Glimpses of the green transformation in the construction industry
Glimpses of the green transformation in the construction industry
The construction industry is one of the most energy-consuming industries, which means that the application of the concept ofsustainability in this industry may have been absent for many decades. Because this will pose major challenges that the industry was not prepared to face.
Building and construction operations consume huge amounts of raw materials and natural resources, and are responsible for up to 39% of global carbon emissions, according to an estimate by the World Green Building Council. It is an alliance consisting of a group of councils spread in more than 80 countries around the world, and it has the greatest influence in the sustainable and green construction market.
However, it seems – fortunately – that the construction industry is gradually shifting towards sustainability, according to a global survey conducted by the German software company SAP. The study included many sectors of this industry, as it showed that a large percentage of executives of companies operating in the construction industry have already been able to shift to sustainability in terms of design processes. The study also showed that 47% of participants consider sustainability a top priority for them, or – at least – an important element.
Sustainability challenges in the construction industry
Sustainability represents one aspect of the very complex construction industry. This is due to the industry facing increasingly stringent regulations, standard and international specifications that must be followed, as well as restrictions on occupational health and safety. Add to the above the competitive challenges that construction companies face as they attempt to control operations costs and maintain effective and extended relationships with many suppliers and contractors. Above all, the environmental dimension appears through… Trying to reduce energy costs and carbon footprint while using heavy, energy-intensive equipment.
Currently, the construction industry is also facing many pressures at the local and global levels. In order to adopt sustainable design, this is through developing structural structures that have a longer lifespan, are healthier for their residents, and are also technologically advanced.
Leaders in the construction industry around the world seem to be aware of these challenges posed by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially within supply chains. According to the poll we mentioned earlier, 59% reported that the shift in supply chains to sustainability will have a major role in pushing this industry to be greener, in addition to providing a competitive advantage for operating companies, but the increased complexity in operations as a result of adopting sustainable practices will represent a major obstacle that must be solved.
There is no doubt that managing construction projects is difficult and complex, not only in the construction phase, but throughout the project life cycle, starting from awarding the company the project, through hiring the right people, delivering the appropriate materials, supplies, and equipment to the site, until construction is completed on time, and then the ongoing operations and maintenance of the project after delivery. Which means that integrating sustainable practices into all these stages is never an easy task.
The biggest challenge: lack of transparency
Although many engineering and construction companies have set plans and goals to achieve sustainability, the survey shows that few of these companies have taken concrete steps to achieve these goals; Because the lack of necessary transparency represents a major problem when it comes to monitoring sustainable practices in building and construction operations, as it must also include the work of subcontractors and supply chains along them.
What we mean here is that adopting sustainability is not limited to a company declaring a strategy to achieve goals within a specific time frame, but rather it must include the application of sustainable practices in operations outside the company’s formal framework, such as work conducted through subcontractors, as well as supply work along various supply chains. Therefore, companies must include within their policies only dealing with contractors and suppliers, who in turn apply sustainable practices in their various operations.
However, there are some areas where the construction industry is making progress; For example, 58% of engineering and construction companies participating in the survey reported that they had reduced overall energy consumption, while some innovative companies are working to develop sustainable building materials that release fewer carbon emissions and absorb carbon dioxide and heat from the environment.
The Three Factors of a Sustainable Building Industry
The obstacles and challenges we mentioned to achieve sustainable development in the construction industry may have made a large segment of these companies turn a blind eye to truly adopting sustainability in their operations, which leaves us faced with the dilemma of finding driving factors that lead this industry to sustainability on the ground. Now, we will summarize these factors into three main points.
First- Enacting government regulations and legislation: When it comes to the construction industry, there is no doubt that laws and regulations have a pivotal role in shaping the future of this industry. Therefore, regulations and standard specifications must include increased environmental measures in the design of projects, including their construction and maintenance operations, and then companies operating in this sector will have no choice but to comply with these regulations and requirements.
These ambitious goals related to the sustainability of the construction sector – goals announced by the United Nations – must be attached to local regulations and legislation related to construction. Among these goals, for example, is to reduce the energy density consumed per square meter in buildings to approximately 30% by 2030, as specified in the Paris Agreement, and local regulations and legislation will push engineering and construction companies to search for more sustainable solutions.
Second- Cost control: We cannot deny that cost is a major consideration among most engineering and construction companies. As the cost of raw materials continues to rise, business leaders need to plan and manage construction projects using the most cost-effective products and raw materials, while ensuring maximum utilization of the labor and equipment used.
Based on the above, if sustainable practices in construction operations will lead to companies being charged more costs, decision-makers in these companies may choose not to adopt these practices in the first place, which was confirmed by the aforementioned survey, where half of its participants said: Reducing the cost of environmentally friendly materials would make a big difference in supporting the construction industry to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). All participants also stated that reducing energy consumption is a goal that all companies seek to achieve. To reduce costs in the first place, which means there is a common ground between sustainability and the construction industry, which is energy efficiency, as less energy consumption means lower cost, and less environmental pollutants as well.
Third – Realizing the environmental dimensions: Increasing global concerns due to climate change have prompted a wide segment of consumers to take environmental considerations into account when making a purchasing decision, which in turn has put pressure on engineering and construction companies to design and build more environmentally friendly buildings.
As long as the consumer is naturally looking for something, I have no doubt that service providers will do their best to meet this need, which means that an increasing number of investors – even employees – will also have to be aware of the environmental dimensions and search for more sustainable construction methods and business models. To gain customer satisfaction.
Sustainable Design
Architects are designing more energy efficient buildings with the help of technology, and this is putting increasing pressure on construction companies to go digital, a shift that will push the industry significantly toward sustainability.
Although the construction industry may lag behind other industries when it comes to adopting sustainable practices; Engineering and construction companies are actually more advanced than many other industries when it comes to using technology during the design process.
By adapting the most advanced technology in the construction industry – such as 3D printing – it is possible to produce many innovative and sustainable structures that were not possible to design and implement before. Which gives this industry a technological advantage compared to other industries.
The transformation of the construction industry to sustainability is an essential building block in ensuring optimal consumption of resources and achieving a circular economy, and perhaps the steps that this industry is taking at the present time give positive glimpses of the direction in which it is moving towards a sustainable future.
