The UK's construction sector has been urged to speed up green development in order to meet national climate targets, which could be spurred by zero-emission machinery, a new report published by the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE) has claimed.
Construction. Credit: Bannafarsai_Stock / Shutterstock
The UK's construction sector currently accounts for around 11% of carbon emissions. Credit: Bannafarsai_Stock / Shutterstock
The report, which was conducted by the National Engineering Policy Centre (NEPC), suggests this should be done by setting challenging but simple goals that will deliver net-zero goals at a significant pace, but with the ability to be scaled up.
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Boris Johnson's government has pledged to cut the UK's carbon emissions by 68% by 2030, and by 78% by 2035, some of the most ambitious climate targets set by an administration to date.
Holistic and efficient building designs, combined with measures such as reusing building materials wherever possible and using non-fossil fuel-powered machinery, could help to eliminate carbon emissions from building sites, the report states.
Current build environments reportedly produce up to 40% of the sector's emissions. Construction currently accounts for around 11% of the UK's total emissions.
Many governments have set green agendas as part of their recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, and the crisis has offered a natural way for global leaders to overhaul consumption habits.
The government can play a large role in helping decarbonise the construction sector, by emphasising whole-life carbon performance for sourced materials.
Both the government and the construction sector as a whole can also place low-carbon procurement at the forefront of new projects by 2025. This must be underpinned by better use of digital technologies to improve productivity and reduce risk, such as the use of digital twins, the report adds.
It also suggests preparing the future generation of engineers by making education in net-zero practices a mandatory part of engineering training, while also suggesting that employers take the time to provide upskilling opportunities for those already working in the field.
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The road to net-zero will "require a radical and comprehensive transformation across the sector" which will not solely be achieved "by building less and retrofitting existing building stock" - suggesting a systems-based approach across both the construction sector and government departments to ensure life-cycle efficiency.
Arup deputy chair, and chair of the National Engineering Policy Centre's net-zero working group, Dervilla Mitchell, admitted the way had already been paved for the industry's energy transition, claiming sectors such as concrete had already seen massive reductions in carbon emissions since 1990.
She admitted, however, that more needed to be done to become net-zero by 2050.
She added: “The net-zero transformation is challenging but it is also a massive opportunity for the sector. It’s a chance to make a fundamental change in our ambitions, processes and social contribution.
"However, we need immediate action by government, standards bodies, the construction sector and the engineering profession if we are to make it happen.”
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson appears to want to make Britain a global leader in decarbonisation and climate initiatives.
In a recent speech to the UN, he suggested it was "time for humanity to grow up" regarding the fight against climate change, ahead of the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow due to be held this November.
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He specified four areas that need tackling urgently: "coal, cars, cash and trees".
"Nations must take responsibility for the destruction we are inflicting, not just upon our planet but ourselves", he added.
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