LEGAL & BUSINESS
HOW SUSTAINABILITY ADDS VALUE TO YOUR BUILDING Simran Thiara, Southern Specification Manager at Sotech, explores the importance of sustainable buildings within the construction sector and looks at how sustainability can add value to your building.
T
he future of the construction industry is green, with the UK Government announcing plans to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Construction companies have also begun to consider how to lower their carbon footprint. According to a report by the WBCSD, the construction industry should follow the embodied carbon reduction strategy. This means repurposing when possible, rather than using raw materials. By repurposing products, construction companies can reuse materials and minimise waste. This will ensure sustainability stays at the forefront of construction.
The importance of sustainable buildings The construction industry is responsible for up to 11% of global carbon emissions. To combat this, the National Engineering Policy Centre stated that the sector must reduce carbon emissions by 78% before 2035. This includes all stages of production, from sourcing materials to generating electricity during construction. The Green Building Council has urged the construction industry to limit emissions of embodied carbon. As well
20
as taking part in carbonoffsetting projects, the report recommends actions to decarbonise construction. The recommendations include retrofitting existing homes, investing in industrial decarbonisation and adopting a minimum standard of key appliances for new buildings.
How sustainability can add value to your building Whether you’re installing carbonsaving gadgets or redesigning an entire building, sustainability in construction has many forms. Here are three ways this will add value to your building: 1. Rainscreen cladding will insulate buildings A protective layer that sits on the outside of a building, rainscreen cladding provides direct protection against the weather. The outer layer stops rain, while the inner layer improves the structural integrity and insulation of buildings. This is a great way to add value to your building while also being environmentally conscious in your design. Rainscreen cladding is capable of reducing energy costs in both domestic and commercial buildings, saving up to 40% of bills per year. As well as being
economically conscious, this will stop people overusing heating. In turn, the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere will reduce. 2. Solar panels will boost the price of domestic buildings Solar panels harness energy from the sun and generate electricity to power buildings. As well as being environmentally conscious, solar panels are a cost-effective energy source. According to a study by the Green Match, a 6kW solar panel grid can save an average of £430 on electric bills within a year. This is an attractive selling point to anyone.
Simran Thiara is Southern Specification Manager at Sotech. Simran has been working in the construction industry specialising in anodising, building envelopes and glass manufacturing on a number of major projects.
Overall, sustainability adds value to your building. As the Government pledges to reach net zero, the construction industry continues to adapt to new ways of operation. How will you build with sustainability in mind?
www.sotech-optima.co.uk Sources https://www.gov.uk/government/ news/uks-path-to-net-zero-set-out-inlandmark-strategy https://www.weforum.org/ agenda/2021/07/construction-industrydoesn-t-know-where-it-stands-when-itcomes-to-carbon-emissions/ https://www.raeng.org.uk/news/newsreleases/2021/september/construction-
3. Investors will prioritise sustainable buildings There are many goodnatured reasons to build with sustainability in mind. Creating a future free from carbon emissions is only one of those. On top of that, investors are prioritising sustainable buildings, so it pays to think sustainably about buildings. In fact, out of 4000 workers in the construction and commercial property sector, 55% believed that investors were more concerned with sustainability in buildings than the year before. As the market for sustainable buildings continues to change, it’s a good idea to build with a green future in mind.
sector-must-move-further-and-faster-t https://www.constructionnews. co.uk/sustainability/cop26-buildingregs-reform-set-out-to-drive-carbonrevolution-12-11-2021/ https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/ wiki/Rainscreen https://rcimag.co.uk/gl-roofing/five-keybenefits-of-rainscreen-cladding https://www.euronews.com/ green/2021/10/20/heat-pumps-ukhouseholds-can-get-5000-to-replacegas-boilers https://www.greenmatch.co.uk/ blog/2014/06/solar-panels-are-theyworth-it https://www.theecoexperts.co.uk/solarpanels/property-value https://uk.ramboll.com/news/ruk/sustainablebuildings-market-study-2021-impacts-of-covid19-and-beyond
