Must ask questions about sustainable construction
5 April 2023
Sustainable construction does not happen spontaneously. Sustainability must be considered in each project phase: from the initial design and the operation of the building, through to the demolition stage. Here are some “should ask questions” (SAQ) you need to take into account before deciding on which solutions to use in your next project.
How much concrete can we save?
Concrete production accounts for over 7% of global CO2 emissions and reducing its use is of crucial importance for sustainable construction. Modulo and New Nautilus can save as much as 30 % of concrete to reduce the carbon footprint of construction projects.
Are these materials sustainably sourced?
Many construction materials, such as EPS, metal, and different types of finishings are predominantly made of virgin materials. They can easily be replaced with recycled plastic solutions, such as Elevator Max for fills, Matrix for raised floors, or Skydome for the exposed concrete finish.
Can we reduce transportation?
Gravel, concrete, and EPS are bulky and require enormous amounts of transport to construction sites. Stackable solutions like Aquabox and New Nautilus Evo reduce the number of truckloads by up to 12 times, lowering the emissions caused by the transportation of construction materials.
Do we have to use so much machinery?
No, we do not. Solutions that are designed for manual installation can reduce the use of machinery to an absolute minimum in each part of the building: foundations, rainwater management, green areas, walls, slabs, and roofs.
How much energy are we going to save?
Operational carbon, which arises from the in-use phase of the building, accounts for 28 % of global emissions.
Passive wall and roof solutions like Drainroof, Completa, and Wall-Y improve the insulation of the building, saving up to 40 % of energy for heating and cooling.
How can we lower worksite waste?
Solutions such as wooden formwork, screws, nails, aggregates, and EPS get discarded after a few uses and are easily scattered around, adding to the pollution issue. Along with being made of plastic waste, Geopanel and Skyrail have fewer to no accessories, and are durable enough to withstand more than 100 uses.
