A scientific study indicates that global warming could reduce the lifespan of man-made infrastructure by up to 25 years. The research highlights that structures are increasingly exposed to adverse climatic conditions that accelerate their degradation process.
Researcher Víctor Yepes from the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) states that global warming accelerates the structural degradation of buildings. Simultaneously, this phenomenon amplifies the embodied carbon emissions in construction materials.
This situation occurs due to the growing need for premature demolitions and unplanned repairs of infrastructure. The accelerated wear caused by climate change requires interventions that would be unnecessary if structures could reach their original lifespan.
The study highlights the interconnection between climate change and the construction sector, suggesting that the impacts of global warming go far beyond the environment and directly affect the durability of human-made structures and the carbon footprint associated with their maintenance.
