This article is part of a blog series, on Construction 4.0 exploring its relevance for the construction industry.
Global energy-related CO2 emissions grew by 1.1% in 2023, increasing 410 million tons (Mt) to reach a new record high of 37.4 billion tons (Gt). This compares with an increase of 490 Mt in 2022 (1.3%). Emissions from coal accounted for more than 65% of the increased emissions in 2023.
At a COP26 summit, attended by the countries that signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1994, the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% to reach the ambitious goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
Construction companies must change their mindset about sustainability to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption when generating profitable growth.
Using green building techniques like renewable energy and recycled materials can improve sustainability.
The construction industry should push companies and governments to take action to reach net zero by 2050. See examples below.
Fitting insulation and air-sealing methods will reduce energy consumption.
Installing solar panels and geothermal systems will diminish buildings’ carbon footprint
Incorporating sustainable practices into every stage of the construction process will help innovate new products and services and invest in clean energy like decarbonization
Governments can offer incentives and impose penalties to motivate the sector to build and operate sustainable buildings. Here are some initiatives governments implemented to incentivize companies in the industry to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
The strategy is to double the annual energy renovation rates of European Union (EU) buildings in the next 10 years. To achieve this the EC budgeted hundreds of billions in subsidies over five years for climate-friendly construction and renovation to achieve their goals.
The EU proposed European climate law to boost demand for optimizing and modernizing the construction and operation of buildings.
In the $2 trillion Build Back Better spending framework announced in 2021, $555 billion has been appropriated for clean energy investments.
The framework to encourage companies and consumers, to be sustainable, offers tax credits and rebate incentives. The question now is will that continue with the elected President Trump?
The whole construction value chain should consider where to reduce CO2 emissions throughout the construction process and operations of the builds. Here are some ideas on how it could be done.
The industry will have to find new materials and products like wood composites to improve or substitute for conventional materials and products such as steel and concrete.
Wood composites have a higher load-carrying capacity than traditional materials, are less ponderous, and are electrical and heat resistant.
Wood offers higher insulation ratings, making it more energy efficient and sustainable as it can be regrown and reduces CO2 emissions by 15% to 30%.
To decrease carbon emissions during the design and planning phase, architects and planners must look for low-energy operational consumption products, disassembly process of the building
In the design phase sourcing must be standardized with local materials, a long lifespan. and adopting new methodologies. For instance, facilitating flexibility in construction will generate less CO2-intensive materials.
During the construction phase, when the building is occupied, suppliers that use modern technology can reduce fossil fuel consumption. For example, they might move to renewable energies.
Distributors may optimize transportation movements.
Building contractors can decrease fuel consumption by using recent technologies and leveraging data management systems to streamline operations.
According to an EY analysis, 70% to 80% of unused construction materials are wasted. By reusing or recycling waste, contractors may significantly reduce the amount ending in landfill.
For example, damaged timber reused for wood flooring material, reduces CO2 through circular material models.
A recycling center in Retznei, Austria processes 130,000 tons of construction and demolition waste materials annually, of which 70% are recycled or reused, and 30% are used as back-filling material for a quarry.
Companies in the construction industry form partnerships, legal or informal.
The partnering firms may accelerate emission reductions, internally and across the ecosystem by accessing modern technologies, sharing business models and talent, and reducing investments.
These partnerships create great opportunities to generate profitable growth by differentiating in the market using decarbonization strategies.
Using technology helps construction companies to be more sustainable and profitable by making it easier to choose green materials and use less energy.
Risk must be evaluated before implementing innovative technologies. Below are some examples of successful initiatives.
Sichuan Province, a southwestern Chinese province, wanted to develop the Chengdu-Yibin Expressway a smart construction initiative that aimed to be a modern ecological accessible road hub.
The brief to the Sichuan Road and Bridge (SRB) company that was awarded the engineering, procurement, and construction contract was on a budget of 24.6 billion yuan.
SRB created a smart highway, they integrated AI and a cooperative system of vehicle infrastructure, during the construction phase.
The completion of the construction was set for three years.
The highway was supposed to span over 155 kilometers, carrying 154 bridges totaling 39.7 kilometers, including four tunnels covering 7.3 kilometers.
SRB was also asked to have 17-grade interchanges and five service areas along the route.
The planning process was difficult due to the lengthy and complex construction of the bridges.
SRB encountered resource allocation, and coordination issues amongst dozens of subcontractors, construction planning, and management.
Using BIM methodology and reality modeling, SRB was able to use 3D models for digital inspection and simulation which identified more than 103 potential design issues.
