Sustainability is the new black. It's a buzzword that has become so common that it has almost lost its meaning. But what does sustainability mean? And what can we do about it? These are all questions that this post will attempt to answer by examining some of the latest trends in sustainable construction design and technologies.
Advanced building automation
Building automation is a critical component of sustainable construction design and crucial to collaborative project delivery. Building automation is one of the easiest ways to make your building significantly more efficient when it can help you reduce costs by reducing energy consumption and increasing occupant comfort.
Additionally, advances in building automation technology have enabled architects to create high-performance envelopes that maximize return on investment (RoI) while reducing buildings' carbon emissions through improved performance or reduced costs. maintenance.
Packaging Systems Automation
According to experts at Millennium Packaging Inc, automation is becoming more prevalent in the packaging industry and MEP engineers are playing a crucial role in designing and implementing automated packaging systems. This includes the implementation of box assemblers, machines that automatically fold and seal cardboard boxes, and improve the speed and efficiency of packaging processes. By automating packaging systems, MEP engineers can reduce the amount of packaging waste and improve overall sustainability in the supply chain. For example, a company that produces and ships many products in cardboard boxes may have previously relied on manual labor to fold and seal each box. This process can be time-consuming, laborious and prone to errors. However, by implementing a box assembler, the company can automate this process, reducing the time and labor required to prepare boxes for shipping.
Greater focus on indoor air quality
MEP engineers are at the forefront of developing systems that promote high-quality indoor air, a growing concern in the construction industry. MEP engineers are incorporating energy recovery ventilation (ERV) systems into their designs to improve indoor air quality. Buildings with ERV systems have their stale indoor air replaced by clean air from outside, with the waste air energy used to heat or cool the new air. This method increases efficiency and ensures a constant flow of clean air.
Connecting the Digital and the Physical
Linking the virtual and real worlds is the next step in MEP engineering. A new type of design is emerging due to this connectivity, based on modular and easily customizable systems in the digital realm. A networked approach can improve productivity during the construction and subsequent maintenance and repair phases. When combined with smart sensors that monitor common wear and tear on building components (such as insulation), this technology can help mitigate the risks associated with aging buildings by predicting failures long before they occur so that appropriate repairs can be made before they occur. significant faults occur. – which can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars per hour!
Carbon neutrality
The industry is working towards carbon neutrality, which is an ambitious goal, but one that can be achieved with teamwork. This presents a challenge that no one in the building design field could have predicted when they started: MEP engineers must find a way to design energy-efficient and environmentally friendly buildings.
To achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 (the deadline for EU legislation), architects must reduce their energy consumption by 50% by that date, compared to current levels. This will require some significant changes:
- More efficient lighting systems that consume less electricity
- Greater insulation value throughout the building envelope, such as walls and roofs
- Reduced materials from concrete or steel to wood or glass
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
AI and ML promise to revolutionize the way we approach the design, construction, maintenance and operations of buildings, making them two of the most exciting areas of engineering. By detecting problems before they worsen, these tools can improve the performance of green structures and help you choose the most appropriate solutions.
Images or videos taken outside a building can be analyzed using machine learning algorithms by AI/ML systems. This data is then used to predict future results based on historical project data or analogous situations (such as if a window breaks if left open for too long).
Bioinspired solutions
Bioinspired solutions are a new trend in sustainable building design that has gained momentum in recent years. These solutions are designed to solve real-world problems such as:
- Self-cleaning surfaces that can clean themselves after being touched by humans or animals.
- Self-healing materials that can repair themselves when broken.
- Self-repairing structures can self-repair after damage caused by natural disasters such as earthquakes or floods (like buildings).
There are many different types of bio-inspired building materials, including wood fibers coated with nanoparticles to form an electrical charge when exposed to moisture, concrete made from recycled material, and even bacteria turned into bricks!
Industry 4.0.
Industry 4.0 is a new way of working and goes beyond technology. It's about collaboration, future and sustainability.
Industry 4.0 uses technology to create tools that help people work together more efficiently across organizations or industries. These tools can be anything from apps and software to sensors embedded in products so you know where your next project will come from (or when it will need maintenance).
It also means using data collected from these systems to understand how all these different machines are connected so that they all work to their best potential – and then making those connections happen even more efficiently by sharing information between them through APIs (interfaces). application programming).
