Earth Day is roughly a month away. Every year on April 22, Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. To prepare, let’s embark on a short blog series focusing on sustainability in the construction industry. First up, sustainability in our buildings.
We have all heard the dire statistics. Roughly 37% of all greenhouse gas emissions come from the construction and operation of the built environment, according to the United Nations. Certainly, this impacts the environment, but it also impacts pocketbooks.
In the current real estate market, operational costs and sustainability are crucial, particularly following the 116.4 % increase in energy prices by the first half of 2023. The European Union’s Taxonomy for Sustainable Activities has become a key factor, emphasizing environmentally friendly buildings’ role in market valuation and alignment with broader environmental goals.
The Rise of AI and Automation
With adversity comes opportunity if we are willing to look for it. Enter AI (artificial intelligence). As simply one example, Exergio’s AI-based platform is designed to bring energy efficiency to commercial buildings, promising an ambitious savings of up to 20% for commercial buildings through advanced energy optimization.
For instance, in Poznan, Poland, the application of Exergio’s platform in two out of five buildings on a five-building complex led to nearly €80,000 savings in just nine months. This case study demonstrates the platform’s capability to reduce operational costs and contribute to sustainability without reconstruction.
This brings up a good question: reconstruct or build new. Which is better for the environment in the long run? This is a debate many are having both in terms of sustainability and cost effectiveness. The European Building Automation Controls Assn., supports the use of building automation and control systems, which are crucial to reaching energy efficiency goals.
This market is set to grow too. Mordor Intelligence suggests the building automation and controls systems market is estimated at $201.08 billion in 2024 and will reach $332.01 billion in 2029. This represents a growth rate of 10.55%. This is partly driven by the need to reduce energy consumption in the buildings.
Strategies for the Future of Buildings
Certainly, technology can help make our buildings more energy efficient, but it is only one piece of the equation. As Peggy Smedley always says, it is a combination of people, process, and technology that ultimately will make the biggest difference.
A report developed by UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme), Yale Center for Ecosystems + Architecture in the framework of the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction, titled Building Materials and the Climate: Constructing a New Future, points to three overarching strategies to implement to decarbonize building materials.
These include:
- Avoid unnecessary extraction and production.
- Shift to regenerative materials.
- Improve decarbonization of conventional methods.
It is important to add we also need to consider the role of the workforce in all of this. We need to make sure the people know company policy and company culture to meet the needs of tomorrow. It must always start with the people, the process, and the technology.
There is much work that can be done in building and operations to reduce our carbon emissions. As we inch closer to Earth Day, have you considered what your company will do to make a difference? Now might be a good time to take that next step.
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