Taking local building cultures into consideration for a better sustainability of housing projects

International audienceThe study of the history of construction shows that builders have always been creative in adapting and upgrading housing structures by making the best use of locally available resources according to their needs, while taking into account local economic, social and climatic constraints. Societies worldwide have developed specific building cultures resulting in "contextual" architectures, featuring unique construction methods and determining specific ways of life. These, however, are not static. They evolve as societies do, in particular at times when exchanges with other countries and cultures take place, through which possibly new knowledge and/or building materials and techniques are introduced. These local building cultures have often been linked to a need recognised and valued by traditional societies: the balance between Man and nature. This ancient quest equates to what is described today as "sustainable development". So many good examples of this concept are already present throughout the world! Unfortunately, under the influence of globalisation, these local intelligences are increasingly discredited, and have even become "endangered", similarly to a great number of animal or plant species. This does not only represent a loss in terms of worldwide cultural diversity, but also relates to the disappearance of amazing knowledge and scientific data that are relevant and can still be useful to humanity, as foundations for global thinking and, even more so, as principles upon which to act locally