{"id":7274,"date":"2021-11-08T05:00:48","date_gmt":"2021-11-08T10:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adsknews.autodesk.com\/?post_type=views&p=7274"},"modified":"2023-02-07T16:29:53","modified_gmt":"2023-02-07T21:29:53","slug":"live-from-cop26","status":"publish","type":"views","link":"https:\/\/adsknews.autodesk.com\/en\/views\/live-from-cop26\/","title":{"rendered":"Live from COP26: AEC industry sees positive momentum on Climate Change"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Rendering illustrating Building Information Modeling (BIM)<\/p><\/div> November 2021 is a watershed moment for increasing global collaboration to preserve our planet. The 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties<\/a>\u00a0(COP26) is underway in Glasgow\u00a0with\u00a0government officials and private sector leaders\u00a0discussing\u00a0accelerated action\u00a0to meet\u00a0and exceed the legally\u00a0binding\u00a0targets\u00a0of\u00a0the Paris Agreement.\u00a0In parallel with COP26, the\u00a0Sustainable Innovation Forum<\/a> (SIF)\u00a0brings global business leaders, including Autodesk, to\u00a0Glasgow to forge the cross-sector partnerships needed to make a net-zero economy a\u00a0reality. From an industry perspective, the findings in\u202fthe\u202fWorld Green Building Trends 2021\u202fSmartMarket\u202fReport<\/a>\u202fare encouraging. The building industry\u2014responsible for nearly 40% of greenhouse gas emissions* annually\u2014is strengthening its commitment to sustainability. Dodge Data & Analytics surveyed over 1,200 building industry professionals worldwide and found that 42% of all respondents expect 60% of their projects to be green buildings by 2024.

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Findings from the World Green Building Trends 2021 SmartMarket Report show green building projects up. Courtesy Dodge Data & Analytics.<\/p><\/div> The concept of \u201cgreen building\u201d includes the planning, design, construction, and operations of buildings with considerations made for energy use, water use, indoor environmental quality, material section, and the building’s effects on its site. Green building is not only good for people and the planet\u2013it\u2019s good for business. According to the World Green Building Trends report, average operating cost savings within the first 12 months exceed 10% and the five-year cost savings exceed 16%. While these findings are promising,\u00a0the industry\u00a0must work together\u00a0to accelerate the pace of change\u00a0and\u00a0leverage technology solutions at scale.\u00a0Three clear business strategies, when enabled by technology, can help companies\u00a0realize\u00a0the value of sustainability. <\/p>\n

Strategy 1: Tota<\/strong>l Carbon\u00a0Management<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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Nearly half of respondents said net-zero and net-positive buildings are the \u201cmost important way to improve the sustainability of the design and construction industry\u201d. Courtesy Dodge Data & Analytics.<\/p><\/div> Now more than ever, the building industry is\u00a0addressing the\u00a0impact of the built environment holistically\u00a0through total carbon management.\u00a0They\u2019re\u00a0taking action to\u00a0reduce\u00a0emissions for both operational and embodied carbon. On the operational side, designers and engineers\u00a0use\u00a0energy modeling<\/a> to make choices about lighting, rooflines, building orientation, and other design elements, with the goal of delivering a structure that consumes less energy. Nearly half of respondents in the green building survey said net-zero and net-positive buildings are the \u201cmost important way to improve the sustainability of the design and construction industry.\u201d <\/p>\n

But for too long,\u00a0conversations about\u00a0net-zero<\/a>\u00a0have focused on\u00a0the energy sources\u00a0that\u00a0power a building. Often overlooked are the emissions generated by the materials used during construction\u2014what\u2019s known as\u00a0embodied carbon<\/a>. Perhaps most encouraging is evidence that the needle is moving in this category too. In the report, controlling embodied carbon was ranked the second most important sustainability practice, with one-third of respondents already measuring embodied carbon in their projects. Until recently, those assessments were nearly impossible.<\/p>\n

Now, with the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator<\/a>,<\/u> or EC3, designers have a free, open-source tool that provides transparency on the impact of design and material procurement.<\/p>\n

