Energy efficiency in the building sector is a critical element in the journey towards achieving sustainability and reducing carbon emissions. The building sector accounts for a substantial proportion of global energy consumption and emissions, underscoring the urgency of improving energy efficiency in both residential and non-residential buildings. This issue is increasingly gaining prominence as countries around the world focus on meeting their 2050 climate goals, with the building sector highlighted as a key area for intervention and improvement.
Energy Efficiency in the Building Industry Explained
Energy efficiency in buildings refers to the optimized use of energy services within buildings to achieve the same level of comfort or functionality while using less energy. This involves integrating a range of energy-efficient technologies and measures, such as retrofitting existing building stocks, designing new buildings with energy-saving features, and adopting renewable energy sources. These actions, combined with energy-efficient operations and maintenance practices, can significantly reduce energy use in buildings and contribute to substantial energy savings.
By implementing strategies such as enforcing building energy codes, improving the energy performance of new buildings, and renovating existing structures, the building sector has the potential to significantly reduce its energy demand. Thermal energy, for example, which is often used for heating and cooling in buildings, can be optimized through the use of heat pumps and improved insulation, resulting in less energy consumption and lower emissions.
The Issue of Builders Missing Targets
The building industry is currently facing a significant challenge – meeting emissions targets and implementing effective climate transition plans. A recent assessment conducted by the World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA) in partnership with the environmental disclosure system CDP, has brought some alarming facts to light. A large portion of influential companies within the building sector, including property developers, managers, and construction firms, lack both defined emissions targets and comprehensive climate transition strategies.
According to the report, using the Assessing Low-Carbon Transition (ACT) methodology, 54% of the assessed companies are without a robust climate transition plan, and a concerning 44% have failed to establish any targets for emissions reduction. These results show a worrying gap in the industry’s readiness to face the challenges of climate change and environmental sustainability. Out of the companies engaged in substantial development or construction activities, only five – Ayala, Gecina, Hyundai E&C, Lendlease, and Prologis – have established net-zero targets that account for the in-use emissions of the buildings they deliver.
Innovative Carbon Capture and Storage (CCUS) Technology
In response to the industry’s urgent need for sustainable practices, Sulzer Chemtech is intensifying its collaboration with Blue Planet, working towards the development of an innovative Carbon Capture and Storage (CCUS) technology. The two companies aim to commercialize a mineralization process designed to permanently store carbon emissions, sequestering them from emissions-heavy industries in aggregate form.
The process involves combining CO2 captured from heavy industrial emissions in solution with metal ions, obtained from concrete or other industrial wastes, to create carbonate minerals. These form synthetic limestone aggregate, a substance capable of storing up to 440kg of carbon dioxide per tonne. When used in cement production, this aggregate effectively offsets the carbon footprint, resulting in carbon-negative concrete. This innovative approach has the potential to redefine carbon management within the building industry, offering a proactive solution to one of the industry’s most significant environmental challenges.
Cutting Down Construction Waste: A New Tool
In a bid to tackle construction waste, a significant contributor to environmental pollution, Zero Waste Scotland, a publicly-funded organization, has launched a new tool. Aimed at estimating the true cost of waste on construction sites, the Site Waste Reduction Protocol offers a method to use the Construction Waste Indicative Cost Calculator (CWIC).
This tool provides valuable guidance on monitoring skips, estimating quantities, and classifying material types, allowing businesses to accurately quantify and manage waste production. After a sufficient amount of data has been collected, the calculator can generate comprehensive reports, revealing which materials are most frequently wasted and the reasons behind it. These reports can help construction businesses understand how much waste costs them and, crucially, how it impacts their carbon footprint.
Initiatives for Improving Building Energy Efficiency in the UK
The United Kingdom has shown a strong commitment to improving energy efficiency in the building sector, setting ambitious targets and implementing a range of initiatives to achieve these goals. These efforts are anchored in the larger context of transitioning to a low-carbon economy and meeting its net-zero emissions target by 2050.
Building Energy Efficiency Standards
A pivotal part of the UK’s strategy involves the development and enforcement of stringent building energy codes. These codes dictate the minimum energy performance standards for new buildings, ensuring that they are constructed with energy-efficient design principles and technologies from the onset. These codes are continuously revised and updated to reflect advancements in energy-efficient technologies and building techniques, fostering a culture of continual improvement in the building industry.
The Green Homes Grant
To encourage the retrofitting of existing residential buildings, the UK government launched the Green Homes Grant scheme in 2020. This programme provides homeowners and landlords with vouchers to cover up to two-thirds of the cost of energy efficiency improvements, including insulation, heat pumps, and solar thermal installations. This initiative aims to upgrade over 600,000 homes, making them more energy-efficient and contributing to a significant reduction in the UK’s carbon footprint.
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO)
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is another significant initiative in the UK aimed at improving building energy efficiency. This scheme requires larger energy suppliers to deliver energy efficiency measures to domestic households. Primarily targeted towards low-income households, this initiative facilitates the installation of energy-efficient technologies and measures that might otherwise be financially out of reach for these families.
Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme
Recognising that the public sector can lead by example, the UK government has also introduced the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. This scheme provides grants for public sector bodies to finance energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation measures. By improving the energy efficiency of public buildings such as schools, hospitals, and local authority buildings, this initiative contributes to the wider objective of creating a greener, more sustainable built environment.
Future Homes Standard
Looking ahead, the UK government has proposed the Future Homes Standard, which is expected to be introduced by 2025. This new standard aims to ensure that all new homes are future-proofed with low-carbon heating and high levels of energy efficiency. The goal is for these new homes to produce 75-80% lower carbon emissions compared to current levels.
These initiatives showcase the UK’s concerted efforts to improve energy efficiency in the building sector. However, while progress has been made, the journey towards creating a fully energy-efficient building sector is a long one, requiring sustained commitment from all stakeholders.
Conclusion
Meeting environmental targets and effectively managing waste and emissions are critical steps for the building industry. It’s clear that innovative approaches, like those from Sulzer Chemtech and Zero Waste Scotland, combined with an increased commitment to sustainability from major companies, are necessary to drive change in the sector. The challenge is substantial, but with innovative technology and dedicated efforts, the building industry has the potential to become a leader in sustainable practices.