Net Zero 2050 - Will ‘Whole Life’ Carbon Assessments Help or Hinder The UK Construction Industry?

 

What is a Whole Life Carbon (WLC) Assessment? 

A WLC assessment aims to show the true carbon impact of a building. It is an assessment of the total emissions produced over its lifetime including day-to-day energy use, materials, transport, construction, maintenance, repair, demolition and disposal.  

The goal of WLC assessments is to understand the overall carbon emissions performance in a project's early stages to see what can be changed or actions taken to reduce the predicted environmental impact.  

It identifies ways to decrease embodied and operational carbon whilst considering the circular economy in the choice of materials and how they will be used post-demolition.  

Introducing WLC assessments as a statutory requirement will contribute to the UK's goal to reach ‘net zero’ by 2050. 

 

Circular Twin Project Leading The Way To Net Zero 

At the end of 2021, a group of leading businesses across the construction supply chain teamed up for a digital project where a school was digitally reworked so that every decision prioritised the lowest carbon outcome. In comparison to the original school, the Circular Twin project achieved a 67% reduction in whole life carbon and 72% reduction in upfront embodied carbon. The school's annual energy consumption saw a 52% reduction providing long-term cost savings through operational efficiency. 

The industry-first project offers a template for a new carbon-first approach towards a built environment and proposes an argument towards mandating whole life carbon assessments.  

Circular Twin proved that a higher capex can be outweighed by long-term opex savings when using sustainable methods and materials. This has led to the Carbon Emissions (Buildings) Bill being introduced into parliament, currently in its second reading in the House of Commons. The bill sets out to "require the whole-life carbon emissions of buildings to be reported; to set limits on embodied carbon emissions in the construction of buildings". 

 

Why Are Whole Life Carbon Assessments Being Introduced? 

Concentrations of carbon dioxide are the worst they have been for at least 2 million years. There is an urgency to reduce carbon emissions to zero in the UK and around the world to avoid the devastating effects of climate change.  

However, achieving this requires radical transformation across each sector of the economy, with construction being a major player. The built environment is responsible for 25% of total UK greenhouse gas emissions, 42% if you include surface transport. The construction industry's part in achieving net-zero isn't new information, Sandi Rhys Jones OBE, Senior Vice President for the Chartered Institute of Building says "we have been talking about this for decades. It is not a surprise". 

 

 

 

Difficulties of Implementing a 'Carbon-First' Approach in Construction 

Our panel of experts the key challenges in adopting a carbon-first approach in the construction industry. The labour and skills shortage, material supplies, and increased project costs are familiar issues surrounding construction which are exacerbated by the proposed regulatory changes. 

 

The Green Skills Shortage In Construction 

The carbon-first approach will take a major overhaul in the way people work in the construction sector. This will come with the need to upskill staff with the green skills necessary to prioritise reducing whole-life carbon.  

David Chadwick, editor at Construction Computing, noted that "they are now going to have to incorporate a whole new raft of information which details resource availability, cashflow, scheduling requirements and so on - all on top of the usual demands".  

Achieving net zero in construction "will require a whole new set of managerial skills" according to Noel McKee FCIOB, Business Development Manager at Mascott Construction Ltd. The need for whole-life carbon emissions consultants is likely to increase to check compliance whilst staff are being trained. Insurance to ensure compensation in the case of failing to comply will also be necessary, all of which increases capital costs. 

 

Sustainable Material Demands 

Material shortages and their impact on the supply chain were also discussed. A lot of attention is moving towards alternatives to traditional building materials, such as certain types of recycled aggregates and timber. Companies are "now faced with finding and competing for sustainable materials from a wider market" according to David Chadwick. Training in construction methods for using these new materials will become essential skills, further widening the skills gap. 

