Addressing the challenges of integrating carbon calculation tools in the construction industry

Abstract

The construction industry is facing growing pressure to reduce carbon emissions. An important first step is to quantify emissions from construction projects enabling designs to be changed and emissions reduced. Whilst progress has been made in the development of carbon calculation tools, the uptake of these tools has been slow. This paper seeks to understand the reasons for the slow implementation of carbon calculation tools in the construction industry and provide guidance on how to overcome these challenges. We find there are specific issues that prevent tools being used such as data security and usability, but more general issues such as a lack of education or regulation also pose a challenge. Our findings suggest that despite the benefits that can come from using carbon calculation tools to reduce emissions, the use of tools on their own will be insufficient to achieve the needed carbon reduction and wider emissions-related change. Instead, carbon calculation tools need to be looked at within and across construction organisations through training, industry-wide standards and regulations as well as organisation-wide requirements and collaboration. The construction industry has a reputation for being slow to react to change, but if this industry waits for regulation before taking action, then the timescales involved may be too long given the pressing need to reduce emissions now. We recommend that for carbon calculation tools to be successfully integrated, the industry must work together to achieve more immediate change. K E Y W O R D S barriers to change, carbon calculators, carbon management, construction industry, emission reduction, enabling change 1 | INTRODUCTION Climate change is 'the greatest challenge of our time' (Fanelli, 2014, p. 15), and to prevent global average temperature rise exceeding the 1.5 C target set in the Paris Agreement (UN, 2015), a significant reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is needed. An often overlooked sector for achieving such a reduction in carbon emissions is the construction industry. Directly or indirectly, the construction and use of infrastructure assets accounts for over half of the United Kingdom's (UK's) total carbon emissions (Enzer, Manidaki, Radford, & Ellis, 2013) requiring reduction by 50% by 2025 (HM Government, 2013). Although growing attention has focused on how to reduce carbon emissions in this industry, only little change and reduction of emissions has been achieved so far (Xavier, Naveiro,

Carbon emissions management in construction operations: a systematic review

“…Wolf et al. (2017) and Jackson and Kaesehage (2020) focused on evaluating emissions assessment tools used in the country. Besides, Pomponi and Moncaster (2016) focused on mitigation and reduction management of embodied carbon in the built environment.…”

“…Furthermore, Lu et al (2020) advocated for the importance of cross-national and regional synergy systems in reducing emissions. Jackson and Kaesehage (2020) suggested a unified industry standard for using carbon calculator tools; contractors should justify how designs have been maximized using carbon calculator tools to achieve total emissions reductions. Low carbon design or material: Any conventional low carbon design will minimize carbon emissions by lowering energy consumption or introducing new material systems. The diligent use of low-carbon content during the design process will mitigate carbon emissions efficiently over the life cycle.…”

“…Furthermore, Lu et al (2020) advocated for the importance of cross-national and regional synergy systems in reducing emissions. Jackson and Kaesehage (2020) suggested a unified industry standard for using carbon calculator tools; contractors should justify how designs have been maximized using carbon calculator tools to achieve total emissions reductions.…”

“…, 2012). and carbon measurement tools training (Jackson and Kaesehage, 2020) could increase the industry's implementation of carbon reduction strategies.Green construction methods: Prefabrication technology could enable more carbon emissions reduction possibilities in the construction sector. Nevertheless, as the cost is higher to implement, most would prefer using the traditional construction method.…”

“…, 2012). and carbon measurement tools training (Jackson and Kaesehage, 2020) could increase the industry's implementation of carbon reduction strategies.…”