We aim to do this during the earliest stages of a project, long before a brief has been finalised and ideally prior to an office being purchased or leased, all with the goal of identifying and then mitigating potential challenges as quickly as possible – giving the project and our clients the best chance of success.. 1.
In many cases, they refer to the possibility of achieving net zero carbon in operation only, which means that they do not account for the embodied carbon of the building over its lifecycle.A net zero carbon building is one that achieves both zero operational (regulated and unregulated) and zero embodied emissions.. Buildings should only be considered net zero carbon if the amount of carbon emissions associated with a building’s products/materials, construction stages, use (including operation) and deconstruction, is zero or negative.
This can be achieved via measures to reduce the use or the carbon of individual materials, the implementation of energy efficiency measures, the use of on-site renewables and finally a combination of carbon offset schemes and green Power Purchase Agreements (PPA)..It should be noted, that for most new developments nowadays it is not feasible to become net zero within the possibilities of the design (energy and material efficiency measures), so the use of carbon offset schemes and PPA is essential.. Why should we focus on sustainable construction and net zero carbon?.The UK has established ambitious targets to reduce carbon by 2050.
The UK aspires to reduce total carbon emissions by 78% by 2035, compared to 2020 levels, and become net zero carbon by 2050.These ambitions, translated to the built environment, can only be achieved via the implementation of measures to reduce operational and embodied carbon of new buildings, upgrading existing buildings, the use of ambitious policies and crucially via a decarbonised grid..
The built environment contributes to around 40% of the UK's total carbon footprint.
Based on UKGBC’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings “A framework definition", a typical Cat A office’s building embodied carbon, after the first year of use, would be 75% of the total carbon, whilst the operational carbon would be around 25%.The framework is trying to drive large infrastructure programs of work because they’re so complex, and this feeds into health and schools, as well as other government-led projects.
On the other hand, in the commercial sector, he believes profit has been the primary motivator.He notes that as the delivery of BIM as a professional service becomes more and more commoditised, value will inevitably be lost, alongside the sense of why the thing is being undertaken.
Rates are also increasing, he says, with less work being done..The role of DfMA and MMC in Australia.