SDGs vs ESG and How BIM Can Help Achieve Sustainable Goals

In recent years, sustainable development has become not only a trend, but even a necessity for better changes for the environment and our planet. The construction industry is one of those that have the greatest impact on the environment, which is why more and more attention is being paid to its sustainable development. Explore how BIM can help achieve Sustainable Development Goals and ESG criteria for a greener future.

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

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) – BIM in achieving sustainable goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 interconnected goals that form “a blueprint for achieving a better and more sustainable future for all by 2030” (UN mission). The 17 Sustainable Development Goals aim to create a better society by finding solutions to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice. They were adopted by the UN in 2015 and are to be met by 2030.

Source: https://www.un.org.pl

ESG

ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) criteria are a set of factors used to assess the sustainability and responsible business practices of companies. Environmental, Social, Governance criteria include environmental, social, and governance aspects.

ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) reporting is the process of disclosing information about the impacts of a company’s activities on the environment, society, and governance. An ESG report aims to provide transparency to a company’s stakeholders, such as investors, customers, and employees, regarding its ESG activities.

• Environment: covers issues such as the company’s impact on the climate, use of natural resources and pollutant emissions.
• Society: covers issues such as employee relations, human rights and impact on the local community.
• Corporate governance: covers issues such as risk management, corporate governance and transparency.

ESG reporting is becoming increasingly common among companies around the world. In Poland, the ESG reporting requirement applies to large companies that employ at least 500 people. From 2025, this requirement will apply to all companies that employ at least 250 people.

Source: https://www.kiplinger.com/investing/esg/what-is-esg

ESG vs SDG comparison

SDG and ESG have a lot in common. Both focus on sustainable development and promoting more responsible business. However, there are also some key differences between the two sets of goals.

SDGs are global goals adopted by the United Nations. They aim to improve living conditions around the world. These are criteria used by investors and companies to assess sustainable development. They are more focused on financial and business aspects.

SDGs are divided into three main areas: environment, society and economy. It cover the same areas but are more specific. For example, ESG criteria for the environment include greenhouse gas emissions, energy and water consumption, and material use.

SDGs are ambitious and require cooperation of many entities.  When writing applications for funding (e.g. EU), it is worth referring to SDG goals. It is very likely that this will result in additional points being awarded. 

It can be used by companies to evaluate their own operations and take actions to improve sustainability.

ESG reporting, which large companies are required to do,  can also ensure investor favor. Of course, this also involves a cascading effect of these requirements on subcontractors and thus spilling over It requirements to entire industries.

Relationship between BIM and Sustainability – BIM in Achieving Sustainable Goals

BIM can be used to support sustainable development at every stage of the building life cycle.

At the design stage, BIM can help reduce material and energy consumption by designing buildings with optimal surfaces and shapes that use natural energy sources such as sunlight and heat. It can also help create more environmentally friendly buildings by using environmentally friendly materials and technologies such as renewable energy sources.

During the construction phase, BIM can help optimise construction processes by coordinating between different stages of the construction process, which can lead to reduced waste and improved resource efficiency.

Increasing energy efficiency

At the use stage, BIM can help increase energy efficiency by monitoring and managing a building’s energy consumption.

The BIM methodology fits perfectly with, among others, the SDG goals:

•  No. 9 – “Innovation, Industry and Infrastructure” or
• No. 11 – “Sustainable Cities and Communities”

However, contrary to appearances, it can also be a great support in achieving other, less obvious goals, such as:

•  No. 3 – “Good health and quality of life” or
• No. 6 – “Clean water and sanitation”.

We will talk about these and other examples in subsequent entries.

The BIM methodology continues to surprise us with its innovation in various fields and can support sustainable development goals. BIM can help reduce the impact of construction on the environment, improve the living conditions of society and increase the efficiency of construction investments.

In the next parts of this series, we will take a closer look at how BIM can be used to address specific, selected Sustainable Development Goals.

PS

While we will focus on how BIM addresses SDGs in future posts, it is important to remember that the same BIM use cases will address ES goals. This is because SDGs and ESG are closely linked. SDGs focus on the broad challenges facing the world. ESG focuses on how companies manage their environmental, social, and governance impacts.