Kingspan Q&A: How to Decarbonise the Built Environment
The modern world revolves around the built environment.
Offices, gyms, homes and factories, however, can all have a significant impact on the health of the environment.
Kingspan is a leading global building materials company founded in 1966.
It has more than 212 factories and trades in more than 80 companies, creating building solutions for insulation, pipework, ducting, heating and cooling.
Brent Trenga is Director of Sustainability at Kingspan North America.
He works to advance Planet Passionate, the company’s global sustainability programme focussed on reducing its manufacturing carbon emissions and the carbon intensity of its primary supply chain.
Brent shares his expertise with Sustainability Magazine.
Why does the built industry have such a significant carbon footprint?
The 42% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions originating from the built environment comes from each stage of the building construction process as well as the ongoing operation of buildings.
Factors contributing to this large carbon footprint include the manufacturing of construction materials, transportation of heavy construction materials to building sites, waste generation from construction and demolition debris, water use in the construction and operation of buildings and energy consumption throughout the life of buildings.
What can the built industry look to do to reduce this?
To decarbonise the built environment, we must change our approach to building design and construction. That means designing and constructing buildings to reduce both embodied carbon and operational carbon.
Operational carbon makes up 27% of the 42% of annual global COâ emissions generated by the built environment, while embodied carbon is responsible for 15% annually. However, it is projected that embodied carbon will be responsible for the majority of global carbon emissions associated with new building and infrastructure between now and 2030.
Reducing both operational and embodied carbon requires buildings to be designed and constructed with low carbon building materials and energy efficient systems.
Selecting low carbon building materials is essential to reducing embodied carbon in the built environment. Some of the attributes of low carbon building materials include materials with low embodied carbon (emissions associated with the total lifecycle of a building material), materials with recycled content, materials that can be recycled at the end of their lifespan, materials with excellent thermal performance and materials produced with energy-efficient manufacturing processes.
Designing buildings for energy efficiency is essential for reducing operational carbon. The use of LED lights, high-efficiency HVAC systems, daylighting systems and renewable energy are all ways to increase energy efficiency in buildings. High performance building envelope solutions like insulated metal panels are another critical element for improving the energy efficiency of buildings. Engineered with a strong air, water, vapor and thermal barrier, these panels reduce a buildingâs energy consumption while maintaining occupant comfort.
Why should whole life carbon be an important focus for the built industry?
Whole life carbon examines how much carbon goes into the individual materials used in the construction of a building and how much carbon it takes to actually operate a building for its lifetime.
Focusing on whole life cycle carbon to inform building design and material selection is a holistic approach that addresses the critical need to reduce both embodied carbon and operational carbon in the built environment.
Taking this approach is vital to lowering the overall carbon footprint of buildings, aligning with global climate goals, achieving net-zero building goals, and helping mitigate climate change.
What is the importance of setting SBTi targets?
Under the SBTi framework, companies can assess environmental impact, set measurable emission reduction targets and report and track progress.
As a robust measurement of GHG emission reduction, SBTi is important for ensuring transparency, accountability and action and for ensuring sustainability programs are more than just talk.
What can businesses do beyond 2050 targets?
It is clear that companies need actionable strategies that go beyond setting 2050 net-zero targets. A Destination Net Zero: Fast-Tracking Progress research report by Accenture revealed that the pace of decarbonisation is not fast enough to meet global climate targets with only 16% of companies currently on track to hit net zero in their operations by 2050, down from 18% last year.
To cut carbon emissions now, companies can implement the following strategies:
- Benchmark your business as it stands today to determine where the most impact can be made
- Integrate sustainable practices across operations and supply chains
- Embrace circular economy practices to reduce waste and extend the lifecycle of materials by designing products for longevity, reuse, repurposing and recycling
- Transition to the direct use of renewable energy for building operations and manufacturing to reduce carbon emissions now
- Reduce water consumption by implementing rainwater harvesting systems and grey water recycling, installing low-flow fixtures and using native landscaping
- Go Beyond Value Chain Mitigation by taking action to reduce emissions outside of direct operations. This could include sponsoring community environmental projects such as tree planting events.
With a strong commitment to climate action, companies can implement the strategies outlined above to successfully reduce carbon emissions now.
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