How can you apply green and sustainable construction trends?

Digitalising in the field of construction can be used for applying green concepts and by adopting 3R's Reduce,Reuse and Recycle in the construction sites.Use of energy efficient designs also can create a great impact.

These include utilizing renewable energy sources, such as solar panels or wind turbines, to power construction sites. Implementing energy-efficient designs and technologies, such as high-performance insulation and LED lighting, can also contribute to sustainability. Additionally, incorporating recycled and eco-friendly materials throughout the construction process and promoting water conservation measures are essential in adopting green and sustainable construction practices. Lastly, minimizing waste generation and implementing proper waste management systems further support sustainable construction trends. Also, in our new project the sea bridge we use silt curtains to protect the marine life.

All that is great! But it’s in my opinion reclaimed wood flooring is one of the materials that is overlooked, & rarely gets used. I understand that it’s a bit more in cost in some cases, than the new material but it’s value is much higher. It’s aged, its been through all the shrinkage and expansion, it’s has a beautiful look & depending on the age it’s much thicker more durable than the new materials. If more of the reclaimed wood flooring was used it would save a lot I mean a lot of trees. And give all the freshly planted trees time to grow longer and stronger and bigger. It doesn’t hurt to ask. Designers and architects need to give it a 2nd look.

Energy efficiency is vitally important in sustainable construction, but this should not be the first consideration. Before embarking upon a quest to add solar panels or wind turbines, the first question should be is the new building really needed at all? Any new building operation creates negative environmental impacts. The embodied carbon in a new building is also incredibly significant. It typically accounts for a third of the total GHG emissions over the building’s operational lifetime. Beyond carbon, further impacts on air quality, water, biodiversity, pollution all need considering against broader planetary boundaries. The greenest building is the one we avoid building at all. And only then do we think about the building itself.

Using Sustainable Materials: Opt for recycled, renewable, and locally sourced materials. Energy Efficiency: Install energy-efficient HVAC systems, lighting, and appliances. Renewable Energy: Incorporate solar panels, wind turbines, and other renewable energy sources. Water Conservation: Implement rainwater harvesting, low-flow fixtures, and greywater systems. Waste Reduction: Practice waste segregation, recycling, and reuse of materials. Green Building Certifications: Aim for LEED, BREEAM, or other green certifications. Smart Technology: Use smart building technologies for efficient energy management. Sustainable Design: Design for natural lighting, ventilation, and green spaces.

Construction projects typically consider whole life carbon and the water used to make construction materials or as part of construction activities should be included. The whole lifecycle impact of the development includes embedded water as well as embedded social and environmental effects.

A common practice when I started was to use silt fence as perimeter erosion control. Given that this is a plastic material that gets thrown away or sometimes isn’t removed from your project in a timely manner, consider implementing more environmentally or contractor-friendly methods such as utilizing stripped topsoil stabilized berms and repurposing your clearing and grubbing operations to implement a wood chip berm. Using these two methods, even together as redundant control, allows the contractor to blade these items into your final slopes without having the waste associated with silt fence. Just one of the many example of how we can incorporate more environmentally friendly aspects to our designs.

Too many think about the extra cost of green certification rather than the premium value(s). The value of a BREEAM “Outstanding” office is valued at a premium of between 12.3%, to 30% over Building Regulation compliant stock. World Green Building Council reported that BREEAM certification can increase rental rates for buildings by up to 24.9% compared to conventional, code-compliant buildings. One should also note that the typical carbon saving for a BREEAM Outstanding building is 66%. BSRIA found that improvements in employee retention, productivity, satisfaction, occupant comfort, community benefit, CSR/PR and brand recognition/industry standing were also acknowledged.

In my experience, Susutainblity practises should be taken up in the intial stage (conceptual stage) and IPC’s/Design consultants should advice client to proceed with best possible Green building certification as per the site/project requirements.

In today's dynamic construction landscape, integrating green and sustainable practices is not just a trend, but a necessity. Embracing eco-friendly construction trends involves incorporating energy-efficient designs, utilizing sustainable materials and implementing innovative technologies that minimize environmental impact. By prioritizing LEED certification standards and adopting renewable energy solutions, we can build structures that not only contribute to a healthier planet but also promote long-term cost savings and enhanced occupant well-being.

You’d miss a substantial opportunity in forgoing considering hope circular economy can be leveraged to reduce impacts over the life cycle of the building. This goes well beyond waste management and recycling. You will want to think about building/asset reuse or refurbishment, use of recovered or sustainable harvested biobased materials, designing shared and flexible/adaptable spaces, etc. As the conversation around whole building life cycle and driving those emissions to zero, circular economy will be a significant portion of reducing embodied emissions.

Vinyl Composition Tile (VCT) is affordable but has serious environmental downsides. Its production is energy-intensive and releases harmful chemicals. Installing VCT emits volatile organic compounds (VOCs), impacting indoor air quality. Maintaining VCT requires frequent use of harsh chemicals. In contrast, polished concrete is greener. Made from existing slabs, it needs fewer new materials and less harmful processes. It’s highly durable, lasts the building’s lifetime with minimal upkeep, and doesn’t emit VOCs. Simple cleaning saves on chemicals and water. Though initially more expensive, polished concrete is more economical over time. Polished concrete over VCT reduces environmental impact, promoting healthier, more sustainable buildings.

Recognising excess consumption/growth is at the heart of climate change is critical. For the construction sector we should ask: Could an existing building be retrofitted/refurbished instead of new build. Avoid demolition and re-purpose an existing building instead? If a new build is essential then we can start to tackle the design/specification principles but again location, orientation, size (smaller the better), scope for future adaptation/flexibility, resilience to climate change, access to existing infrastructure/active/public transport all come before the detailed building design. The building design itself should then be considered - starting with the structure and fabric to minimise impacts and abate need for energy generation.