RC109 NovDec 2023 - Magazine - Page 30
CONSTRUCTION
Project developers need to incentivize the use of low-carbon materials,
such as mass timber for the construction of new buildings.
solutions for building operations has ties to the overall
昀椀nancial performance of an asset, either through energy
savings or green premiums, the investment in low-carbon materials at the construction phase will not impact
overall pro formas or long-term asset performance. Project
developers need to incentivize the use of low-carbon
materials. Government procurement can lead the way
and show materials manufacturers there is demand for
low-carbon products by including carbon emission metrics
aligned with costs and other project metrics to support
holistic procurement decisions that can then be replicated
throughout the market.
Procurement in the construction industry is typically
driven by speci昀椀cations and requirements set by clients
and the design team. Despite growing awareness of
the need to reduce carbon emissions, a lack of familiarity with the complexity of the procurement chain, and
therefore how to best specify sustainability requirements,
often hampers the inclusion of low-carbon alternatives
in speci昀椀cations. The fragmented nature of the construction materials supply chain, involving multiple suppliers across production and distribution, exacerbates the
challenge of tracking and comparing the embodied carbon
of di昀昀erent materials, hurting any potential of informed
decision-making.
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RENEW CANADA – NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023
Accelerating sustainable building performance and
decarbonization
While the blueprints for low-carbon operations exist
and are understood, they are yet to be implemented at
scale. A signi昀椀cant challenge exists from the disconnect
between overarching client corporate objectives and
on-ground execution. Often, con昀氀icting interests and the
absence of an evaluation of carbon impacts result in the
omission of low-carbon solutions. This creates barriers
to implementing sustainable solutions and achieving
decarbonization goals.
According to research from RBC, while there has
been progress in new construction, a signi昀椀cant portion
of the building sector’s emissions are still coming from
the operations of existing buildings. Although the
government has introduced incentive programs for
retro昀椀t pilots and low-interest 昀椀nancing through the CIB,
there is still hesitation from the wider market to fully
embrace retro昀椀ts. There is a lack of regulatory clarity
signaling the long-term destination of the building sector.
This has created uncertainty and has made it di昀케cult
for investors to prioritize upgrades and retro昀椀ts that
can lead to signi昀椀cant reductions in emissions. Even
early adopters who have been planning for retro昀椀ts are
holding back on advancing projects due to the challenge
of understanding clear risks and opportunities outside of
energy savings.
Despite these challenges, there are opportunities for
progress in decarbonizing the industry. Clients are increasingly driving for decarbonization results, which makes it
easier to support and focus attention on building and renovating assets to meet those goals. This alignment between
client goals and industry objectives, in combination with
standards and regulations, will create a more signi昀椀cant
demand for low-carbon building products and processes,
driving innovation and progress towards decarbonization.
Ultimately, by fostering collaboration among stakeholders and prioritizing sustainability in procurement and
material selection, the construction industry is poised to
make signi昀椀cant progress in reducing its carbon emissions,
propelling us towards a more sustainable future.
RENEWCANADA.NET
ELLISDON
To address these challenges, greater collaboration and
communication between clients, the design team and
materials suppliers is necessary. A general contractor
can help bridge the gap between the di昀昀erent parties,
particularly through educating on the implications of
cost, scheduling and performance. This can involve
sharing knowledge and best practices for selecting and
using low-carbon materials, investing in research and
development to improve the sustainability of materials
and construction processes, and driving improved data
transparency throughout the supply chain.
Innovation is occurring continually in the construction
materials sector, and we’ve seen signi昀椀cant strides made
in lowering the embodied carbon of materials in a short
amount of time, particularly in the concrete sector. As
sustainability becomes a more signi昀椀cant priority, we can
expect to see continued innovation and progress towards
decarbonization in all aspects of materials and construction processes.
