Australia can achieve netzero greenhouse gas emissions across our built environment by 2040, a new report says.

Published by the University of NSW, a 40-page guide outlines information about materials and strategies which can help architects, engineers, planners and others to transform the industry toward netzero carbon buildings.

According to the guide, the importance of buildings in meeting climate objectives should not be underestimated.

All up, it says the built environment is responsible for 37 percent of energy related greenhouse gas emissions worldwide and 20 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in Australia.

The guide also stresses the need to adopt a holistic view of opportunities for carbon reductions across the building lifecycle.

This starts at product selection and design and extends through to construction, building operation, decommissioning/end of life and beyond the lifecycle of the individual building.

Such a holistic approach, the researchers say, is important.

Historically, many building practitioners have focused on building operations and reducing carbon emissions through optimising energy use in heating and cooling and using offsite and onsite renewables to power facilities.

Whilst these initiatives are welcome, such a narrow focus has led to opportunities to reduce the embodied carbon footprint which occurs within the building’s design and construction being missed.

This involves looking at issues such as the origin of materials and how they are transported to site.

According to the report, the most effective way to reduce embodied carbon footprint is to use retrofitting and to adopt design strategies that minimise material use.

Where that is not possible, the guide recommends employing low-carbon materials such as green steel and concrete.

Beyond that, buildings and materials can be reused after beyond their end-of-life or decommissioning.

Old or undesirable concrete buildings, for example, may be able to have their structures retained and be refurbished.

Meanwhile, materials such as timber, aluminium and glass can be recycled into new products.

At a broader level, the report argues that leadership from governments/regulators and clients is needed.

On the regulation side, the report urges governments to mandate netzero building codes, ensure that public buildings are netzero carbon and consider providing rebates and subsidies to incentivise change.

This goes beyond eliminating poor practices and extends to driving optimal strategies and promoting innovation in low carbon products, technologies and systems.

It was not about adding costs but promoting conversations to unlock sound investment approaches.

Beyond this, the report argues that clients have the most power to drive better practices and should engage with designers to identify strategies to better environmental outcomes.

Professor Deo Prasad, a national leader in sustainable buildings and lead researcher for the guide, says the guide outlines a holistic approach to achieving netzero and will help to complete knowledge gaps on netzero carbon buildings.

Prasad says the industry should aim for netzero operational emissions and 60 percent reduction in embodied carbon emissions in buildings by 2030 before moving on to netzero operational and embodied emissions by 2040.

“This guide provides a deeper level of knowledge on how this sector can rapidly move towards net zero carbon buildings in the short term,” Prasad said.

“Using science-based evidence and analytics, the guide maps a clear roadmap to achieving net zero by 2040 in the building industry. It goes beyond the aspirational and into the achievable.

“Our guide has all the knowledge the industry needs to achieve net zero – a roadmap that shows it can be done and, most importantly, the type of conversation clients can have with designers or government.”

“It’s essential that the industry – be it clients, government or designers – start speeding up the race to net zero carbon before it becomes too late in the climate emergency.”

 

Enjoying Sourceable articles? Subscribe for Free and receive daily updates of all articles which are published on our site

 

Want to grow your sales, reach more new clients and expand your client base across Australia’s design and construction sector?

Advertise on Sourceable and have your business seen by the thousands of architects, engineers, builders/construction contractors, subcontractors/trade contractors, property developers and building industry suppliers who read our stories across the civil, commercial and residential construction sector