Expert Advice:
How To Tackle Carbon Through Effective Facility Management
By Paul Bullard, Product Director at SFG20.
As the world grapples with the realities of climate change, the construction industry has a significant role to play in reducing carbon emissions. In the UK, buildings contribute to 33% of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and 40% of the global energy consumption.
The embodied carbon of a building, which includes the carbon emissions associated with the extraction, production, and transportation of construction materials, as well as the carbon emissions from the construction process itself, can be equivalent to 20 years’ worth of its operational carbon emissions.
In recent years, the focus has been on reducing operational carbon via initiatives such as the improvement of building insulation and installing energy efficient alternatives, such as LED lighting. Although these are proven ways for sites to reduce operational expenditure and carbon emissions, it should be noted that they still add to the embodied carbon of the site as new products and materials are used, and old ones removed and disposed of.
Embodied carbon can be reduced during the initial design and planning stages, such as by specifying construction products and materials that are available locally and extracted, manufactured, and delivered via low‑carbon means, reducing waste through recycling wherever possible.
The following guidance is designed to provide some practical tips on how to approach and get started on your carbon reduction journey.
Conduct A Carbon Footprint Assessment:
Gain a better understanding of the carbon emissions associated with maintenance activities by conducting a carbon footprint assessment. This assessment will establish a baseline of current emissions, identify areas of high carbon impact, and determine where to focus mitigation efforts.
Develop A Sustainability Plan:
Building maintenance professionals should develop a specific sustainability plan that outlines clear, measurable goals to reduce their carbon footprint, such as upgrading systems or equipment, adjusting maintenance techniques, or reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
Optimise Equipment Performance:
Regular maintenance of building systems and equipment has been shown to help them operate more efficiently, reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. A study by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) reports that preventive maintenance can result in energy savings of as much as 18% over a reactive maintenance program. Furthermore, depending on the facility’s current maintenance practices, present equipment reliability, and facility downtime, the same report claims that many facilities purely reliant on reactive maintenance could save much more than 18% by instituting a proper preventive maintenance program.
Implement Energy‑Efficient Maintenance Practices:
To reduce energy consumption and associated emissions, building maintenance professionals should evaluate a wide variety of options, such as updating inefficient HVAC equipment, replacing light fixtures with LED bulbs, and ensuring the building fabric is adequately insulated.
Overall, efficient maintenance helps minimise embodied carbon associated with building maintenance and has the potential to significantly lower a building’s carbon footprint over time. By integrating sustainable practices into facility maintenance programs, building operators and owners can reduce their buildings’ carbon footprint while making them more resilient and cost‑effective.
