The Construction Climate Challenge has unveiled two new research projects that aim to come up with solutions on how to reduce CO2 emissions within the industry. The Construction Climate Challenge initiative (CCC) has been funding research studies since 2014. During spring 2016 CCC launched a new call for major research projects. Two proposals have now been selected to receive funding.
"Research is a very important part of the CCC and can help us to reduce CO2 emissions in the construction industry," commented Dr. Peter Wallin, CCC Research Manager. "The knowledge that exists today is not enough; we must come up with new solutions and methods on how we can work towards a sustainable future and meet the existing challenges."
The research projects that CCC has selected are within the area of collaboration along the construction industry value chain. They both aim to reduce climate impact in construction. The Impres project at the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology focuses on procurement requirements for sustainability assessment on a global level. The CITT project, at the University of Edinburgh Business School, is developing a tool for construction companies to identify and reduce carbon in the construction supply chain.
"We hope that the research projects will increase understanding of the problems that exist within the industry and that they will contribute to a clear guidance on how to reduce CO2 emissions and how to reach climate goals," Wallin added.
Implementation of Procurement Requirements for Sustainable Collaboration in Infrastructure Project (Impres)
The Impres project aims to contribute to a more efficient implementation of policies and goals for reducing climate impact from the infrastructure sector on a global level, specifically focusing on procurement requirements and the role of international systems for sustainability assessment.
The research project is co-funded by the Swedish research council Formas (through the ProcSIBE project). Project partners are the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Lund University of Sweden, WSP Group and Skanska.
Carbon Infrastructure Transformation Tool Project (CITT)
The project seeks to develop and implement a tool to aid the alignment of supply chain actors through efficient design of incentives and the articulation of key carbon management challenges. The tool itself will demonstrate the embodied carbon and cost impact of each material element used in the creation of an infrastructure asset (identified through the bill of quantities), and will help to drive emission reductions by identifying opportunities to reduce carbon through innovation and supply chain engagement.