Are we looking through operational ‘carbon binoculars’?

We need to focus more on the embodied carbon in construction industry, not just the operational emissions. This was one of the conclusions of a recent roundtable discussion held in the commercial district in Birmingham and hosted by Glass Express Midlands.

According to Gurprit B. , Director at Wintech Fa?ade Engineering, and Aneel Kilaire , Associate Fa?ade Consultant at Ramboll UK, the construction industry lacks national guidance on reducing embodied carbon at the planning stage, which arguably outweighs the impact of the operational carbon emissions during the lifetime of a building.

Using the term ‘Carbon Binoculars’ to describe someone who doesn’t see the bigger picture, Aneel argued that the current Fabric Energy Efficiency Standard (one of the metrics used to measure building performance in the Future Homes Standard) penalises apartments and shifts attention away from other challenges.

“Apartments and detached homes are viewed like-for-like when it comes to meeting U-values,” he said. “And I don’t think it is fair that apartments to have to hit the same targets when their actual energy usage as a total apartment is much less than a detached house.

“We’ve got to focus on other challenges, such as affordability of housing and the construction rate of new housing, together with daylight and health and wellbeing.”

Gurprit said that while it was important to address the efficiency of the existing building stock in the UK, we must address embodied carbon in construction in a more coherent manner.

“I think embodied carbon dominates – or is close to dominating – the lifecycle of a new building,” he said. “But we don't have national legislation on measuring or limiting embodied carbon.

“There are regional policies in the UK – the London GLA plan has embodied carbon limits for planning stage, as do a few other local authorities – but I think we need a national policy.”

Aneel thought this approach could have significant downsides.

“The sceptical part of me says ‘this is just more regulations, and more things for people to do’, and may not make a difference if only newbuilds are affected,” he said. “It could become another bit of red tape that you have to comply with which makes building more difficult.”

Aneel also said that it was important that any new legislation would require a greater focus on coherence so that different policies work harmoniously with each other.

“If you say ‘reduce your embodied carbon, that may mean ‘don’t use many materials’,” he said. “But to reduce operational carbon may need more materials – insulation, thermal breaks etc.”

Taking this on board, Gurprit argued that many suppliers are already providing the products with low-embodied carbon.

“They're anticipating that embodied carbon is going to be a bigger component of what clients and architects are going to specify,” he said. “In some areas, because of the GLA and local authority guidance, they're providing low carbon aluminium and glass, often at little to no extra cost. So, it can be done.

“And not only does this lower embodied carbon, but it creates a more circular economy.”

Aneel agreed, saying that the UK and European construction industries are at a distinct advantage.

“We have lower carbon electricity and we have a solid recycling network,” he said. “We need to tread carefully, though, because we don’t want to stifle the market. We need to get house building going again.”

This was just one of several conversations between Gurprit and Aneel, who were also joined by Elizabeth Williams , Housing Delivery Expert at Land Specialist UK, and Arun Photay , Managing Director of Glass Express Midlands.

These discussions, held against the backdrop of a thriving Birmingham skyline, were hosted by Glass Express Midlands to explore some of the issues raised in a recent high profile roundtable event hosted by the glass unit manufacturer near Whitehall in London.

“The manufacture and supply of glass products into the commercial sector doesn’t happen in isolation,” Managing Director of Glass Express Midlands Arun Photay said. “It is vital that we create and promote forums like these to raise awareness of key issues so that we can help raise the level of professionalism in the construction industry.

“Thank you to all our guests who gave up their time to share their views and experience.”

Follow Glass Express Midlands on LinkedIn to view the videos which will be released over the coming weeks.

For more information, please visit glassexpressmidlands.uk, or call 0121 552 7616.