The construction industry, responsible for approximately 38 per cent of all energy-related greenhouse gas emissions annually, is increasingly turning to carbon-neutral construction to mitigate its environmental impact.
This approach, known as the lifecycle approach, evaluates every phase of a building’s existence — from design and construction to operation and demolition — aiming to reduce carbon emissions and enhance resource efficiency throughout a building’s lifecycle.
Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) is a pivotal tool in achieving carbon neutrality in construction.
It assesses a building’s environmental impact from raw material extraction to demolition, measuring resource use, energy consumption, and emissions at each stage.
This comprehensive evaluation informs sustainable decision-making, enabling construction projects to significantly reduce their carbon footprint and move towards true carbon neutrality.
Key phases of LCA include goal and scope definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, interpretation, and improvement analysis.
By incorporating LCA, construction projects can identify significant environmental impact areas, optimise resource use, and improve sustainability performance.
This approach aligns with environmental certification standards such as LEED, NABERS, Green Star, and BREEAM, enhancing stakeholder engagement and compliance with regulations.
Research from McKinsey & Company suggests that decarbonising the built environment could create $800 billion to $1.9 trillion in new green value across multiple industry sectors.
In construction, using LCA is vital to reach environmental sustainability goals, reduce environmental impact, and create a more resilient, resource-efficient built environment.
Implementing the lifecycle approach to carbon-neutral construction presents challenges, such as the complexity of assessing environmental impacts throughout a building’s lifespan and resistance to change within the industry.
However, opportunities for innovation exist through leveraging technologies like Building Information Modeling (BIM), data analytics, and digital twin simulations to streamline assessments and optimise performance.
Additionally, smart building technologies, IoT sensors, automation, and circular economy principles can enhance energy efficiency and promote resource reuse and recycling, reducing waste and carbon emissions in construction.
By investing in research, sharing best practices, and supporting sustainability initiatives, the construction industry can accelerate the shift towards carbon-neutral construction, creating a built environment that meets the needs of current and future generations.