Revolutionize Your Building Game: Insights from the AT Schüco Webinar on Achieving Net-Zero Performance
Creatingfor zero-emission efficiency
Who said construction has to be dull? The Army seems to have other plans, as modular-building specialist Reds10 discovered soldiers taking too many showers and leaving open windows! This unexpected energy consumption highlighted a crucial lesson in reaching net-zero: it's not enough to design for it, monitoring and adapting behavior is equally essential.
Remember Uthira Balachandar, the sustainability whiz at Reds10? She's not just about education and automation; she's all about changing mindsets! In another project, sensors are being used to measure noise levels, feeding back into the design to create environmentally friendly spaces.
Speaking of net-zero, let's dive into the AT Schüco webinar highlighting how stakeholders in the built environment are paving the way for a net-zero future.
Clara Bagenal George, the force behind the UK Net-Zero Carbon Buildings Standard Technical Steering Group, revealed the upcoming rule book for assessing new and existing buildings as net zero carbon. Contrary to certification schemes, the focus is on defining the criteria for achieving net zero carbon status. And guess who's in the driving seat? Various built environment organizations, many of which already have their own standards, working together to provide clarity in policy and practices.
Data collection is crucial to create a comprehensive standard applicable to the various building typologies like offices, hotels, schools, residential buildings, and more. Bagenal George emphasized the need for energy models, energy sets, and embodied carbon models to test the standard's effectiveness.
Don't think the standard will only benefit new structures. It includes existing buildings too, demonstrating the importance of sustainability in all aspects of construction.
Data-driven decision making, monitoring, education, and control will shape the future of the construction industry, as Areti Makantasi, associate in net-zero design consulting at JLL, emphasized. Investors are already hopping on the net-zero bandwagon, with net-zero refurbishments providing significant benefits like reduced energy consumption, lower void rates, and higher rental growth.
Tenant enrollment is vital, as temperature control often leads to substantial energy savings. Fit-outs can help reduce embodied carbon by prioritizing circular economy principles. The project at 20 Wardour Street in London is a shining example, showcasing savings of 42% in upfront embodied carbon through the use of second-hand furniture.
James Pickard, the brain behind Cartwright Pickard, looked back to the past and forward to the future. The Health and Safety Executive Headquarters he designed showed impressive performance, with mechanical ventilation and air conditioning on for just three and two weeks of the year respectively, resulting in 40% lower energy consumption compared to predictions.
Aiming even higher for 2 and 3 Angel Square, Pickard's design prioritizes sustainability, ecology, and occupant wellbeing. The project will target NABERS 5.5 energy rating, aiming to minimize any performance gap.
Intrigued? The secret lies in thorough analysis, as demonstrated in the project's evaluation of structural solutions based on embodied energy. The conclusion: post-tensioned slabs with mid-span columns proved the most energy efficient, surprising many.
So, whether you're a builder, an investor, or an eco-conscious soldier who loves a good shower, the data-driven, net-zero future is headed your way. buckle up and prepare for a sustainable ride!
- The UK Net-Zero Carbon Buildings Standard Technical Steering Group, led by Clara Bagenal George, is developing a rule book to assess buildings' net-zero carbon status, focusing on defining the criteria for achieving such a status rather than relying on certification schemes.
- In environmental-science, data-driven decision making, monitoring, education, and control will play a significant role in shaping the future of the construction industry, as Areti Makantasi, an associate in net-zero design consulting at JLL, stated.
- The importance of health-and-wellness and environmental considerations in construction extends beyond design, with technologies like sensors being deployed to measure noise levels to create more environmentally friendly spaces (as Uthira Balachandar, the sustainability whiz at Reds10, demonstrated in one of her projects).
