News
BACKING EMBODIED CARBON
MEASUREMENT TECHNOLOGY
By Benjamin Brits
new partnership aims to improve the building industry ’ s
A sustainability .
RIB Software , a multinational providing innovative technology solutions to the architecture , engineering and construction ( AEC ) industry , has partnered with Building Transparency , a non-profit organisation that has developed a free and open access tool targeted at reducing the impact of embodied carbon and making the AEC industry more efficient and sustainable .
Building Transparency ’ s premier technology solution is the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator ( EC3 ). This tool houses a database of digital , third-party verified Environmental Product Declarations ( EPDs ), which can be used to perform sustainability benchmarking and assessments .
This is particularly useful to construction material procurers , developers , contractors , and policymakers alike . By being able to measure the amount of embodied carbon within production materials , these stakeholders are empowered to evaluate a project ’ s overall carbon emissions and utilise that information to procure low carbon material alternatives or , in the case of regulators , set embodied carbon limits . These measures will ensure the industry ’ s compliance and adherence to environmental , social and governance ( ESG ) sustainable building practices . Through the sponsorship of various entities , such as RIB , Building Transparency ’ s EC3 tool remains free to use .
" Measures will ensure the industry ’ s compliance and adherence to environmental , social and governance ."
ADDRESSING THE BUILDING INDUSTRY ’ S ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT The statistics paint an unflattering picture of the AEC industry ’ s impact on the environment . Research has uncovered that an estimated 38 % of global energy consumption can be attributed to building and construction activities , while the processing of materials such as concrete is believed to contribute to as much as 6 % of global carbon dioxide emissions . The high amounts of material waste that occur within the industry along with the need to rework construction structures adds to the inefficiencies .
Working in a sustainable manner is critical to the future prosperity of the world . The continued disregard for the negative and potentially disastrous effects of greenhousegas emissions , pollutants and other environmentally unsafe practices must be addressed . As the
RIB
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) report revealed , we are at a ‘ code red for humanity ’. Our collective efforts should be geared towards choosing a path of action that avoids a climate catastrophe .
PARTNERSHIP SPEAKS TO CORE PURPOSES “ There is a need to actionably and urgently reduce the carbon footprint of the AEC industry . Knowledge is power , and integrating technology such as EC3 into the workings of the sector provides critical decision-makers with the tools and data needed to effectively evaluate and understand the true carbon footprint associated with their projects . Armed with this , they will be able to chart tangible targets and collectively help minimise the industry ’ s impact on the environment . We all have a role to play in building a more sustainable world ,” says Stacy Smedley , executive director of Building Transparency .
“ As RIB , having been at the forefront of innovation in the construction industry for over 60 years , our partnership with Building Transparency aligns closely with the purpose of enabling our customers to build in an environmentally and socially responsible manner . We cannot shy away from the fact that the long-term growth of the AEC industry is closely tied to sustainable practices . Transforming the way the sector plans , builds and operates buildings is our primary purpose ,” concludes Andrew Skudder , RIB chief revenue officer . RACA
RIB chief revenue officer , Andrew Skudder .
RACA Journal I July 2022 3