On May 22nd, our Cavedine headquarters hosted a day of professional discussion dedicated to designing in extreme weather conditions: a round table discussion in the morning, and a guided tour of the production facility in the afternoon.
The event, organized in collaboration with Architecture Insights, has put into dialogue climate science, design innovation and materials industry around one of the most pressing challenges for the sector: building resilience in a climate context that is no longer stable.
The day was opened by Silvio Pedrotti, who brought greetings from the company and introduced the topics of discussion. The round table — held at the Cavedine Municipal Library — saw the participation of Elise Palaces (Climatologist, University of Turin), Ornella Iuorio (Polytechnic University of Milan), Luca Dondi Dall'Orologio (AD Patrigest, Gabetti Group) and Ylenia Pedrotti for Essepi. A multidisciplinary discussion between those who study climate phenomena, those who design architectural solutions, those who assess the impacts on the real estate market, and those who produce the materials.
A clear fact emerged from the debate: increasingly intense meteorological events, territorial fragility and rising temperatures require a profound rethinking of the way we design and buildThe construction industry accounts for approximately 40% of global CO₂ emissions and a similar share of global energy consumption. These figures call for informed decisions across the entire supply chain.
In this scenario, wood and CLT/X-Lam construction systems represent a concrete answerMaterials that store carbon rather than emit it, lighter structures that require shallower foundations, faster construction sites with less environmental impact. These characteristics become even more important where climatic and logistical conditions are more challenging.
In the afternoon, the designers, divided into groups, walked through the production pavilions accompanied by the Essepi team.
Two moments captured particular attention. The first was the meeting with the machine for integral painting, a unique feature of our factory: every window and door element is painted on all sides before assembly, even those surfaces that will never be visible once assembly is complete. This choice offers no aesthetic advantage, but it protects every crevice from moisture and extends the window and door's lifespan.
The second was the structural assembly of the double glazing, seen in action firsthand: structural double-sided adhesive, mechanical fastening, and automatic silicone application with the patented Essepi system. When the frame, glass, and gaskets are designed and assembled in the same production chain, thermal, acoustic, and sealing performance becomes a coherent system.
Opening the doors of production means making visible what usually remains hidden. And showing that that vision of conscious, resilient and long-lasting architecture it's not a claim, but a daily process.
