Globally more people live in cities than in rural areas, and that trend is set to continue. It is thought that 54 percent¹ of the world’s population lives in urban areas today and this is expected to grow to 66 percent by 2050.² 

In 1990 there were only 10 so-called “megacities” in the world with populations exceeding 10 million people. Today that number is 31, that’s a three-fold increase in just 28 years.3

Why has this rapid migration happened? Because major cities offer better employment opportunities, transportation, access to education, social and cultural activities. They become more attractive places to live where it’s easier for businesses to thrive and offer a better standard of living. That, in turn, attracts more people. And as industry, doctors, grocery stores and other amenities leave the countryside, people follow.

So what does this mean for the people who will live in cities? It’s not all rosy. There are more crowds, traffic, noise, and energy consumption.

It’s thought that globally this rise in urbanisation will lead to higher energy distribution requirements, stricter energy efficiency regulations and the need for more green building codes. Armacell is keeping an eye on these important trends and wants to offer some solutions for a more complex world. 

When it comes to energy efficiency, insulation can help. Mechanical equipment is an important source of energy loss, especially in commercial buildings. Insulating mechanical systems is an effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with very little upfront investment. Simply put, insulated systems perform better and use less energy, plus insulated hot or cold piping won’t lose or gain heat into the space around it. Armacell’s ArmaFlex® family of products provides protection against thermal losses on commercial chilled water or refrigeration lines. Not only does this layer of protection reduce energy use and costs, but every insulated line also means one less piece of equipment that will be wasting energy resources. Installed properly this investment can last the life of the system.

Another outcome of the rise of cities? Millions of people affected by the noise of the city… and each other. There are growing health concerns about the impact of noise and vibration on occupants. This will inevitably lead to more noise pollution regulations. Armacell offers acoustic solutions to bring more comfort and quality of life to urban inhabitants. From ArmaSound industrial products and ArmaComfort acoustical insulation that helps create quieter spaces, to ArmaFlex duct liner that absorbs noise and vibration that can travel through metal ducting, Armacell is always looking for ways to make occupied spaces more comfortable.

Urbanisation is a megatrend that will be affecting the whole world in the next decades. Armacell will be reacting to those trends to bring our customers innovative solutions to new global conditions.

__________________

¹https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS?end=2017&start=1980

²https://www.un.org/development/desa/en/news/population/2018-revision-of-world-urbanization-prospects.html

3https://247wallst.com/special-report/2017/11/29/the-worlds-31-mega-cities-ta/