{"id":10626,"date":"2023-09-17T12:17:38","date_gmt":"2023-09-17T02:17:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/?p=10626"},"modified":"2024-10-21T20:27:45","modified_gmt":"2024-10-21T10:27:45","slug":"un-reveals-blueprint-to-decarbonise-construction-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/un-reveals-blueprint-to-decarbonise-construction-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"UN&#8217;s New Blueprint for a Net-Zero Construction Industry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The construction industry must build less, use more sustainable materials and &#8216;clean up&#8221; traditional materials to meet climate commitments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The findings come from a major report published by the <a href=\"https:\/\/sciencex.com\/wire-news\/455979305\/un-plan-promises-large-carbon-dioxide-emission-cuts-in-construct.h\">UN Environment Programme and the Yale Centre for Ecosystems and Architecture,<\/a> calling for a circular&#8221; approach to building materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With a focus on &#8216;Avoid, Shift and Improve,&#8217; the report calls on policymakers, manufacturers, architects, developers, engineers, builders and recyclers to address the billowing emissions from construction activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Drawing on examples in Canada, Finland, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Peru, and Senegal, it is now calling on the global community to act, pushing for global cities to take a leadership role in the push to net zero.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Replacing Steel and Concrete with Timber will save 40% of emissions  <\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>It reports that substituting carbon-intensive building materials, like steel and concrete, for bio-based materials like timber, bamboo, and biomass will save emissions by up to 40% by 2050.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"cSYbwwofCKQ\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Is mass timber the building material of the future?\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cSYbwwofCKQ?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>The report strongly supports substituting steel and concrete-based building products with timber, bamboo and biomass materials. Footage courtesy of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@PBSNewsHour\">@PBSNewsHour.<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;However, more policy and financial support is needed to ensure the widespread adoption of renewable bio-based building materials.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Building less and repurposing existing structures, which it has termed &#8216;the circular approach,&#8217; will generate 50-75% fewer emissions than new construction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This approach, which includes retrofitting, &#8220;is the most valuable option,&#8221; as it &#8220;promotes construction with fewer materials and materials with a lower carbon footprint and facilitating reuse or recycle.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Concrete, Steel and Aluminium are responsible for 23% of  emissions <\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>It has also raised concerns about processing concrete, steel, and aluminium, &#8220;three sectors responsible for 23% of the overall global emissions.&#8221;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Priorities should be placed on electrifying production with renewable energy sources, increasing the use of reused and recycled materials, and scaling innovative technologies,&#8221; the report said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, &#8220;transformation of regional markets and building cultures through building codes, certification, labelling and education is critical.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Sheila Aggarwal-Khan, the director of the UNEP&#8217;s industry and economy division, the report highlights the need for global governments to do more to achieve net-zero targets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Net Zero requires improved government policy and regulation settings<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Net zero by 2050 is only achievable if &#8220;governments put in place the right policy, incentives and regulation to shift the industry action,&#8221; Ms Aggarwal-Khan said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rapid urbanisation means that every given day, the world adds buildings equivalent to the size of Paris, with the built environment responsible for 37% of global emissions. Driven by South Asia and Africa, the global economy is under increasing pressure to find construction materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/demand-for-timber-to-increase-fourfold-by-2050-where-is-the-wood\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">According to the FAO and World Bank<\/a>, demand for timber will quadruple over the next 30 years. New research produced by the World Resources Institute and published in&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41586-023-06187-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Nature&nbsp;<\/em><\/a>forecasts that timber harvesting will account for 10% of global emissions over the coming decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Until recently, most buildings were constructed using locally sourced earth, stone, timber, and bamboo,&#8221; Ms Aggarwal-Khan said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Yet modern materials such as concrete and steel often give only the illusion of durability, usually ending up in landfills and contributing to the growing climate crisis.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most climate action in the building sector focuses on reducing &#8220;operational carbon&#8221; emissions, including heating, cooling, and lighting.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, thanks to the growing decarbonisation of the electrical grid and the use of renewables, &#8220;these are set to decrease from 75% to 50% of the sector in coming decades.