their CO2 emissions. The calculation of emissions is based on life-cycle assessments over a period of 50 years. This includes production of materials during construction, their possible subsequent replacement, operational energy consumption of the building, and the treatment and disposal of waste on demolition. OBSERVING THE COST OF INNOVATION, BUT MORE THAN THAT The perception that the cost of sustainable construction is higher is generally linked to the price of materials and solutions that have required a process of innovation in their design for decarbonization. While it’s true that some solutions are more expensive, this isn’t universally the case. It needs to be analyzed on a case-by-case basis, depending on the solution and the characteristics of the market. With an underlying trend for several years: as the supply chains for more sustainable materials and technologies mature, design and construction costs of sustainable buildings are falling. Over the years, the industry is becoming more adept at delivering buildings with lower CO2 emissions. The results are clear: construction costs and CO2 emissions show little correlation. Indeed, several of the buildings with the lowest emissions are among those with the lowest costs. This study also highlights that while certain sustainable choices may add to costs, other factors like building design play a far more significant role in determining the overall cost of a building. Source: Green Building Council of Denmark. REDUCING THE CARBON IMPACT DOESN’T NECESSARILY MEAN HIGH CONSTRUCTION COSTS Climate impact (kg CO2/m2/year) Building cost (DKK/m2) – DKK: Danish krone 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 61
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