What are these inefficiencies, and how can they be controlled and eliminated? One need not look too far to find wasteful and unnecessary practices on a typical construction site. While the building in question might ultimately become a Net Zero model of efficiency and environmental stewardship, the journey is at least as important as the destination.
The Real Problem: Inefficiency = Emissions
Embodied carbon, defined as the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) generated by building materials and processes throughout the project lifecycle (prior to occupancy), is a useful metric for construction teams as they monitor and improve their sustainability. However, the latest construction sustainability report from RIB Software showed that just 31% of organizations are actively tracking embodied carbon for their projects.
Beyond the greenhouse gas emissions, reusability, and health implications of materials that must be documented and controlled to obtain LEED or BREEAM green building certifications, embodied carbon tracking allows project teams to monitor less visible contributions from:
● Delays leading to increased energy consumption through equipment use and transportation
● Rework causing materials and resources to be wasted as more carbon is emitted to replace materials
● Poor planning leading to inefficient project scheduling, over-ordering, and late-stage changes that impact the carbon footprint
Inefficiency becomes a hidden source of carbon emissions when too much focus is placed on materials vs. process. In other words, it is not just what you build, but how you build it.
Why It Starts in Planning
All experienced project managers know that when you fail to plan, you plan to fail. This is especially true when it comes to sustainable construction, since early decisions related to materials, methods, and budgets have a lasting impact on carbon emissions. The best construction cost estimation tools and building information modeling (BIM) platforms make early scenario planning and emissions costing possible, and the best opportunities to gain efficiency are found during planning.
For example, efficient choices like prefabrication and precast concrete must be built into the project plan and schedule from the earliest stages to ensure sequencing or logistical issues do not undermine the benefits.
The Shift: Better Data = Better Decisions
Of course, planning for success and sustainability early is only possible when the right data is available to support decision-making. Accurate embodied carbon data allows design teams and clients to balance material cost vs. benefits, while timely information on labor productivity, equipment fuel consumption, material transport distances, and other factors helps teams find the most efficient and sustainable path.
The importance of data is highlighted in the latest sustainability report from RIB Software, with companies agreeing on the need for integrated project management, design, and procurement software tools linked to live embodied carbon databases. Thankfully, these capabilities are already readily available (and affordable) for those businesses seeking to improve their outcomes.
Why This Changes Everything
Changing minds and behaviors to equate efficiency with sustainability in today’s construction ecosystem is not always easy. The benefits of reduced operational carbon from heating systems, ventilation, and lighting are easier to rationalize, but the upfront carbon released even before the first occupant enters a building will make up over half the total carbon footprint of new construction by 2050.
Minimizing waste, delays, and other inefficiencies to lower emissions must be given as much (or more) emphasis than the latest materials or biophilic designs. This means emphasizing planning as a high-impact moment for sustainability.
Efficiency in the New Era of Construction
If emissions are largely determined before construction even begins, why are we still treating sustainability as a site-level problem? Much like efforts to reduce emissions from data centers, transportation, power plants, and other primary contributors, improving sustainability in construction requires a more holistic approach. The impact of breakthrough material formulations and harmony with local ecosystems should never be discounted, but decisions that proactively reduce waste present even greater opportunities. Advanced construction software tools help to complement this balanced approach.
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