A building’s entire lifecycle is estimated to be responsible (directly and indirectly) for around 37% of global energy and process-related CO2 emissions, which shows the importance of the built environment in addressing climate change.
With nations, industries and businesses across the world setting their own net zero emissions targets, Manuela Fazzan, technical and design manager at Wienerberger UK, examines the role of BIM in driving more sustainable construction.
The International Energy Agency’s Tracking Buildings 2021 report highlights the scale of emissions from the built environment sector, particularly when indirect emissions are accounted for.
The report states that around 9% of global energy and process-related CO2 emissions result from the use of fossil fuels in buildings, another 18% come from the generation of electricity and heat used in buildings, and an additional 10% is related to the manufacturing of construction materials.
In total, buildings are responsible for 37% of global energy and process-related CO2 emissions.
The construction and infrastructure sectors, including manufacturing the products used in construction, are inherently energy intensive and the path to net zero will not be an easy one, but progress is being made. The concrete and cement industry has delivered a 53% reduction in absolute CO2 emissions since 1990, faster than the UK economy as a whole. However, it’s not yet enough.
In the UK, the Government’s National Infrastructure Survey says that “bold, transformative action” is needed in order to reach carbon emission reduction targets of 68% and 78% by 2030 and 2035 respectively, compared to 1990 levels. Notably, the Survey states that these recommended percentage reductions should include embodied carbon of built infrastructure too.
In Pursuit of Sustainable Construction
If we are to achieve more sustainable development, it is important to first understand its meaning. There are said to be more than 200 definitions of sustainable development, but the most common is known as the Brundtland Definition: ‘Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’
A central goal of sustainable construction, of course, is to reduce the industry’s impact on the environment. This is made possible through a number of measures, including using renewable and recyclable materials when building new structures, reducing energy consumption and minimising waste throughout all stages of the building lifecycle. It is this last point – reducing waste – where BIM can really add value.
The Role of BIM
As we have already learnt in our Wienerberger BIM blog series, BIM is a process used to design and understand a building in a virtual environment. It uses information-rich 3D models through collaborative working processes to help deliver projects more effectively.
Although BIM is mostly associated with design and preconstruction, it benefits every phase of the project lifecycle. In fact, BIM processes introduce so many efficiencies that employing BIM almost always reduces a building’s whole lifecycle environmental impact.
Here are four key examples:
1. Greater transparency to reduce waste
BIM fosters a more transparent process at the design phase, using advanced analysis to predict a building’s operational performance even before it is built. Designers can use this information to drive the efficiency of the building from the outset, introducing energy efficiency measures at every stage of the lifecycle.
2. Early identification of potential errors or risks
Typical processes will include clash tests, which determine whether any two parts of a building (for example, plumbing and walls) are interfering with one another. It is easy to see the potential to save materials - not to mention time and cost - if clashes are identified during modelling, whilst also creating safer environments for construction workers.
3. Enhanced accuracy
Manufacturers can also use BIM to create more accurate elements off-site – driving a ‘right first time’ culture throughout the project. This ensures thatmaterial consumption and waste is minimised, over-ordering is avoided and the natural resources that would otherwise be used for duplicate process are preserved.
4. Greater building control during operational phase
After a project has been completed, 3D models can be easily shared to ensure that the building can be operated to its maximum energy efficiency potential. Major repairs and replacement programmes can be planned and synchronised, which minimises both the disruption and environmental impact of key operational processes. BIM also enables a digital twin, which is a 3D model designed to accurately reflect the physical project and can be used to test, simulate and maintain.
Driving future-proof businesses
Ultimately, in a fast-paced sector where sustainability has rapidly become more than just a box-ticking exercise, adopting sustainable construction techniques are helping to prepare construction companies (and their clients) for the future.
According to the Supply Chain Sustainability School, the construction industry in OECD (The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) nations contributes 30-40% of global greenhouse gas emissions, use 30% of raw materials, use 25-40% of total energy and contribute 30-40% of solid waste generation. BIM’s value in realising sustainable construction is therefore vital.
Wienerberger is also supporting this objective through our ‘Let’s Build Beyond’ sustainability strategy.
As well as providing products and services that respond to the global challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and resource scarcity in the built environment, Wienerberger must become a net-zero emission, nature-positive business. We’re building beyond what we know to be possible today, and rethinking how we create value for our customers, our people and our communities. Read our Sustainability Strategy in full.
