In January 5 years have passed since the European Parliament approved the Green Deal. The construction industry is accountable for 39% of global carbon dioxide emissions. The pressure to reduce emissions from clients, banks and legislation is only increasing, comments Jakub Škaloud, Project Manager and Head of the Building Differently team at VCES, one of the general contractors of Czech buildings.
Among the main obstacles why some construction companies still hesitate to introduce any changes are concerns about high initial investments, the complexity of modern technologies or insufficient support from public institutions. The first step is easy: just focus on choosing suitable materials.
"97% of CO2 equivalent emissions in the construction industry come from indirect sources. Roughly 55% of these emissions come from the operation of finished buildings, while the rest is made up of emissions associated with materials used in construction," explains Jakub Škaloud. The dominant materials in the construction industry, which have a large carbon footprint, are concrete and steel.
The most commonly used type of cement is Portland cement CEM I, which also has the highest carbon footprint. Emissions can be easily reduced by using other types with different content of additives and a lower carbon footprint. For comparison: CEM II (portland blended cement) has a 17.3% lower carbon footprint, CEM III (blast cement) 37.5% and CEM V (blended cement) up to 50%.
"It is true that the most ecological cement CEM V cannot be applied in all types of building constructions, because we are running into limits, for example, with ceilings. However, our experience shows that with the right design, it can be used in a wide range of cases," explains Škaloud. VCES used concrete with a reduced carbon footprint, for example, during the construction of residential projects Nová Tesla in Pardubice for Linkcity, Tesla Hloubětín in Prague for Central Group, or in the case of the Hloubětín tram depot for Dopravní podnik hl. m. of Prague.
Another material that, thanks to its extensive use, offers a significant possibility of reducing CO2 emissions is steel. The key factor for reducing its carbon footprint is primarily the method of its production. “Steel produced in arc furnaces has a 35.3% lower carbon footprint than steel produced traditionally in blast furnaces. Since we are purchasing 81% of the steel reinforcement for our buildings from arc furnaces from 2023, we have reduced the carbon footprint in this area by 28.6%," says Škaloud.
VCES also focuses on finding alternative ways to reduce the carbon footprint. A significant example is wooden construction systems, which bring up to 20% carbon footprint savings compared to traditional reinforced concrete. Wood reduces heating costs thanks to a higher surface temperature and has a positive effect on human health. The VCES pilot project in the country is an apartment building made of wood in Nová Tesla in Pardubice, which will be launched this spring.
The recycling of construction waste and its reuse on projects also plays a key role. "In the case of revitalisation of brownfields, we use base concrete in new construction, which contains recycled concrete from demolitions. We prevent its unnecessary disposal in landfills," comments Jakub Škaloud.
Last but not least, the company also chooses a modular solution for structural parts, such as prefabricated installation shafts or modular bathrooms. Ready-made bathrooms have been common practice in Western Europe for several years and are gradually finding their place in the Czech market as well.
VCES calculates the carbon footprint of every building it builds. For now, it is a voluntary initiative, but from 2028, new buildings with an area exceeding 1,000 sqm will be required to document this calculation as part of the building's energy efficiency certificate. In 2030, this obligation will be extended to all new buildings.
VCES, as a member of the international Bouygues Construction group, has committed to reducing direct greenhouse gas emissions by 40% and indirect emissions by 30% by 2030. These goals meet the conditions of the Paris Agreement.
