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Nowadays, construction has an enormous contribution to global carbon emissions. To mitigate the negative environmental impacts, we should explore and adopt other eco-friendly alternatives such as wood, bamboo, and reusable materials. At the same time, improving the production process is crucial in reducing emissions and utilizing renewable energy sources. Through ““GREEN BUILDING & THE CLIMATE”, we should have a closer look into the solutions and implementation methods for transitioning to sustainable construction materials and improving production processes to achieve zero waste emissions.
In the context of urbanization, it is imperative to bring in policies for transitioning to a circular lifecycle of construction materials. According to the report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Yale Center for Ecosystems and Architecture (Yale CEA), part of the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction, adopting alternative methods in construction is necessary to minimize environmental impact. The current reality has revealed that the construction industry is the largest contributor of greenhouse gasses, accounting for approximately 37% of global emissions. Although measures such as heating, cooling, and lighting systems have been taken to reduce carbon emissions from buildings, there is a need to improve the reduction of carbon emissions regarding the design, production, and development of construction materials such as cement, steel, and aluminum.
The report also emphasizes the importance of developing integrated models to reduce the carbon footprint of construction materials, aiming to achieve net-zero emissions in the construction industry by the mid-century.
To address the urgent issues mentioned above, three approaches have been proposed to facilitate carbon removal in the construction sector:
Eliminate extraction and production of raw materials by applying a circular economic model, using fewer construction materials, and reusing processes and materials.
Transition to the use of renewable and biologically sourced materials, reducing carbon emissions and utilizing sustainable materials such as wood, bamboo, and recycled materials from agriculture and forestry.
Improve methods to reduce the overall transportation of non-renewable materials like concrete, steel, and aluminum, which consume high carbon and raw material inputs.
In conclusion, the transition to alternative methods in the construction industry plays a crucial role in reducing the environmental impact. To achieve the goal of minimizing carbon emissions in the construction sector, the support and involvement of individuals throughout the production and use of construction materials are essential.
References:
United Nations Environment Programme (2023). Building Materials and the Climate: Constructing a New Future. Nairobi
UN Report Offers Solutions for Decarbonization of Buildings, Construction Sector: https://www.globalissues.org/news/2023/09/14/34744
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