Sustainable Development: Property Development Of The Future with Icon Construction

As one of the leading construction companies, Icon Construction is proactively looking to the future of the construction industry in Australia. We recognize that sustainability transcends being a mere buzzword for builders; it’s an essential strategy for the longevity of our planet.

This blog post explores the five pivotal sustainability trends in property development that are poised to redefine the construction industry and will be prevalent in top construction companies in Australia.

Net Zero Carbon Targets

A notable evolution in civil engineering and civil construction is the shift from net-zero energy objectives to net-zero carbon goals. This pivotal change signifies a more encompassing commitment to sustainability for large construction companies and builders.

Understanding Net Zero Carbon Targets

Diverging from the narrow focus of net-zero energy benchmarks, net-zero carbon targets in civil engineering and civil construction adopt an integrated approach. They assess not only the operational energy consumption of buildings but also their emissions output, energy sourcing, and the carbon footprint associated with their construction materials.

Setting Targets for Emissions

Global agreements such as the Paris Agreement have established international emissions reduction benchmarks for civil construction companies, influencing policies across nations and sectors, including the construction industry. The Science Based Targets initiative has formulated a framework for setting building emissions goals that align with these worldwide endeavours, a significant step for civil engineering companies and builders.

Validating Zero Carbon Goals

Certification programs like the International Living Futures Institute’s Zero Carbon certification play a crucial role in project management for construction projects, ensuring buildings meet net-zero carbon targets. This certification scrutinizes the actual energy use, renewable energy production, and the reduction of embodied carbon emissions. Holding the biggest construction companies in Australia responsible for their carbon goals in property development, setting a tone for greener residential homes.

Innovative Materials to Reduce Embodied Carbon

A leading trend in sustainable construction, embraced by building companies, is the adoption of innovative construction materials designed to minimize embodied carbon, thereby contributing to a greener future and mandatory step in property development and major projects.

Steps Before Utilizing Low-Carbon Materials

Before construction contractors and construction businesses consider low-carbon material substitutes, several preliminary steps must be addressed:

1. Reuse of existing buildings and materials.
2. Reduction of material quantities.
3. Design for disassembly and future reuse.

Innovative Strategies for Materials

After implementing these foundational steps, construction companies can explore innovative strategies for materials, strategies that are unique to the ethos of each construction company:

• Concrete with less Portland cement
• Mass Timber structural and enclosure systems
• Next-generation insulated wall panel systems
• Optimized foundation and slab design

Electrification Strategies to Reduce Operational Carbon

For industrial construction and engineering construction sectors, the electrification of both new and existing buildings stands as a pivotal move towards the decarbonization of the built environment.

Steps for Implementing Electrification Strategies

The process of electrification involves three main steps:

1. Assessment
2. Load reduction (today)
3. Implementation (tomorrow)

Health and Wellness Resurgence

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the urgency for healthier buildings, prompting construction firms and construction businesses to adopt superior HVAC filters, increase the circulation of outdoor air, and establish new benchmarks for infection risk management. Soon to be mandatory aspects of safer and cleaner property development.

Broader Aspects of Health and Wellness

Construction companies are now also prioritising the social dimensions of buildings, including equity, inclusive design, and community engagement, reflecting a broader mission that every construction company should aspire to. Tier 1 construction companies now see beyond the concrete and landscaping for what a space should provide for its users.

Nature and Biodiversity

A significant trend in sustainable construction is the heightened focus on nature and biodiversity, which involves landscaping considerations and property development practices that minimize the impact on the natural world while incorporating natural elements into architectural designs. Making each construction project have a more cohesive blend of natural and artificial as construction companies look to be more green.

Reporting Nature Impacts

The construction industry is poised to embrace the standards set forth by the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), which are expected to be widely adopted by building owners, major construction companies, and regulatory bodies for reporting nature impacts. Setting a standard for a construction business or even larger infrastructure projects being made aware of the environmental effects of builders, demolition work, excavators and landscaping effects through property development.

As one of the leading commercial construction companies in the realm of sustainable development, Icon Construction leads the way in Australia and New Zealand. As one of the premier construction companies in Sydney and Melbourne, we are dedicated to crafting better-built environments that epitomize efficiency, comfort, and true sustainability.

About Icon Construction

Icon stands out as a multifaceted provider of commercial construction services, renowned among the big construction companies for our comprehensive offerings across Australia & New Zealand. We take pride in our capacity as one of the major construction companies offering high-quality, sustainable buildings designed to endure through the ages of property development.

For more information, please visit our website. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.