Sustainability in 2021: A Construction Industry Perspective

Climate change is one of the biggest global challenges that existed before the pandemic of 2020 and will continue to exist if we do not take action. The construction sector happens to be one of the big contributors to the rising numbers of carbon emissions. The good news however is that the industry is embracing change rapidly towards sustainability. Global construction leaders, as well as young start-ups, are using innovative solutions to incorporate sustainability in every aspect, such as sustainable – design, materials, and construction practices. Of all the changes and sustainability trends that we are going to witness in 2021 and the future, within the construction industry, some tend to stand out due to their impact. I will try to highlight some of the top trends in this article.

Biophilic designs and green buildings for greener pastures

With growth in population, better education, and higher standard of living, urbanisation is witnessed at a rapid pace today. As a consequence, the built environment has taken over the natural environment in most of our cities. This is leading to greater amounts of carbon emissions. However, we cannot stop growth. Instead, we need to support it with more sustainable solutions for the long term. One of these solutions is biophilic design in our modern built environment. More architecture and construction firms are adopting biophilic design in their projects. Also, more clients are showing preference for such design. Construction companies are looking to incorporate sustainability throughout the lifecycle of a project and this trend is expected to continue through 2021. Construction projects of green buildings, equipped with sustainable lighting, water, and air conditions, are on the rise. These are buildings built for efficiency and longer life.

Sustainability influencing a hybrid workplace, greener commercial buildings

The future of work is hybrid, thanks to the pandemic. But the idea of creating hybrid workplaces is not new. Many global organisations have pledged to be carbon neutral. One of the many ways they hope to achieve this is by creating modern, sustainable work spaces. Commercial buildings are known to be heavy consumers of energy, therefore making them energy efficient is going to make a huge difference to their carbon footprint. Sustainable work spaces are also cost-effective, helping organisations to direct the savings towards business growth. Also, most organisations will aim to receive the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification on their physical infrastructure as it will impact their brand value. With this, we can also expect a renewed interest in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance) analysis for organisations aiming to become more sustainable.

Growth and innovation in sustainable materials for construction

Construction companies want to reduce their carbon footprint throughout the lifecycle of a project. This includes the use of more eco-friendly materials for building. Sustainable materials like bio-based self-healing concrete, recycled materials, and materials that can be processed with low CO2 emissions will experience greater adoption in more projects. Today, there are sustainable alternatives to many of the construction materials. These include materials and components that aid renewable energy solutions for needs such as lighting, heating, and air purification. Solar panels to generate electricity, roofing material that integrates rainwater harvesting, and smart windows that manage heating and cooling are few of the examples. The use of bamboo in flooring instead of wood is another great example of an eco-friendly alternative in construction that is gaining popularity. More construction firms are becoming environment conscious and believe that sustainability is the future in construction.

An unexpected catalyst: From a bleak past to a bright future

The 2020 pandemic has altered the fabric of society. One of the positive consequences of the pandemic and its ensuing lock down and social distancing restrictions was that it became a catalyst for change in society. People took hygiene more seriously; organisations accelerated their digital transformation initiatives; Sustainability gained some unexpected traction. With broken supply chains, localisation proved to be vital in achieving business continuity. With many raw materials becoming impossible to source, indigenous businesses accelerated innovation in local, sustainable alternatives. The construction sector also witnessed a surge in the interest for 3D printing, generative design, and prefabrication – all considered to be more sustainable options. Climate action is everyone’s responsibility. For now, the future of sustainability in construction seems bright. With continued innovation, we can afford to remain optimistic.