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"d4Cy16uOdLM\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How to decarbonize the grid and electrify everything | John Doerr and Hal Harvey\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/d4Cy16uOdLM?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Global governments are now embracing new technologies to decarbonise electricty grids. Footage courtesy of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@TED\">@TED<\/a>.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Ms Aggarwal-Khan has urged global governments to be more ambitious with policy settings and said, &#8220;Policies must support the development of new cooperative economic models across the building, forestry and agricultural industries.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In doing this, the global economy can &#8220;galvanise a just transition towards circular, bio-based material economies.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&#8216;Embodied Carbon&#8217; shift requires a whole lifecycle approach to materials <\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>With the shift from &#8220;operational carbon&#8221; to &#8220;embodied carbon&#8221;, the report&nbsp;has stressed the importance of a whole lifecycle approach to building material supply chains.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"846\" src=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Embodied-vs-Operations-2040-Larger-Again-1030x851-1-1024x846.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10629\" srcset=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Embodied-vs-Operations-2040-Larger-Again-1030x851-1-1024x846.png 1024w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Embodied-vs-Operations-2040-Larger-Again-1030x851-1-600x496.png 600w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Embodied-vs-Operations-2040-Larger-Again-1030x851-1-300x248.png 300w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Embodied-vs-Operations-2040-Larger-Again-1030x851-1-768x635.png 768w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Embodied-vs-Operations-2040-Larger-Again-1030x851-1-696x575.png 696w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Embodied-vs-Operations-2040-Larger-Again-1030x851-1-508x420.png 508w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Embodied-vs-Operations-2040-Larger-Again-1030x851-1.png 1030w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;This involves harmonised measures across multiple sectors and at each stage of the building lifecycle\u2014from extraction to processing, installation, use, and demolition,&#8221; the report said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Government regulation and enforcement are vital across all building lifecycle phases &#8211; from extraction to end-of-use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;This ensures transparency in labelling, effective international building codes, and certification schemes.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ms Aggarwal-Khan is now calling on cities to drive the push to decarbonisation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Smart city technology is leading to cleaner and greener urban cities. <br><br>Discover the UK tech companies helping global cities achieve their decarbonisation goals. \ud83d\udc47<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/sZ7E9tOjVv\">https:\/\/t.co\/sZ7E9tOjVv<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/SmartCities?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#SmartCities<\/a>  <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/CleanTech?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#CleanTech<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/z8ApRbTd8M\">pic.twitter.com\/z8ApRbTd8M<\/a><\/p>&mdash; UKinvestoffice (@UKinvestoffice) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/UKinvestoffice\/status\/1422109634119229444?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 2, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Many are already integrating vegetated surfaces, including green roofs, fa\u00e7ades, and indoor wall assemblies to reduce urban carbon emissions and cool off buildings, increase urban biodiversity and more.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The construction industry must build less, use more sustainable materials and &#8216;clean up&#8221; traditional materials to meet climate commitments. The findings come from a major report published by the UN Environment Programme and the Yale Centre for Ecosystems and Architecture, calling for a circular&#8221; approach to building materials. With a focus on &#8216;Avoid, Shift and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15926,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[37,32,46,39],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[69],"class_list":{"0":"post-10626","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-building-and-construction","8":"category-global-news","9":"category-industry","10":"category-mass-timber"},"authors":[{"term_id":69,"user_id":1,"is_guest":0,"slug":"woodcentral","display_name":"Wood Central","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/MASTER-BRAND-MARK_POS_RGB-e1676449549955.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/MASTER-BRAND-MARK_POS_RGB-e1676449549955.jpg"},"0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10626","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10626"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10626\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15953,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10626\/revisions\/15953"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15926"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10626"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10626"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10626"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=10626"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}