How technology improves environmental impact of the built environment

Richard Hyams, director at astudio, explores how technology can help to improve the social and environmental impact for our built environment

When the UK Government announced a £3bn green investment package in its summer statement, it renewed a commitment to a more sustainable future. And with the building and construction industry accounting for over 40% of global carbon emissions, reducing the carbon footprint and waste generation in construction must therefore remain a priority.

Creating buildings that help the UK to meet a net-zero carbon goal by 2050 is a challenge – not least as Covid-19 introduces new and evolving challenges. But technology and new innovations in materials and construction methods across the sector can provide solutions to this. Indeed, innovations are already arising to improve process efficiency, reduce carbon emissions and establish spaces suitable for today’s communities now and well beyond Covid-19.

A human-centric approach

While many of us think of sustainability as a low-energy, low-waste initiative, it is often much more than that. Living sustainably also requires community thinking, where supporting a local area can improve social cohesion and community resilience. That’s why architects are beginning to bring communities into the design process in new ways.

At the public consultation stage, many architects and developers are using Augmented and Virtual Reality to walk local communities through their designs, allowing them to visualise a finished space and recognise additional benefits to the area – including green spaces, pathway design and local retail opportunities.

Not only does this improve the outcome of consultation stages, it also improves community understanding of their space, enhancing their connection to their local environment and improving their sense of citizenship and belonging – all valuable to long-term sustainability.

Read the full article here: How technology improves environmental impact of the built environment (pbctoday.co.uk)