 

The Cost of Technology 

Achieving a carbon-first approach is not possible without investing in technology to support the change across the construction supply chain. Noel McKee spoke on this issue saying that "it could potentially hinder the industry in the short-term" but that "we've got to take a long-term view". He said, "Implementing new technologies into building comes at a cost and there could be significant capital expenditure at the outset" and mentioned that the SME market could struggle with these added costs.  

When considering projects like the Circular Twin, it proves that there are operational savings gained from investing in the initial construction stages. Planners and stakeholders will need to take a holistic view of new projects to see the long-term benefits. This will require a considerable shift in mindset throughout the industry. 

 

The Problem With ‘Joined-Up Thinking’ 

A stumbling block in shifting to a carbon-first mindset is the complexity of the industry itself. Individual clients or businesses may want to build sustainably but there is often confusion surrounding regulations or new measures restricting this progression.  

"There are more pressure groups, specialist bodies and agencies within the construction industry than any other industry. They are all developing standards, advising on regulations, promoting methods of working, building influence. The result is a mishmash which leads to too much stop and start within the industry" 

- David Chadwick, Editor, Construction Computing  

A truly carbon-first construction industry requires clarity and joined-up thinking to succeed. Sandi Rhys Jones OBE commented "there are lots of voices and we need to sing with one voice" suggesting that various professional bodies need to come together to agree on how to move forward.  

Michaela Wain, Managing Director of Design and Build UK, brought up the fact that it is smaller businesses that suffer the most having to keep track of constant regulatory changes, saying "we need to simplify processes".  

Conversely, there is the argument that collaboration is needed throughout the industry rather than applying all the blame on having too many influential groups. Sandi Rhys Jones OBE said, "we can't encourage joined-up thinking within the government if we can't in our industry". She argues that construction businesses need to be more honest with clients around cost and realistic project outcomes. 

The competitive nature of the construction industry causes "a race to the bottom in tendering", Noel McKee agrees, and this prevents more expensive projects having a net-zero focus. With issues around bad debt still prevalent in construction, contractors will prioritise getting contracts, over reducing whole-life carbon emissions, to ensure their company stays afloat. There is a joint responsibility. Government bodies need to provide stability and guarantees for these types of projects and the industry needs to ensure consistency and transparency with their customers. 

 

Sustainability As An Opportunity 

Although there are many hurdles to overcome in achieving a carbon-first construction industry, there will be very positive long-term outcomes beyond the obvious environmental benefits.  

"One of the glimmers of hope is that every young person is passionate about sustainability and net zero." 

- Sandi Rhys Jones OBE, Senior Vice President, FCIOB Chartered Institute of Building 

With an aging industry and constant labour shortage issues, this could be a gamechanger for the sector. A chance for construction to be viewed in a different light presents an opportunity. "I think the opportunity of the new focus on sustainability is that you can sell this to another generation", commented Michaela Wain, who also mentioned how the issue of labour shortages and lack of diversity can be approached differently with this new outlook and a needed shift towards a collective mindset. 

 

Construction SMEs Can Drive Change 

Constant regulatory changes may cause SMEs difficulties, but smaller businesses have become adept at making quick changes and adapting at the last minute. Larger companies must consider a multitude of stakeholders and financial impacts and often have to prioritise their bottom line.  

However, this gives a chance for smaller construction businesses to shine. Sandi Rhys Jones OBE said, "the most dynamic companies are small, privately and independently owned companies that are fleet footed" and that "they have an opportunity to drive the industry forward". 

 

Construction As A Solution 

Construction could play a leading role in the route to a sustainable economy and a net zero UK. Many of the technologies and methods needed to achieve a net zero industry already exist, it is just a matter of disseminating these throughout construction.  

Regulatory changes regarding WLC assessments, and tracking the environmental performance of buildings are just the start of an industry-wide progression. There will be difficulties in achieving joined-up thinking in the sector.  

Shifting from a competitive to a collaborative mindset will have challenges, but "we can be the industry that can propose solutions" according to Sandi Rhys Jones OBE, "we should see ourselves as solution providers, rather than those who are burdened with compliance".