The initiative “Learning with CESAM”, dedicated to scientific literacy for children, young people, and families, is featured today in Expressinho, the children’s supplement of the weekly newspaper Expresso, and in Estrelas & Ouriços magazine, expanding its reach nationwide.
The first piece, entitled “Does building houses and buildings also make the planet sick?”, is an adaptation of an original article published in the Journal of Building Engineering, co-authored by Ana Cláudia Dias, a researcher at CESAM/DAO. The content explores, in an accessible way, the environmental impact of buildings — from energy consumption and construction materials to emissions associated with the building life cycle — and includes practical activities suitable for school or family contexts.
Developed in partnership with the Estrelas & Ouriços platform and launched as part of CESAM’s 25th anniversary celebrations, this series translates scientific research produced at the centre into rigorous yet accessible content, promoting environmental awareness from an early age.
Its presence in Expressinho represents an important step in disseminating this work to non-specialist audiences, bringing key sustainability topics — such as climate change, biodiversity, and efficient resource use — to a younger audience through adapted formats connected to everyday life.
The contents, including the final versions of the adaptations of each original paper to the childrens and families, podem can be accessed on the “Learning with CESAM” page, where materials from the initiative will be progressively compiled.
Santos, A. K., Ferreira, V. M., & Dias, A. C. (2025). Promoting decarbonisation in the construction of new buildings: A strategy to calculate the embodied carbon footprint. Journal of Building Engineering, 103, 112037. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2025.112037