In the recent years, the world has been witnessing a strong gust of environmental consciousness across various industries and a surging commitment to build a greener planet. Driven by the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions, preserve natural resources and promote energy efficiency, the industry is striving to embrace sustainability as a key priority.
Traditionally regarded as a resource intensive and waste generating sector, the construction industry has improved over the past years with architectures and engineers tirelessly working to integrate more sustainable solutions and designs. Moreover, in recent times, the industry has been witnessing increased energy-efficient designs that maximise the reliance over natural and renewable sources.
The commitment of industry players can be witnessed in various facets of the industry. Recent observations include builders adopting techniques to reduce waste, repurpose materials and redirect waste from landfills along with using water-efficient fixtures and landscaping practices.
Apart from these efforts, governments and regulatory bodies are enacting policies to encourage industry stakeholders to follow green building standards. For instance, the UAE Ministry of Infrastructure Development implemented the Green Building and Sustainable Building standards, under which the country anticipates saving over AED 10 billion and cut emissions by around 30 percent by 2030. These initiatives reflects common environmental goals and incentivizes construction companies to embrace sustainable practices. It also indicates the surging demand for sustainable living spaces, driving developers to embrace eco-conscious practices.
In the UAE, which houses one of the world’s most dynamic real estate sectors, there is always a question regarding the relevance of sustainability. The role of sustainability is a key factor in determining the flow of real estate investments. As the global commitment towards sustainability bolsters, foreign investors have identified the long-term value of sustainable projects. Current market trends indicate that projects integrated with green technologies and eco-friendly features attract more international investors.
Identifying evolving market requirements, industry players are pushing the boundaries of innovation to deliver advanced solutions. For instance, Trimble (NASDAQ: TRMB), a leading provider of advanced location-based technology solutions, is pioneering in addressing environmental impacts of data precision in the construction industry. As per Trimble’s 2022 Sustainability report, mistakes or errors in data collection can lead to major reworks and increased environment impact. In light of this, Trimble Lab has developed its Connected Progressive Scanning Workflow.
The technology was implemented in Saunders Construction’s One River North Residences in Denver, to identify errors in cast-in-place concrete floors. By leveraging Trimble’s cutting-edge scanning technologies, Saunders Construction attained a remarkable return on investment (ROI) of 1,164 per cent. The achievement can be translated into a 31.2 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (equivalent to 144 tCO2e), mainly attributed to the prevention of errors that would have necessitated rework and additional material usage.
Companies hesitate to embrace sustainable practices due to the higher initial costs involved, but the long-term benefits like energy efficiency, reduced operational expenses and increased property value makes it a worthwhile move. Similarly, there is also a lack of education on sustainable construction technologies. Even though there are challenges in educating professionals and workers, training programs and skill development initiatives ensure a seamless integration of sustainability in the sector.
In 2024, the market expects to witness a significant rise in eco-friendly projects, especially with foreign investors recognising the value of sustainable construction. The commitment of the industry is further heightened by the strong support of international authorities as well as steadfast net zero emission commitment of countries around the world.
The United Nations (UN) has various ambitious targets to promote sustainability across the construction sector, such as the target reduction rate for energy intensity per square meter in buildings to be approximately 30 per cent by 2030, as defined by the Paris Agreement. Additionally, the latest UN Climate Change Conference (COP 28)held in Dubai, witnessed countries discussing ways to limit the global temperature below 1.5 degrees by 2050. The event highlighted the UAE’s initiatives to concentrate on increasing the adoption of renewable energy, to introduce sustainable transportation, to use environmentally friendly building practices integrating nature based solutions and to utilize carbon capture technology. Additionally, the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) and leading businesses in the buildings and construction sector, on December 6, signed an open letter demanding for regulatory amendments to address the climate crisis on the sidelines of COP 28. The Open Letter is complemented by a policy briefing outlining the critical regulatory changes necessary to accelerate efforts and unlock the significant potential within the sector.
Aside from these factors, net-zero targets of countries, have increased the need to strike a balance between incorporating sustainable practices without significantly impacting the overall time and cost of completion. With the construction sector embracing sustainability as its guiding principle, the industry players and consumers are anticipating a revolutionary transformation and a sustainable future.
Paul Wallett is the Regional Director of Trimble Solutions, Middle East and India.
