Goal #13: Does BIM Combat Climate Change and Its Impacts? – Series Summary
Welcome to the thirteenth and final part of the series “BIM for Sustainable Development”, where we look at how BIM can effectively support ESG and SDG goals (#UN17). In this post, we will focus on SDG goal no. 13 and the question whether BIM can realistically combat climate change and its effects? The post “BIM against climate change” is a summary of the entire series. Discover how BIM combats climate change solutions by enhancing energy efficiency and sustainable construction practices.
Click below to check out other posts:
- SDGs vs ESG and How BIM Can Help Achieve Sustainable Goals
- SDG Goal #3: How Does BIM Support Good Health and Quality of Life?
- SDG Goal #7: Can BIM Help Ensure Sustainable Energy?
- Goal #8 SDG: Can BIM Drive Sustainable Economic Growth?
- Goal #9 SDG: Can BIM Support Innovation and Infrastructure Development?
- SDG Goal #11: Can BIM Help Build Sustainable Cities and Environments?
- SDG Goal 12: How BIM Can Contribute to Sustainable Consumption and Production
- Goal #13: Does BIM Combat Climate Change and Its Impacts? – Series Summary
Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Current climate change is a global challenge that affects every corner of our globe. Urgent action to stabilize the climate is becoming necessary, both from an ecological and economic perspective.
Our urban environment affects our lives in many ways, therefore planning, designing, building and operating with awareness and sustainable practices has never been more important. Implementing BIM processes throughout the entire life cycle of a building is an opportunity to support sustainable construction by minimizing the harmful impacts of our industry on the planet.
Energy efficiency of buildings*
In the face of climate change, reducing energy consumption in buildings is one of the most important measures to reduce the overall impact of humans on the environment. Buildings account for 40% of global energy consumption. The largest environmental impact is caused by electricity consumption. The effects on the environment depend on where this energy comes from.
To design effectively, you need to choose the right technologies and strategies for designing building systems. Working in the BIM methodology allows for a quick comparison of schematic models and later, detailed analysis of energy efficiency, thanks to which you can reduce the building’s dependence on energy to a minimum or even to zero.
*A metric that helps define efficiency is Energy Use Intensity (EUI). It measures the kilowatt-hours used per year divided by the unit of square footage. Net zero emissions means that the greenhouse gas emissions generated by a facility are balanced by actions to reduce or remove them. This results in a net balance of zero emissions.
“Comfortable and responsible, or how?”
High-performance buildings are not designed solely to save energy. They must also improve the comfort of their occupants. The building must keep people in healthy and safe conditions so they can perform their tasks efficiently and have a good time. Green design is about creating buildings that provide comfort while minimizing negative impacts on the environment.
To create comfortable conditions, people must have the right temperature, humidity, radiant temperature, and airflow. The right level of these variables depends on external conditions, people’s activity, and what they are wearing. Everyone has slightly different comfort criteria. Comfort is measured by the percentage of building occupants who report that they are or are not satisfied with the conditions.
”Psychrometric Chart”, Source: Generated using Climate Consultant .
BIM and BPA – BIM Climate Change Solutions
BIM is irreplaceable when it comes to sustainable design. It allows for interactive analyses to achieve the best energy efficiency of the project. While taking into account functional issues. Building Performance Analysis (BPA) is the process by which the BIM Model approximates the actual state of the building. To better understand and use passive design practices.
The information needed to conduct the analyses includes the building geometry (shape, layout), physical properties of the materials (wall structures, thermal and visual properties), the type of space in the building, and the operating schedules for each part of the building. In addition, it is important to determine the project location to include detailed information on environmental parameters. Such as temperature, sun path, and wind directions.
”BIM + BPA”, source: https://sustainabilityworkshop.autodesk.com
The key to designing “Net Zero” buildings is to reduce energy demand as much as possible and then choose good energy sources. Good practices to achieve this goal include: – Reducing energy loads – Optimizing design for passive strategies – Optimizing active HVAC systems – Recovering energy – Generating energy on site
Carbon Footprint Reduction: BIM Against Climate Change
BIM also enables accurate tracking and analysis of materials used in construction. This enables the selection of solutions with a lower carbon footprint. The use of recycled materials, local raw materials and technologies that reduce waste. And this at every stage of construction can significantly reduce the total carbon footprint of the project.
Series Summary: BIM for Sustainability
Over the last seven articles, we have been examining different aspects of BIM application in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals:
– good health and quality of life,
– sustainable energy,
– sustainable economic growth,
– innovation and infrastructure development,
– building sustainable cities and environments,
– sustainable consumption and production.
BIM is becoming a key tool in the hands of designers, engineers and investors who want to make more sustainable decisions. It acts as a catalyst for change, allowing for precise planning and optimization of construction projects in the context of climate protection. Discover how BIM combats climate change solutions by enhancing energy efficiency and sustainable construction practices in our other blog posts.
https://www.un.org.pl/cel13
As the old Chinese proverb goes, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, and the second best time is today.” Actions taken now, in the areas of construction and spatial planning, will certainly shape a more sustainable future, so let’s get to work!
