In a time of climate crisis such as the one we live in, there are no definitive answers or one single path to take to make architecture less impactful. However, we do have one fact to start with: the construction industry accounts for 38% of C02 emissions produced globally. Reducing energy consumption and production waste, changing the perception of our relationship with the environment, making cities greener, looking at people's physical and mental wellbeing. These are just some of the themes investigated by designers and companies who want to try to make architecture more compatible with the environment.

The commitment of the Italian division of Schüco PVC towards sustainability is multifaceted and embraces a wide and complex horizon of possibilities. On the one hand, there is the daily commitment towards a production that minimises its impact on the environment: Schüco PVC is a compound composed mainly of salt and is recyclable up to 7 times. Each of the company's PVC windows can contain up to 50% post-consumer recycled material. During the lifecycle of a PVC window, on a par with an aluminium window with the same characteristics, 600 kg of CO2 emissions are saved.

Another important component of Schüco PWS Italia's action is the institution of the Premio Aurea, dedicated to architects and designers. Through this event, the company, and a jury made up of well-known figures from the world of architecture, collects and examines the best design practices in Italy, highlighting the talents of the sector and promoting an increasingly urgent debate.

The selection of the best projects is based on four essential criteria: sustainability, design, lighting and innovation, values that reflect the philosophy of Schüco PWS Italia.

Elena Zagatti, marketing and communication director and creator of the award: 'The initiative was born a few years ago and it was neither simple nor immediate to involve professionals. For a long time, in fact, there was resistance and cultural legacies towards PVC that penalised its use because it was considered a material that was not as noble as wood and aluminium. Today we can say that the course has been reversed: the product is increasingly appreciated on an aesthetic and stylistic level thanks to its design ductility, the energy performance it guarantees, and its recyclability".