Sustainable construction is a trend in itself in 2022. Focusing on more sustainable practices and processes helps to protect the human way of life and preserve vital ecosystems – it will also be a key part of helping to develop a more effective built environment. As construction continues to be a major factor in growth and recovery post-pandemic, sustainable construction trends are increasingly rising to the top.
The trend for net-zero
While this is a trend that gets a lot of airtime, in fact the World Green Building Council reported that there are only 500 net zero commercial buildings and 2,000 residential homes which, together, account for around 1% of global buildings. As a result, there is clearly a lot of work to do on the net zero front.
The impact of technology
Sophisticated technology has a lot to offer when it comes to making construction more sustainable. From artificial intelligence to computer visioning, where technology is better integrated this can reduce the burden that construction creates on the environment. That could be something as simple as using IoT to collect data about materials and equipment that can be factored into more accurate planning and modeling. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is another example of technology that helps to enable more sustainable practices.
Modular construction
The advantage that modular construction offers to sustainability is that many components of buildings can be completed off-site in a much more environmentally sound way. That would mean much less activity on construction sites and more in factories using manufacturing style production. As well as being able to integrate a whole range of more sustainable building materials into a more environmentally friendly construction process, modular buildings also have other advantages. For example, they can bring economic benefits to a project and also make it easier to achieve shorter turnaround times. This type of construction tends to deliver versatile and high performing buildings that can be reused multiple times.
Increasing use of more innovative materials
Innovative construction materials have many advantages, from improving performance to cutting back on costs. They also have a great deal of potential when it comes to sustainability – graphene is one material that is currently being widely championed in construction for this reason. Graphene is a one atom thick carbon layer that is 200 times stronger than steel, flexible, transparent and highly conductive. It can be incorporated into concrete production, for example, producing a high yield with minimal defects and means that building sites will require less concrete, offering more potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions as a result.
Retrofitting existing buildings
Aside from new construction trends, retrofitting is gathering a lot of momentum. This is the process of taking existing buildings and effectively reusing them. It not only means that less new construction is required but existing buildings can function in a more environmentally sound way.
These are just some of the sustainable construction trends that are starting to dominate in 2022. Find out more about sustainability in construction.