Aluminium Association as Expert at 'Quality of Life: New Horizons' track at Archipelago 2024

18.07.2024 | Алюминиевая Ассоциация

Eco-friendly aluminium solutions can significantly improve the environment and quality of life in Russian regions, said Irina Kazovskaya, Co-Chair of the Russian Aluminium Association, during the Archipelago 2024 design and educational intensive course in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Irina Kazovskaya serves as an expert in a special track called 'Quality of Life: New Horizons', set up by one of the forum's organisers, the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI). The goal of the track is to develop socially significant initiatives that contribute to achieving the national development goals in Russia. The main goal of this track is to develop practical proposals and approaches for creating new national projects and regional programmes, including those aimed at creating a better environment for citizens.

Small and medium-sized cities in Russia account for about 25% of our country's population. However, their own popoulation is constantly decreasing due to various factors, including outdated infrastructure, a lack of high-quality modern housing, and limited career opportunities. The development of small and medium-sized cities has become one of the main topics of the Archipelago 2024 initiative.

'To stop people leaving cities where important industrial plants are located, we need to dramatically improve the quality of the urban environment there and speed up the modernisation of outdated infrastructure. The use of advanced structures and products made of aluminium alloys in the construction of residential, social, and tourist facilities, as well as the creation of modern urban, transport, road, and berthing infrastructure, will enable us to meet the goals set by the government. These goals include giving new impetus to the development of Russian regions, including small towns and remote areas. The use of aluminium structures is proven to have some major advantages, including the lower total cost of ownership, which means that buildings and structures made of aluminium last longer; this should help build a more sustainable, comfortable, and affordable urban environment.

The Russian aluminium industry offers integrated projects for the development of regions. These projects can provide solutions for implementing national projects and improving the quality of life in the regions. Structures made of aluminium alloy offer numerous benefits. Their light weight and high strength reduce the load on foundations and supports, making transportation more cost-effective as well. The material's high corrosion resistance, even in moderately aggressive environments, ensures minimal operating costs throughout the life cycle of buildings and structures. Eco-friendliness and safety are particularly important when constructing and operating objects and structures for any purpose, including kindergartens, schools, and hospitals. The use of aluminium solutions leads to savings over the entire life cycle of the object. This is mainly due to the minimal maintenance costs and the ability to completely recycle and reuse the structures without losing their properties. As a result, the federal and regional budgets are spared from significant unnecessary expenses.

One of the most important areas is the use of pre-fabricated structures. These structures are used in the construction of various buildings, including airport terminals, exhibition areas, warehouses, factories, modular hotels, paramedic and midwifery centres, and sports grounds. The main characteristics of these buildings are the option for quick assembly and disassembly, as well as their environmental friendliness. Due to their light weight, they have minimal impact on the environment. Furthermore, when a project reaches the end of its useful life, it can be moved to another site or given up for recycling.

'We are witnessing an increasing demand for advanced technological solutions across all regions of the Russian Federation. New materials used in the construction, reconstruction, and renovation of buildings and structures must meet the environmental friendliness, energy efficiency, and durability criteria. Environmental friendliness is a key vector of sustainable development, and aluminium-based solutions perfectly align with the green economy principles. Regional programmes for the use of high-tech structures and aluminium alloy products in various fields help improve the quality of the urban environment and infrastructure,' notes Irina Kazovskaya.

The Aluminium Association suggests several measures, one of which is to include the concepts of 'life cycle' and 'cost of ownership' in the design documentation of construction and infrastructure projects. This approach could significantly reduce the federal and regional budgets' operating costs, extend the service life of buildings, and improve the quality of construction projects. The maintenance of structures made of aluminium alloys is kept to a minimum over the structure's entire life cycle. Consequently, the regions can recoup their initial investments a few years after the building starts operating.

REFERENCE
In May 2023, the government of the Russian Federation approved an Action Plan to boost demand for aluminium products through 2025 and until 2030. The implementation of this plan will help Russia achieve technological sovereignty. One of the main aspects of the Plan is the creation and implementation of regional programmes for the use of high-tech structures and products made of aluminium and aluminium-based alloys in various fields.

The Archipelago 2024 project and educational intensive course is taking place on Sakhalin from July 8 to 21. The organisers are the National Technology Initiative (NTI) Platform, the Government of the Sakhalin Region, the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI), the NTI Project Support Fund and University 2035. The event is attended by 4,500 participants from 78 regions of our country. These participants include representatives of technology companies and startups, as well as management and engineering teams from the regions, research organisations, and universities.