The green we lack starts with us!

Sustainability in housing: living well also means choosing better 

Have you ever felt that sense of relief when stepping onto a tree-lined street after walking under the scorching sun between walls and buildings? Or noticed how breathing feels lighter when you pass a leafy little square, even a small one? That difference is not just subjective. It is our body responding to the best nature has to offer: comfort, freshness, and a kind of well-being that no fan or air conditioner can imitate. 

The truth is that we are drifting away from nature to the point that we often forget how essential it is. And more than that: how this distance deeply affects our physical and emotional health. 

When concrete suffocates: the invisible impact of dry cities 

Today, more than half of the world's population lives in urban areas. According to the United Nations (UN), by 2050 that number will reach 68%. In Brazil, the rate already exceeds 85%, according to IBGE. This means we are increasingly surrounded by concrete, asphalt, traffic, pollution… and less green. 

But why does this matter so much? 

Because green is not just pretty: it is functional. Trees and plants act as natural air filters, capturing pollutants and releasing oxygen. They also help reduce heat in cities — which is no small thing. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) notes that urban green areas lower temperatures by up to 1°C during the day, while green roofs can cut the need for air conditioning in a building by up to 66%. 

There is also a direct impact on health. The Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná (PUCPR) showed that cities with more vegetation cover record fewer hospitalizations for respiratory diseases. In Japan, one study found that people who live near green areas have 16% lower cortisol levels, the stress hormone. Living without green areas is like living without pressure relief valves for the body, and the bill arrives as exhaustion, respiratory disease, poor sleep, and growing use of medication. 

Changing habits: the real challenge of sustainability 

Changing habits is a journey. And, let's be honest, it is not always easy. Life is busy, prices don't always help, and sometimes environmental problems seem too far from our reality. But change doesn't start with revolutions. It starts with a simple gesture: turning off the tap while brushing your teeth, refusing a plastic bag, reusing a glass jar, or taking the elevator less. 

It is in these details that the world starts to change. 

And this is not hippie talk or radical environmentalism. These are decisions that make a difference in your daily life too. The Agência Nacional de Energia Elétrica (ANEEL) states that replacing regular bulbs with LED can cut up to 80% of lighting costs. The Instituto Akatu points out that unplugging devices can save up to 12% on the monthly electricity bill. 

Know that old excuse, “it doesn't help if only I do it”? That very thinking keeps things as they are. But when millions do a little, the impact is immense. 

Homes that heal: rethinking where we live 

Our home should be more than shelter. It should be an ally of our health. And that does involve more conscious housing decisions. 

The Escola Politécnica da USP, in studies on water management, showed that rainwater harvesting systems can reduce drinking water use by up to 50% in homes. In times of water crisis, this is not just savings: it is an urban survival strategy. 

Solar energy, in turn, is increasingly accessible. According to ABSOLAR, residential solar grew by more than 75% in installed capacity in 2023 alone, and the payback period is, on average, 5 to 7 years. 

Other sustainable features include: 

• Cross ventilation, which reduces the need for air conditioning; 
• Proper solar orientation, which makes better use of natural light; 
• Green roofs, which reduce rainwater runoff and indoor heat; 
• Urban gardens and vegetable plots, which strengthen the connection with food and the ecosystem. 

According to the Conselho Brasileiro de Construção Sustentável (CBCS), properties with these features appreciate above the market average, by up to 20% more than conventional buildings. 

The city changes when we change 

When you choose a more sustainable property, you are not just making an individual decision. You are also pushing the market to change. And it works. 

According to the Conselho Brasileiro de Construção Sustentável (CBCS), demand for buildings with environmental certifications grew by more than 30% in the last 5 years. The LEED seal, for example, is now a benchmark in the Brazilian real estate sector and has been awarded to hundreds of buildings in the country, and that number keeps growing. 

Every conscious choice tells the construction sector that energy efficiency, water reuse, and thermal comfort are no longer differentiators. They are requirements. Developers, architects, and engineers who follow this trend are already including these solutions as standard, not as options. In other words, each of your decisions shapes what will be built tomorrow. 

The future starts at home 

Whether it is a small apartment or a large house, living sustainably is a choice that starts with awareness. It is like planting a tree: you tend it now to enjoy its shade in the future. And not just you, but your children, your grandchildren, and the whole city too. 

The truth is that the “green we are missing” is not only on the streets. It is also within us, waiting to bloom in attitudes, choices, and priorities. Because living well today is much more than comfort: it is living with respect for the planet and for future generations. 

And when we look at this scenario, we see that sustainability in housing is not a trend. It is a necessity. A necessity that can (and should) be embraced with creativity, planning, and above all the awareness that living in harmony with the environment is living in harmony with yourself. 

Not building? Adapt! 

Sustainability adapts too. It is not only for those building from scratch. 

If you live in an apartment, you can install vertical gardens on the balcony, use aerators on faucets, replace bulbs, make use of natural light, and even propose changes in the building, such as separate waste collection, a green roof, or solar panels in common areas. 

Residential buildings can install community gardens, implement composting systems, reuse water from exterior washing, and improve energy efficiency with presence sensors in circulation areas. 

In single-story houses, the possibilities expand: from installing cisterns to solar water heating systems, greywater reuse, and building multifunctional green spaces. 

Living well is choosing better! 

Living sustainably does not require perfection. It requires intention. Every action in favor of sustainability, however small, counts! 

There is no single model of a sustainable home. There is what you can do within your own reality. And that is already enough to start. Because every small choice connects to a bigger change. And, in the end, the whole city changes… when we change. 

References:

• População | IBGE. Available at: <https://www.ibge.gov.br/estatísticas/sociais/populacao.html>. 
• Fermino, R. C., Reis, R. S., & Cassou, A. C. (2012). Fatores individuais e ambientais associados ao uso de parques e praças por adultos de Curitiba-PR, Brasil. Revista Brasileira de Cineantropometria & Desempenho Humano, 14, 377-389. 
• Souza, C. R. B. (2016). Telhado verde e sua contribuição para a redução da temperatura ambiente em construções para Cascavel/PR. 
• Jannuzzi, G. D. M. (2002). Aumentando a eficiência nos usos finais de energia no Brasil. Sustentabilidade na geração e o uso de energia no Brasil: os próximos, 20, 35. 
• May, S. (2004). Estudo da viabilidade do aproveitamento de água de chuva para consumo não potável em edificações. 
• Sauaia, R. L. (2015). Propostas para a Energia Solar Fotovoltaica no GDF. Associação Brasileira de Energia Solar Fotovoltaica/Diretor Executivo. –Reunião de Trabalho entre ABSOLAR E GDF. 
• Herzer, L. A., & Ferreira, R. L. (2016). Construções sustentáveis no Brasil: um panorama referente às certificações ambientais para edificações LEED e AQUA-HQE. Meio Ambiente e Sustentabilidade, 8(5). 
• de Vargas, C. B. (2015, November). Sustentabilidade e Consumo Consciente: a percepção da evolução do modo de consumir e como isso pode afetar a gestão nos próximos anos. In XV Mostra de Iniciação Científica, Pós-Graduação, Pesquisa e Extensão.