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There is a growing need for AEC companies to pioneer sustainable practices

Environmental concerns are rising to the top of the agenda for many firms, prompted by client requirements, industry standards, peers and competitors, and the desires of employees. In response, AEC businesses are increasingly incorporating sustainable and regenerative practices into their designs, processes and services. 3D printing, for example, can reduce or remove the environmental impact of transportation, and lower supply costs, by producing materials at the destination.

• Construction crisis
38% of global energy-related emissions come from building and construction .

• Retrofitting buildings
More and more AEC businesses are working on regeneration building practices, reducing energy through retrofitting modern LED lighting, motion sensor switches, solar power technology, and high efficiency HVAC units, among other things.

• Large-scale 3D printing
The market is growing rapidly . While 3D printing in construction was valued at just $3 million in 2019, this is expected to explode to $1.575 billion by 2024. An annual growth of 245.9%.

How to introduce sustainable practices to your firm?

There are many things you can do to advance sustainable buildings. Through more environmentally focused designs, practices and processes that consider the most efficient use of precious natural resources and the whole-life cost of a completed building through construction and into operation. Also, ensure your home office setup is environmentally friendly, for example by using low-energy equipment, and recycled materials.

You can also reduce your carbon footprint by introducing circular economy practices and circular loops through your equipment, perhaps by using energy efficient printers that have recycled plastic parts and ink cartridges that are made from recycled materials.

AEC businesses need to drive sustainability innovation to gain competitive edge

There are many things you can do to advance sustainable buildings. Through more environmentally focused designs, practices and processes that consider the most efficient use of precious natural resources and the whole-life cost of a completed building through construction and into operation. Also, ensure your home office setup is environmentally friendly, for example by using low-energy equipment, and recycled materials.

You can also reduce your carbon footprint by introducing circular economy practices and circular loops through your equipment, perhaps by using energy efficient printers that have recycled plastic parts and ink cartridges that are made from recycled materials.

AEC businesses need to drive sustainability innovation to gain competitive edge

As well as pioneering sustainable practices, AEC firms operate in a global marketplace where sustainability innovators can gain significant competitive edge and build a reputation for environmental best practices. Emerging technologies like AI and machine learning can help to make construction and architecture more sustainable and drive energy efficiency in buildings.

• AI-enabled carbon prediction
One industry initiative is developing an embodied carbon analytics AI system that predicts the carbon output on building and infrastructure projects, based on Building Information Modelling (BIM) data, materials carbon data, and lessons learnt on past projects .

**• Optimizing materials and waste **
AI and machine intelligence is also being used to produce structures that use less raw materials and manage waste more effectively.

How to use computer intelligence to drive sustainable innovation?

Consider driving sustainability innovation through computer intelligence by using AI and machine learning-based techniques in your applications and designs. Such approaches can churn through many possible design iterations to find the most efficient options. You can also advance your sustainability innovation by adopting carbon neutral printers.

Businesses need to make the materials they use more environmentally friendly

As part of the sustainability agenda, AEC professionals are starting to identify eco-friendly building materials that enable them to design and build for a better future. Some innovators are using technology to test and develop alternative materials that are more environmentally friendly, less toxic or hazardous, avoid limited resources, or incorporate less packaging.

• Sustainable concrete
One example is sustainable concrete, ‘timbercrete’, which combines concrete with crushed glass, wood chips or slag. Concrete production is responsible for up to 10% of global CO² emissions .

• Eco-friendly bamboo
Bamboo was the eco-friendly building material that experienced the greatest use in the property industry in 2020, followed by straw bales, then timbercrete .

• 3D printing
3D printing can be used to produce sustainable construction materials and boost sustainable development , and build new structures quickly.

Develop, test and incorporate more sustainable materials

You can improve your business’ use of sustainable materials by getting up to speed with the latest environmentally-friendly construction materials.

Also consider pioneering your organization’s use of sustainable materials through 3D printing.

Sustainable, innovative and eco-friendly