Carbon
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Carbon emissions are the key metric for building a sustainable city in the 21st century. Here are some of the issues uncovered during the Low2No project and from elsewhere.
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Smart systems approach to low-carbon lifestyles
To introduce a positive behavioural cycle we need 3-steps that make people to embed sustainable habits to their daily lifecycles. Smart System will allow users to check and compare or analyse their data in order to better understand trends and patterns in their behaviour comapared to goals and averages.By doing so people will have the ability act and change their behaviour in order meet their sustainability goals.
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Percentage of emissions per capita NOW (left) and in 2050 (right). Food will increasingly play a role in carbon mitigation.
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7.1
Mt CO2e emissions per resident New York City
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"Low carbon behavior-supporting-design can help users to reduce their CO2 by up to 15%."
For more info about behavior change, check out "sustainable lifestyle"dossier!
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On-site construction is one of the modern world's most inefficient means of production. 30% of the material used in construction ends up as waste. When buildings are constructed off-site in factories, waste can be reduced to 2% of total. This would not only reduce carbon emissions but also reduce building costs, risks and construction time. Finnish companies, among others are pioneering new approaches to construction (http:www.neapo.fi).
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Developing new RE metrics
Traditionally, real estate success is measured by value and profit. But this leads to a tremendous number of externalities. In Low2No we introduced adjusted traditional net present value (NPV) that analyses and reflects projected carbon-related risks and opportunities.
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Timber construction has proven itself to be quicker to build, cheaper, requires less manpower, reduces embodied carbon and provides a long term carbon sink when compared to pre-cast concrete construction.
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6.0
Mt CO2e emissions per resident Helsinki (43% from heating)
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Building standards are a top priority when mitigating carbon in the built environment.
Building standards have been used successfully for years to make gains in energy efficiency. But now that carbon emissions are a concern, building codes must be re-evaluated and in some cases reworked to achieve efficiency and emissions reductions simultaneously. In some cases, building codes aimed at energy efficiency can work against emissions reductions, as is often the case when proposing fully naturally ventilated or mixed-mode buildings.
By mixing ventilation (natural ventilation in summer and mechanical in the winter) – dramatic energy reductions can be achieved. But often air quality requirements that are based on mechanical systems are prohibitive.
How to we achieve quality indoor environments while reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions? The answer lies in a more comprehensive approach to building standards.
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"Adding parking increased 13% embodied carbon in Low2No block & increased per apartment costs by nearly 50.000 euro."
[SOURCE: p84. Building Engineering Concept Design Report 212716_RP009]
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The vast majority of food related carbon emissions come before preparation in the home. Moving small scale production in house can help push down a family's carbon footprint.
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75%
Carbon emissions reduction using timber floor construction vs. pre-cast concrete. (Low2No study)
