Plastics in Construction: Toward Green Buildings and Climate-Resilient Cities

As more of the world becomes urbanized, more infrastructures and buildings are being constructed. Implementation of green buildings and infrastructure is vital to achieving sustainable urbanization and population growth. Plastics play a key role in this regard. This is primarily through the implementation of sustainable plastics and the use of plastics to reduce or eliminate the use of more toxic and less environmentally friendly materials like asbestos. Plastics have also proved to have better performance in some applications in construction than conventional materials like steel while offering cost savings. Plastics have been key materials in constructing affordable homes by cutting time and material use, thereby reducing cost through their compatibility with techniques such as 3D printing and the reduced transportation cost due to their lightweight nature. We also look at how plastics can be used in constructing buildings and infrastructure that are better fit to withstand the challenges from climate change and environmental pollution such as adapting buildings to flooding and heat waves.