Today, buildings are responsible for more than 40 percent of global energy usage, and as much as one third of greenhouse gas emissions. There are no quick-fix solutions for creating a more sustainable built environment. The ‘Sustainable Buildings Market Study’ aims to explore drivers, trends and contribute with market insight.
Sustainability is the new norm
Innovation and digitalisation
Digitalisation, innovative technologies and new construction techniques carry the promise of improving sustainability and efficiency in the construction sector. According to the respondents we can expect a wider use of Building Information Models (BIM) - not only in the design phase, but also in the operational phase and at the end-of-life-stage of a building. Creating a digital twin of a building makes it possible to consolidate different sustainability metrics, such as Life Cycle Assessment and Total Cost of Ownership into a single model, creating transparency and making it possible for the developer to base their decisions on more complete environmental and economical understanding.
The trend that respondents (49%) identify as the most important is: On-site renewable energy / distributed energy solutions – such solutions can include solar panels, district heating and provision of energy storage. Using new materials to increase sustainability and reduce carbon emissions is also seen to have a large potential. For example, Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) as trees grow they absorb carbon dioxide and store it until they decay or are burned. This makes timber a highly sustainable material. Furthermore, the material can be re-used at the end of a building’s life.
Measuring well-being
Even the most knowledgeable building owners and project teams benefit from accountability and clear direction. Survey respondents were asked to indicate the three most important issues that influenced their decision to use environmental certification schemes. The top three responses in 2019 were ‘Client, tenant or other stakeholder requirement’ (60%), ‘Enhancement of building performance’ (51%) and ‘Improved quality’ (44%).