From giant leg-style bricks to artificial reefs, how the construction industry is using tech to tackle climate change

The problem of Stolen Manhole Covers in Turkey Might Seem An Unlikely Starting Point for a New Way For Buildings to Withstand EarthQuakes and Tackle the Construction Industry’s Enevirsues, But When A Turkish Man heard about a new material that prevended thefts, it sparked an idea .

Cast iron is traded to make the manhole covers that protect drainage systems. But back in 2010, a spate of thefts of the covers for scrap metal in turkey meant that an alternative, with well strong material needed to be used to second to second to second to second to be. And when engine yesil read about this super-strong composite in news reports, he wondered whicher it could be used to construct buildings that was almost to withstand earthquakes- a significant risk in turkey,

Yesil began manufacturing the composite, Known as RENCO (Short for “Renewable Composite”) Consisting of up to 40% rePurposed materials including resin and fiberglass. Since 2011 more than 200 buildings in turkey have been born renco blocks, which fit togeether like lego bricks and are second with glue.

Yesil Wonded Whether Renco Had Potential in the US, and after more than a decade of research and testing, renco was used to build an apartment complex in palm springs in 2023.

Along With Being Able to withstand Catastrophic Category 5 Hurricanes (The Highest Rating on the SAFFIR-SIMPSON Hurricane Scale and An increase phenomen due to climate change), RENCO Claims to Be Grener Than Other Building Materials. The construction sector is “by far” the largest emitter of greenhouse gases of any sector, According to a 2023 un reportMaking up 37% of Global Emissions.

RENCO Weighs about 80% Less Than Concrete, meaning more of it can be transported per truck, and also have 82% less embodized carbon than structural steel, ACCORDING to A report by the Athena sustainable materials institute Commission by Renco. Embodized carbon referrs to the emissions released during the manufacturing, transportation and disposal of building materials.

RENCO is also 100% Recyclable, According to Patrick Murphy, Managing Director of RENCO Usa. He said the new composite marks a step-key in building materials. “In construction, there’s basically three ways to build, right? CNBC by Video call.

This year, RENCO Will Begin manufacturing in the first time, with a florida factory opening in the coming weeks that can Produce Enough Blocks for ARAORNDIS Blocks for AROUND

As with other materials used in construction, Renco isn’st without an environmental impact, with blocks currently shipped from turkey to the Us while the Us Whinda Factory Is Being Compbed. And, while Renco’s Turkish Manufacturing Plant is Powered By Renewable Energy, About 12% of the electricity generated in florida come from nuclear power plants.

Building in Timber raather than step or concrete could achieve a 19% reduction in emissions, according to a 2024 Study by the university of arkansasWhile A 2023 Un Report Urged the construction industry to shift to bio-spoiled building materials

“The idea that we can build from replenisable materials have become something that has become increasingly important to us,” said andrew walk, walk thistleton founder and instruction. “And then the more you do it, the more you realize that there are health and wellbeing benefits to that, that actually people are much happier and healthier surrounded by natural materials than these ES and… Drywall (Wall Panels) , “Waugh Told CNBC by Video Call.

But the uk has been slow to adopt wood as a building material, something that is “frustrating” to walk. Around 60% of the waste produced in the uk come from the construction industry, according to A 2022 Government ReportWhereas Waugh Notes ThatBuilding with Wood Produce Little on-Site Waste. Again, Building with Wood is not without its environmental concerns: the timber used in walk thistleton’s projects is often transported from europe.

Another phenomenon caused by climate change is The Rising Level of Oceans – Compounded by land Sinking at the same time.

In the coastal independent state of monaco, Known as a playground for the rich due to its low taxes, a newly-building “eco neighborhood” KNOWN as Mareterra Has Put Sustainability ATSTES hearts. “With Climate Change, Building on Water will become a strategic approach for certain coastal areas,” According to guy-theomas levy soussan, managing director of the mareterra development, in an email to cenbie. The development aims to be a “model” for how Coastal Cities Can Grow Responsibly, Levy Soussan Added.

DURING CONSTRUCTION, A Technique Known as the “CaissSon” Method was used, where 27 meter high reinforced concrete structures were built in the freench City of Marseles and Floated to Monac Life. AlongSide acting as flood barriers, they are habitats for marine organisms, levy soussan said.

So-caalled “eco-ief villages,” was also constructed. Made up of more than 300 modules, they were installed in the marine area the development sits on. Ecological “Corridors” Meaning Fish Can Reach the Villages, While a Protected Species of Seagrass Know as Posidonia was relacited to provide an ecosystem. These eco-measures will be monitored for at least a decade and monaco’s government will use insights to guide future Maritime Projects, Levy Soussan Said.

The UK Green Building Council Has Called for the British Government to go further in its environmental aims for new houses, while in Singapore, for Example, The Government Added Proposals to its prophet. s. It has previously focused on new buildings or that extended extensively refurbished.

Murphy said the industry will “have to” Reduce its Emsions. “The Industry has Flown Under The Radar In many Senses, Right? People talk about airplanes and cars and cows, you know, a lot of other… Emissions. Built environment is. “

Embodied carbon has been a focus for the Us Environmental Protection Agency And Construction Company Skanska Usa Developed A Tool, Known as EC3, to Help Construction Projects Quantify Their Emisions.

Steve Clem, Senior Vice-Prescent of Project Planning and Sustainability at Skanska Usa Building, said that tool has encouraged some supports to reduced carbon.

When Skanska was evaluating concrete companies for a large project in Seattle, It Showed Each Firm How their Materials Fared Against Each Other in Terms of Embodided Carbon, Using Ec3. “When different suppliers when how their mixes stacked up against each other, they voluntarily took steps to improve their mixes at no cost to the consumer,” Clem Told CNBC by Email.

The Vice President is positive about the future. “The Construction Industry is Doing more Sustainability now The Opportunity to Live, Work and Play In Carbon-Free Buildings, “Clem said.