Briefing: Sustainable construction through improved information flows Free

The UK construction industry can excel at building one-off, inspirational and world-leading sustainable buildings. Yet why are they not built like this all the time? This question formed the basis of a year-long research project, which set out to investigate the barriers to sustainable building design. An extensive literature review found numerous aspirational and commercial benefits to designing sustainably, published in a variety of media directed at various stakeholders. This research was then developed through cross-industry interviews and shadowing of work processes with a range of agents, developers, investors, the British Council of Offices, engineers, architects, consultants and other stakeholders.

Assimilation of the research using a systems approach to the relationships within the construction industry resulted in the production of a diagram which served to highlight the shortage of change-stimulating information flows. Without the positive reinforcement of feedback loops in this complex system, many opportunities for improvement are lost and the continuous improvement required to drive sustainable practice is stifled.

Sustainable buildings benefit society and their users by consuming fewer resources in construction and operation, providing healthier working and living environments. If fully embraced from the project outset, there are further commercial advantages to the development of sustainable buildings. The efficiency of the procurement process can be improved along with the long-term viability of projects. The following is a high-level summary of some of the potential benefits.

• Reduced planning risk - as local authorities seek to maximise sustainable developments. Projects can be designed right first time using sustainable design principles to ease the planning process and preempt future requirements.

• Competitive advantage within the industry - bidding for new projects using a progressive attitude towards sustainability can improve success in competitions.

• Competitive advantage in the marketplace - the environmental performance of buildings is now more readily understood and is becoming an important part of the decision-making process in building design. Developers would be wise to lead in sustainable design to achieve strategic advantage over competitors. If the property market becomes less buoyant, sustainability could become an important differentiator.

• Maintenance of future value - as public demand for sustainable buildings is likely to increase. The display of energy performance certificates is a driver for this, and it is likely that similar legislation will be introduced in the future.

• Enhanced reputation and corporate responsibility - for the developers and the occupiers. Research by Cushman and Wakefield1 showed that responsible corporate behaviour often extends to real estate.

• Extended building life and viability - by mitigation of risks associated with changes in the climate and global market. A sustainable approach to building includes an assessment of future requirements. Future-proofing an investment is likely to improve return and slow the rate of asset depreciation.

• Likely increased satisfaction of the building users, leading to repeat business and enhanced reputation. The internal environment of the building should be enhanced by sustainable design, which will be conducive to human health and will also improve the productivity of the workforce.2 

• Lower churn of tenants and a desire from tenants to have longer leases on buildings as a result of the occupier benefits referred to above.

• Reduced operational costs as sustainable buildings can be leaner, more resource-efficient and easier to maintain. A better model for sustainable design can also cost less to build. One example is the Great Western Hospital (GWH) project in Swindon, constructed by Carillion Building Special Projects, where investment in better insulation resulted in fewer radiators being installed.

The ‘traditional’ model used to explain barriers to sustainable design in construction is the ‘circle of blame’,3 shown in Fig. 1. This is a simple model of the industry based on perceptions of demand and availability with limited feedback of information. The characteristics of this circle are

• investors believe there is no demand for sustainable buildings, so do not fund them

• occupiers would like sustainable buildings, but claim they are not available

• constructors can build sustainable buildings, but are not asked to by developers

• developers don't believe that investors will pay for sustainable buildings.

This simplified diagram serves to illustrate that the construction process could benefit from improved flows of information between stakeholders. If the admittedly caricatured stakeholders of this circle were enabled and encouraged to communicate effectively, conflicting views could potentially be removed. The arrows of ‘blame’ in the model could be broken by developing flows of information. Increased levels of collaboration and feedback could be used to educate and inform to mutual benefit. It is proposed that this would provide an improved framework for the delivery of superior, more sustainable buildings.

In short, the vicious circle of blame requires a transformation into a virtuous circle of information. Given the current pace of change in the industry and the inadequate information flow, decisions can often be taken based on past and assumed experience without up-to-date knowledge, for example cost and pay-back for new technologies is constantly changing. A new framework is needed for design, procurement, construction, operation and reuse. We need to build upon the positive examples of sharing within the industry with more integrated processes; increased collaboration; improved feedback from all stages of design, construction and operation; and better education across the board. Informed decision-making is important for economically and environmentally sustainable construction.

Research carried out across construction industry stakeholders enabled the development of a systems-type diagram of the industry. This presents stakeholder relationships in greater detail than the circle of blame and allows interfaces and processes to be mapped onto the system. Critically, barriers to change often appear as ‘missing links’, highlighting the importance of information flow and collaboration.

The first diagram in Fig. 2(a) shows a traditional and somewhat pessimistic view of the industry, illustrating the limited formal processes and the interchange of information to provide a level of investment assurance. The importance of these limited information flows is evident. The second diagram, Fig. 2(b), introduces many more ‘information flow’ linkages between the stakeholders. The lack of these processes (frequently feedback) represents many of the barriers to sustainable construction. Furthermore, the linkages also serve to highlight new opportunities where change may be stimulated by information-sharing.

