Top Sustainable Ideas Seen at the 2023 London Build Expo
Read on to discover some innovative ideas that help lower the environmental impact of construction projects
Sustainability was a hot topic at the London Build Expo 2023, the celebrated construction trade event held at Olympia London in the UK from 16 to 17 November. There were headline talks highlighting inspiring ways to lower the industry’s carbon footprint, and some product ideas on display to help builders and construction professionals bring sustainability into all parts of their projects. Here are just a few of the clever innovations on display.
- Removing emissions: There were plenty of ideas at the event for construction businesses that want to lower their on-site environmental impact. These included products that help to reduce carbon emissions from diesel-powered energy generators, such as the Enertainer from AMPD Energy. This battery energy storage system (BESS) was designed to replace diesel generators, reducing carbon emissions by up to 85 percent and eliminating air pollutants.
- Reducing wastage: Construction waste was another issue in the spotlight with solutions at the show, particularly in relation to damage that can occur to surfaces on-site. “Twelve percent of construction costs are from errors, so reducing that by even five percent is five percent less embodied carbon,” said Jonathan Munkley in the ZERO panel discussion, so it pays to plan and execute a build with care.
Find, follow and network with other design and building pros on Houzz
- Sustainable materials: For designers and building professionals who are keen to find an alternative to high-carbon cement, the Natural Cement stand was a good place to start. The company produces a cement, Natcem 35, that contains no harmful chemical additives that can damage river and marine life, and which can be fired at much lower temperatures than Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC).
- Circular design: Along with sustainable products, the show also highlighted the importance of thinking ahead to ensure materials and buildings can be reclaimed and reused. “[It’s about creating] buildings that last and can adapt to the needs of the user,” said Dr Katherine Adams during the ‘Future Proofing London: Applying the Circular Economy Through Flexible Design’ discussion. “We need to think about what will be recyclable in future,” she said.
Browse beautiful home facades by local designers
Low-Carbon Solutions for Buildings
- Insulation: There were some interesting sustainable insulation ideas on display at the trade show, including IndiNature’s natural fibre insulation boards and batts. Made from hemp grown in Yorkshire, UK, and formed into insulation at a zero-waste site near Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders, the material is projected to last around 60 years, after which time it could, in theory, be recycled.
- Energy saving: Efficient heating solutions can reduce costs as well as emissions, and there were some options on display at this year’s show. At the InfraHeat stand, for example, professionals could learn about infrared heating and how it compares to the more common convection heating. Where the latter only heats the ambient air in a room, the warmth from an infrared heating system is spread more evenly among all the objects in a space.
Meanwhile, Zypho showed off its shower unit, which recovers heat from waste water, improving the efficiency of the shower by 30 to 75 percent.
Your turn
Which sustainable design and building practices do you use in your work? Tell us in the Comments, like this story, save the images, and join the professional conversation.
More
Get your next read here with Crystal Clear: How to Help Clients Visualise a Finished Project
The climate collective, Zero Construct, was exhibiting at the show to offer advice about sustainable construction practices. The aim of this community of construction professionals is to encourage the industry to place greater importance on carbon efficiency at all stages of a project.
“Construction emits around 4 billion tonnes of CO2e [CO2 equivalent] per year,” said Zero member and eco-consultant Jonathan Munkley during the discussion, ‘ZERO Uniting Construction to Tackle Embodied Carbon’. In an effort to deal with the problem, Zero is putting together a Playbook. This useful resource will be a practical guide for carrying out low carbon projects and is scheduled to be released in January 2023.