Working towards a sustainable future in construction

Climate change is one of the most urgent issues of our time. In 2019, the CO2 emissions of the building and construction industry increased to 38% of total global energy-related CO2 emissions; while the processing of materials, such as concrete, are believed to contribute to as much as 6% of global carbon dioxide emissions. The high amounts of material waste and need to rework construction structures add to the overall inefficiencies within our industry.

As an industry that employs 7% of the world’s working age population, and with 68% of the world’s population projected to live in urban areas by 2050, stakeholders in the engineering and construction industry must take responsibility to reduce emissions and create a sustainable and net-zero future for everyone.

Driving sustainability in construction together

The climate challenge demands immediate attention and long-term commitment. We are proud of the work of our MTWO Construction Cloud partner, RIB Software, and its commitment to helping builders construct more sustainably. recently announced a new partnership with recently announced. This non-profit organization has developed an open access technological tool targeting the reduction and impact of embodied carbon as part of the effort to make the AEC industry more efficient and sustainable.

The Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3) from Building Transparency maintains a database of digital, third-party verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), which can be used to perform sustainability benchmarking and assessments.

This is useful to construction material procurers, developers, contractors, and policymakers alike. Now that one can measure the amount of embodied carbon within production materials, stakeholders are empowered to evaluate a project’s overall carbon emissions and utilize that information to procure low-carbon material alternatives or, in the case of regulators, set embodied carbon limits. Such measures are particularly helpful in ensuring the AEC industry’s compliance and adherence to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) sustainable practices. Building Transparency’s EC3 tool remains free to use through sponsorships, such as that of RIB Software.

Why should AEC companies care about sustainability?

If we want to meet the targets set out in the Paris Climate Agreement, it is essential that the AEC sector is committed to environmental protection and is a leader in moving towards decarbonization.

Sustainability is not only good for the planet, but it’s good for business. Organizations that focus on sustainable building and construction can:

• Future-proof their business by providing a competitive differentiator in the market and remaining a step ahead.
• Be compliant with potential government regulations or restrictions of carbon emissions, as well as reduce carbon tax implications.
• Improve employer reputation and employee performance, thereby attracting and retaining top talent.
• Save costs from less waste and more energy-efficient building operations, making the most of natural resources and renewable energy.

We all have a role to play in building a more sustainable world

It is refreshing to see industry leaders coming together to tackle such an important issue. We must all do our part to help minimize the industry’s impact on the environment. Technology will play an integral role in uniting the industry and providing the tools needed to reduce our carbon footprint. While the climate crisis won’t be eradicated overnight, we can make a meaningful difference when we work together.