With almost 40 per cent of global carbon emissions generated by the built environment, considerable research, innovation and policy-making continue to target emissions reduction in this sector.
To date, the focus has largely been on the sustainable operation of buildings. However, with embodied carbon accounting for around one-quarter of the construction industry’s greenhouse gas emissions and 11 per cent of all emissions globally, according to Architecture 2030, momentum is growing for a whole-of-lifecycle approach to decarbonisation.
Robyn Simpson, national manager for environment and sustainability at Coates, highlights that operational carbon pertains to the energy used for operating buildings and infrastructure, while embodied carbon is generated during the selection, production and transportation of materials, as well as through construction processes and eventual demolition.
“As the energy efficiency of buildings and infrastructure improves, embodied carbon will account for a growing portion of total built environment emissions, making addressing construction phase carbon critical,” says Simpson.
“Having the ability to understand and consistently measure embodied carbon will be key to achieving net zero and sustaining a low-carbon future. Because if we don’t know how we are performing, how can we possibly set targets for improvement?
“This is a journey that Coates and many of its customers have embarked on. For Coates, we use our asset circularity and energy-efficient fleet assets to reduce the impact of upfront embodied carbon on the built environment.”
Requirements and tools for managing embodied carbon in construction
- In July 2024, the national Environmentally Sustainable Procurement (ESP) Policy will take effect, ensuring high-value public sector projects meet certain procurement standards in relation to climate, the environment and circularity.
- The NSW State Government recently issued the Decarbonising Infrastructure Delivery Policy and Measurement Guidance to increase the consideration given to embodied carbon in procurement and improve consistency in how embodied carbon is measured.
- Infrastructure Victoria recently called on the Federal Government to do more to help industry consistently measure and develop strategies to reduce embodied carbon in construction.
- The Infrastructure Sustainability Council’s Rating Scheme helps businesses compare embodied carbon in materials and measure performance in sustainable procurement, innovation and carbon offsetting.
“Public sector procurement policies and rating schemes like these are important levers for change,” says Simpson. “In some of these initiatives, we’re also seeing circularity concepts being used to embed important sustainability principles in major government projects.”
“These measures also show that ahead of formal regulation, change can be achieved – because if there’s a multi-million-dollar project up for grabs, you’re going to meet the contract requirements, regardless of any legal requirement to do so.”
The role of circularity
The circular economy concept aims to eliminate waste and promote sustainability through reuse and resource efficiency. Through sharing, reusing, repurposing, remanufacturing and recycling, this model creates a closed-loop system that minimises resource consumption. Coates operates in the circular economy, leveraging the ‘share’ economy in its hire model, explains Simpson.
“Enabling customers to hire rather than buy is foundational for Coates’ strength as a circular business,” she says. “Coates is working towards further circularity by reducing, reusing, repurposing and recycling, at both micro and macro levels.”
Guided by its Sustainability Strategy, Coates is committed to reducing value-chain emissions and continuing to prioritise sustainability innovation and education. Coates delivers on this commitment by:
- Investing in a dynamic and efficient fleet to meet growing sustainability standards;
- Purchasing high-quality, long-lasting equipment and materials;
- Reusing, repurposing and remanufacturing equipment to extend its use;
- Taking a leadership role by participating in circular economy accelerators and other industry events; and
- Recycling non-compliant and end-of-life products for sustainable asset disposal. Following the introduction of a new Australian standard, Coates designed a recycling program for its non-compliant fleet of Armorzone plastic barriers.
Reducing embodied carbon
Coates is equally committed to helping customers progress their sustainability goals by supporting informed and efficient project planning and enabling the choice of low-carbon equipment and construction processes.
Greener choices
Coates’ Greener Choices range provides customers with low-carbon equipment to help reduce their Scope 1 emissions. For example, by integrating hybrid generators, battery solar lighting and hybrid lighting from Coates during the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix 2024, the Australian Grand Prix Corporation displaced 3.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (which includes greenhouse gases besides carbon dioxide) and saved 1,300 litres of diesel over four days.
Sustainable site facilities
Hiring portable and modular site accommodation provides a low-carbon alternative to building permanent structures. To further reduce embodied carbon, Coates continues to improve the performance of its fleet.
“Each time a site accommodation unit comes off hire, we assess it and, where required, upgrade it to meet current standards,” says Simpson. “Additional energy efficiency measures are introduced, making it a great example of circularity.”
“Coates is also partnering with a leading national contractor to customise and measure energy efficiency of a sustainable site compound. These units will support the low-carbon delivery of a major South Australian infrastructure project.”
Smart project planning
Coates’ proprietary asset management system, SiteIQ, informs customer equipment hire, preventing over-hiring and improving the accuracy of equipment taken to site. SiteIQ also reduces the transport requirements for major projects and industrial events, helping customers understand and better plan their equipment needs.
Onsite tool stores
Onsite tool stores help customers minimise the daily requirement for transporting equipment to major project sites. Together with SiteIQ, the accountability that Coates’ tool store managers bring to the allocation of tools, equipment and consumables also improves hire efficiency, eliminates waste and reduces fuel consumption.
Reusable shoring and propping
Coates’ hydraulic shoring solutions allow customers to implement robust and reusable low-carbon temporary works. By using lightweight, heavy-duty propping products like the proprietary Quadshore system, Coates customers can achieve a high degree of precision while eliminating waste from prefabricated, single-use steel. These solutions also mitigate some of the energy required for installation, disassembly, transportation and manoeuvring of conventional propping structures onsite.