The results were spectacular:
SRB saved 4.5 million yuan in costs associated with construction site changes solving more than 14 potential line-of-sight problems.
SRB reduced costs by 7 million yuan and the entire construction period by 124 days saving 6 million yuan in production costs
SRB improved process efficiencies by more than 50%, production efficiency by more than 20%, and modeling efficiency by 15%.
Eventually, SRB reduced the land acquisition and the environmental impact of the project.
Offsite Construction and BIM have many benefits, including time and labor savings, improved predictability, high sustainability, and enhanced safety and quality.
Nick Milestone, Operations Director at Sigmat claims that by embedding Sig-Dek, their decking profile product, into the Tekla BIM library Sigmat:
had access to a product that further enhanced accuracy. Achieving this level of accuracy in virtual design and construction (VDC) processes allowed Sigmat to achieve zero waste with offsite construction. Additionally, the correct material quantities were always ordered thanks to automatic quantity take-offs, and no rework was required due to detailing or fabrication errors.
Sigmat achieved to have accurate BIM modeling and construction installation. No rework was required, and no waste was produced.
Combining automation and technologies like robotics, smart building materials, the Internet of Things (IoT) for data collection, and artificial intelligence for analysis, you can reduce waste and increase safety.
Improving efficiency, and finding new, and more efficient ways of constructing generate higher profitability and are more effective and environmentally friendly.
For instance, using predictive analytics tools you can identify potential risks in a project eliminating design errors, avoiding costly reworks, and reducing waste.
Implementing sustainable technologies presents challenges. You may face high investment costs. New knowledge may be required so you need to hire more people.
How cand you overcome these challenges?
The long-term savings will deliver a high return on investment by reducing energy bills, increasing durability, and identifying potential subsidies from local or national governments.
Automation and robotics require different skills that can be acquired by investing in staff training, hiring people, with green building techniques experience, or incentivizing employees to get new skills using a reward system.
Artificial intelligence developments bring technological solutions to the construction industry.
The potential to improve worksite efficiency, data quality, and overall innovation carries legal risks that must be investigated, evaluated, and addressed before implementing these solutions.
Investing in sustainable technologies can result in long-term cost savings, for example:
Innovative technologies can help businesses significantly reduce their energy bills and eliminate reliance on traditional utilities.
You can partner with universities to innovate in products and services.
You may help your clients, building owners, and operators, to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption to reach net zero carbon construction.
Implementing decarbonization solutions generates profitable growth.
Innovations can involve energy-efficient systems like:
For example, offering products and services at each stage of the design, construction, operation, and demolition in various areas from insulation to entire building management systems.
Automation and system integration using cloud platforms and business model innovations combined with holistic services and solutions improve a building’s operational performance and enhance the comfort of the users.
A certification to prove energy conservation awareness of the construction. For example, LEED certification is available for both new building construction as well as existing buildings and spaces.
Automated bulldozers and excavators or robotic arms for construction projects can reduce fuel consumption and lower emissions, reducing carbon footprint over time.
Renewable energy sources like solar power for lighting and machinery can decrease reliance on fossil fuels.
These initiatives could help you to improve your company’s public perception by prioritizing environmental responsibility when purchasing, increasing loyalty to your brand, and customer retention rates.
Enhancing the sustainability and profitability of your builds by reducing waste and improving energy efficiency helps streamline your processes.
For example, monitoring usage and tracking product lifecycles and reducing consumption of non-renewable resources, improving the impacts on emissions and the environment.
Introducing automation and digitalization in your company can improve:
By using technologies such as:
Technology in the construction industry helps to build a better tomorrow, strengthening efficiency and safety.
To speed up project completion and improve quality control measures you can use:
Achieving net zero by 2050 will give you a significant competitive advantage. Do not wait to develop strategies and business models that will get your clients one step closer to achieving that ambitious goal.
Driving Vision can help you to decide if you need to invest in technology. Our technology diagnostic looks at the best way to incorporate modern technology into your workflows and how to move your organization to cloud computing so you can open new possibilities for your daily planning tasks and make sure your data never leaves the optimally secured data center.
The technology appraisal report will help you to explore what investment is required to improve your projects’ productivity and collaboration as well as the ROI you can expect.
A Driving Vision expert will conduct interviews online, issue a report, and discuss our findings with you. Together we will decide the best way to implement the solutions at your pace and according to your budget.
Implementing BIM can be daunting, but Driving Vision is here to help you at the pace you are comfortable with. Get started by getting in touch now
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