Crucially, the problem is not simply technical, the social networks within the industry also need to be developed. An industry that exists as a system where information flows freely and constantly updates knowledge, will be able to respond quickly to the drivers and constraints of the 21st century. While this may be at odds with a more traditional approach to knowledge management, it is this level of cross-industry change that is needed to overcome the barriers to sustainable buildings. Without the positive reinforcement of information feedback loops in this complex system, many opportunities for improvement are lost, it is proposed that continuous improvement towards sustainable construction necessarily requires the continuous flow of data.

The diagram highlights a number of opportunities, some of which are developed here

Historically, information from post-occupancy surveys and monitoring has only been available in isolated cases. The authors' research suggests that this may be due to the lack of drivers to obtain it once a building has been occupied, plus added cost and the fear of litigation with evidence of a poorly performing building. The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and the inclusion (for one point) in the Building Research Establishment environmental assessment method (Breeam), will improve the availability of information about energy usage. More detailed and integrated post-occupancy evaluation, including analysis of the role of behaviour patterns, would reinforce the value of sustainable innovations.

Availability of information on construction materials, products and technologies for designers, that is carbon footprint, whole-life costs, transportation, toxicity, performance and how they interrelate, should be encouraged. Collaboration between manufacturers and designers should be encouraged as a way of spreading knowledge and inspiring innovation. In addition, construction knowledge held by contractors regarding intelligent ways to design for efficient on-site practices should be made available to the design team.

Facilities management staff working with the new technologies often found in more sustainable buildings may need to be educated to use these effectively. Unfamiliarity with new system types can be a barrier to their successful installation. Likewise, designers have an opportunity to learn from the practical experience of running buildings and in some instances, facilities management staff are involved in very effective performance monitoring.

While there are a number of cases of developers leading the way in sustainable design, there is scope for further education about the benefits of incorporating a sustainability design strategy from the project outset. Typically, and often for planning purposes, sustainability is not considered early enough, with building designs often well advanced before it is included. This generally leads to increased costs, redesign and tokenistic, ineffective incorporation of technologies. The early consideration of such issues, giving the appropriate attention to the importance of sustainability within the market and the planning process will lead to more efficient, cost-effective integrated sustainable solutions.

To incorporate additional measures or modifications to achieve sustainability can be effective. This is happening with leading client-contractor partnerships, such as Transport for London and Balfour Beatty's construction waste management scheme, with significant financial and environmental benefits for both. An overly rigid adherence to traditional contract structures and deliverables can prevent collaboration and improved outcomes.

A non-technical building manual could encourage engagement and enjoyment of the building for the occupier. An understanding of correct operation would ensure comfort and efficiency. Sharing and explanation of design information with users will encourage understanding and appreciation of novel features of the building. Benefits have been gained from doing this in schools where pupils could engage with the building operation as part of their education, but this should be developed within the commercial and residential sectors.

Team members with the appropriate level of ‘sustainability literacy’ should engage all stakeholders in possible strategies for the most sustainable solutions at the project initiation stage. This will encourage debate when it is most useful, and allow the consideration of aspirations and value at a brief and budget development stage. Currently it is likely to be the engineers who should be encouraged to discuss these options with the client. Our research found attitudes towards sustainability are typically approached as a checklist of items such as rain water recycling and green roofs rather than the more holistic approach that will yield greater benefits if referred to earlier. It is important that the agent and developer have a full understanding of the requirements and capacity of sustainable design.

The utilisation of advanced systems to collect high frequency resource consumption data, synthesise the data and present it as useful information, can facilitate greater efficiency. Research shows that resource-conserving behaviours can be supported through more informative billing, smart metering, and building energy management systems (BEMS). The Stern review4 notes that while real time displays of electricity consumption and cost alone encouraged a 6·5% reduction in household electricity use, an 8–17% reduction resulted from the communication of more processed feedback.

The literature survey carried out highlighted that on certain subjects a large amount of information is available, but it is not in a concise and digestible form. Numerous barriers to sustainable design may not be caused by a lack of information, but rather by the inaccessible nature of it. Other areas require data collection to produce usable information. These are issues which should be easily overcome through the use of current information technologies.

The overarching influence of the government as a stakeholder in setting the framework through legislation and so on is not explicitly included in this analysis. Government and society act umbrella-like over the network, influencing all stakeholders through formal and informal processes 2 statutory requirements such as part L of the Building Regulations and the Code for Sustainable Homes set minimum standards, while societal drivers such as the media and fashion provide the impetus to perform better. Increased awareness and availability of information encourage these improvements through means such as energy performance certification and sustainability ‘labelling’ through schemes such as leadership in energy and engineering design (Leed) and Breeam.

The path to sustainable development is characterised by progressive improvements, which can be made efficiently through collaboration and knowledge-sharing. As commercial advantages emerge and market demands change, a new framework is needed for the process of construction from design to use and beyond. The potential benefits of having early access to improved data are significant. The virtuous circle of information proposed would help to increase the uptake of sustainable design and engineering solutions by providing a level of awareness and confidence that is missing today. The benefits to the individuals involved, the industry and wider society would be considerable.

The authors would like to thank Forum for the Future and the Royal Academy of Engineers for their time and support in completing this project, which was conducted as part of the engineers of the 21st century programme.