Listen in on Autodesk\u00a0leaders talking about\u00a0green\u00a0construction<\/a> at the Sustainable Innovation Forum.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Strategy 2: Resilience\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Even if the world\u00a0acts\u00a0at COP26 to more aggressively slow greenhouse gas emissions,\u00a0climate change is\u00a0inevitable. The devastating wildfires, floods, droughts, and hurricanes\u00a0we\u2019ve\u00a0all\u00a0grown accustomed to seeing on the news will continue.\u00a0The world\u00a0needs\u00a0new and upgraded buildings and systems that can withstand and respond to our changing environment. About a third of respondents in the green building survey identified resilience as a key climate change strategy, and technology can accelerate\u00a0efforts to achieve that goal.\u00a0Last month,\u00a0Autodesk\u00a0introduced<\/a>\u00a0cloud-based tools from\u00a0Innovyze\u00a0and\u00a0Spacemaker,\u00a0and\u00a0a new solution\u00a0from our partnership with Esri,\u00a0to drive\u00a0more\u00a0sustainable\u00a0and\u00a0resilient project outcomes for communities, buildings, and infrastructure. Europe\u2019s first-ever \u201csmart canal\u201d is another example of what\u2019s possible with technology. In an area north of Glasgow, frequent flooding prevented the land from being developed for regeneration and economic development. To solve the seemingly unsolvable,\u00a0AECOM teamed up with\u00a0Innovyze<\/a>, acquired by Autodesk this year, to create digital twin technology that mitigates flood risk. Live meteorological forecasting data and sensors enable real-time surface water management. When a storm is forecasted, the system automatically lowers canal water levels to allow for drainage while keeping the canal navigable. By applying innovation to an age-old problem, the city of Glasgow now has a resilient place to accommodate population growth. <\/p>\n

Listen in on Autodesk and AECOM leaders discuss\u00a0resilient infrastructure<\/a> at the Sustainable Innovation Forum.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Innovyze and AECOM developed Europe\u2019s first \u201csmart canal\u201d system north of Glasgow.<\/p><\/div>\n

Strategy 3: Circularity<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The third business strategy is\u00a0circularity<\/a>, a zero-waste mindset that focuses on the use and reuse of resources. In the context of building design and construction, circularity is emerging as a realistic goal with the rise of\u00a0building information modeling<\/a>\u00a0(BIM). BIM is more than 3D modeling of a building\u2014it\u2019s an intelligent\u00a0process for\u00a0documenting\u00a0every fine detail in a structure\u00a0and surrounding area.\u00a0When\u00a0each component\u00a0can\u00a0be\u00a0traced, from the nuts and bolts to\u00a0a complete HVAC system,\u00a0builders\u00a0can disassemble and reuse materials, rather than throwing away the old and\u00a0using\u00a0limited natural resources to\u00a0create\u00a0anew. Every building\u00a0can\u00a0become a \u201cmaterial bank,\u201d a place that stores valuable materials and components that can be withdrawn and reapplied\u00a0at a later day\u00a0or when the building is no longer viable.\u00a0But to fully realize a circular economy,\u00a0a\u00a0high-functioning\u00a0ecosystem\u00a0is needed\u00a0to support the designing, building, buying, and selling\u00a0of reusable materials\u00a0across a complex network of stakeholders. Circularity is just one example of the importance of cross-industry\u00a0partnerships and\u00a0collaboration in the effort to slow climate change. <\/p>\n

Partnering\u00a0for a better future<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The good news is we\u2019re seeing these partnerships forming, growing, and\u00a0making headway. In September, we joined the\u00a0World Business Council for Sustainable Development<\/a>\u00a0(WBCSD), a global organization of\u00a0large\u00a0companies working together to transform our economy to support sustainability.\u00a0We signed the\u00a0We Mean Business Coalition<\/a> letter, along with over 600 businesses, urging G20 and COP26 leaders to go \u201call in\u201d to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. And we joined our partners in the architecture industry by signing onto the\u00a0COP26 Communique<\/a>, urging specific actions to reduce the impact of\u00a0the\u00a0built environment. <\/p>\n

Listen in\u00a0as\u00a0Autodesk and other technology leaders talk about\u00a0big tech and climate change<\/a> at the Sustainable Innovation Forum.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

These partnerships\u00a0leave me more hopeful than ever that\u00a0the industry\u00a0will reimagine a more sustainable future.\u00a0Sustainability is\u00a0becoming a policy imperative for governments and a moral imperative for our customers.\u00a0In this\u00a0pivotal moment\u00a0and beyond,\u00a0we\u00a0stand ready to partner\u00a0with\u00a0public and private sectors\u00a0alike, working\u00a0together to build a better world. To learn more about\u00a0the wide-ranging efforts to combat climate change: <\/p>\n