, but also for affordability, accessibility, and quality of life.
If we want sustainable outcomes, people need to be included in the choices that shape building and infrastructure development.
This means:
Inclusion is central to creating resilient, lasting built environments.
The New European Bauhaus reminds us that sustainability is multidimensional, requiring us to balance environmental, social and economic considerations rather than viewing them in isolation. For me, that translates into a few clear priorities:
The decisions we make today about materials, carbon, and circularity will shape the built environment for decades to come.
We’ve explored these topics further in a recent Stora Enso white paper, looking at how long-term carbon thinking and circularity can be applied in practice:
Do you want to know more about Stora Enso?
