w TRENDS technology
back to CONTENTS
INNOVATIVE TECH AND STRATEGIES FOR
SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS AND OFFICES
Buildings generate almost 40 per cent of annual global CO2 emission, reports Architecture 2030. Because most of them will probably still be standing in 2040, they will continue to emit excessive amounts of carbon, leading the Planet to fall short of the Paris Agreement’s 1.5ºC target. Humanity is currently undergoing a period of exponential growth and built areas are expected to double in size over the next four decades. Achieving lower emissions will involve relying on renewable energy, recycled materials, and innovative components. Below are just a few ways in which innovative technology and committed strategies can help buildings reduce their emissions to zero (or close to it). WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS
136 / APRIL 2022 ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE
THE USE OF CARBONSMART MATERIALS Concrete, steel, and aluminium are considered ‘highimpact’ and indeed, they are responsible for 23 per cent of total global emissions. Their footprint is considered ‘embodied’ because they are part and parcel of the building structure. Sustainable developers are replacing these and other materials with carbon-smart ones that have a low carbon impact or which sequester carbon from the environment. These include bamboo, hempcrete (a wall system made of hemp and a few additives), straw bale, wood from climate-smart forests, and sheep’s wool.
INTELLIGENT, INTEGRATED BUILDING AUTOMATION SYSTEMS (BASS) BAS involves the use of smart building management platforms to transform data into meaningful insights about building conditions, energy consumption, and equipment functioning. Sensors and actuators are placed throughout the building to detect trends and make necessary adjustments to optimise human beings’ use of a building. BAS automates the use of energy and contributes greater comfort to users by providing them with their preferred temperature and lighting.
