As a Civil and Structural Engineering consultancy we have a great awareness of our environmental impact. With the construction industry contributing to 40% of global energy-related carbon emissions, we have a responsibility toward the environment and society to take action in reducing the carbon footprint of our professional activities.
The UK government has agreed with the recommendations of the Committee for Climate Change to pursue a ‘net zero carbon’ economy by 2050. As part of this agreement several leading engineering consultancies, including Iesis Special Structures, have signed the UK Structural Engineers Declare Climate & Biodiversity Emergency petition, taking on a commitment to decarbonise our professional sector.
As a consultancy we constantly upgrade our internal processes and design standards, and review the latest legislations, guidelines, and codes to ensure the best result is achieved. One of the latest adaptations to our line of work is developing our own Embodied Carbon Tool to be able to assess Embodied Carbon in our projects. Our tool is based on the guidelines and assessment method provided by IStructE, with ongoing development. Another improvement to our working practices has been to incorporate the measurement of embodied carbon into our BIM modelling to allow us to assess schemes as they develop. This helps both our team and client to understand the environmental impact of our design decisions.
What is Embodied Carbon?
The term “embodied carbon” refers to the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions, measured in kgCO2e, associated with the materials and construction processes throughout the whole life cycle of an asset. PAS 2080 defines the term as ‘greenhouse gas emissions associated with the creation, refurbishment and end of life treatment of an asset’.
Why is Embodied Carbon so important for our industry?
Construction industry activities and infrastructure account for 40% of global energy-related carbon emissions. To get to zero carbon by 2050, huge efforts are going to be required. Our industry is formed by professionals who focus on one or two disciplines at a time. Achieving net zero carbon requires a collective effort from all disciplines involved in a project. While some materials come with significantly lower upfront carbon values, the whole life cycle assessment of an asset may prove that those materials are not the most suitable for the use and type of that particular building or infrastructure element. Therefore, new procedures and ways of design are required to integrate the knowledge and understanding of all the disciplines involved in construction, taking into consideration the materials, construction sequence, energy efficiency, operational impact, and end of life of an asset.
Is the industry going more green?
While the technology exists to assist in the transformation of the industry, what has been lacking is collective will and policy framework. The built environment quality and environmental impact primarily depend upon the decisions of investors and the requirements enforced by the government and local authorities. It has been observed that while environmental awareness has increased on the client side, there is still some uncertainty on the level of change that can be achieved without increasing the cost and risk in a project.
Many improvements have also been achieved in construction materials which are constantly being further developed. It is possible to reduce embodied carbon in concrete by using cement alternatives and additives. Other materials like structural steel and timber can be upcycled and reused and reduced carbon masonry materials have been developed. While some materials may seem promising, the cost, current design codes and lack of guidance may discourage some engineers from recommending and developing unconventional solutions.
At Iesis Special Structures we take pride in creating new design solutions to assist in the transition of the industry to zero carbon. We have trained and educated engineers who are committed in reducing the embodied carbon through structural design and coordination with overall project design teams. Our commitment is both toward the environment and our clients. We are always willing to incorporate new materials and provide several options for our clients to evaluate and choose from and encourage other structural engineering consultancies to joint this collective effort for a better future.