Sustainable Solutions
Buildings and structures account for 36% of global energy consumption and nearly 40% of energy-related CO2 emissions. However, the productivity of the construction industry has only increased by 1% annually over the last 20 years. But this does not have to be the case.
Our Approach
In all phases of the construction lifecycle - including the management of a building - resources, raw materials, and energy can be saved and carbon emissions reduced with digital solutions. BIM and Open BIM are important drivers for a more sustainable building industry. We are also constantly striving to reduce our own environmental footprint.
According to the BIM Benefits Measurement Method by Pricewaterhouse Coopers, digital modelling and enhanced collaboration of parties averts resource-intensive clashes and improves time management. In return large amounts of energy and raw materials (such as concrete, steel, and sand) can be saved to minimize both the waste and carbon emissions of a building. Sustainability analyses of the final building´s energy management can also be conducted with digital solutions.
If the execution, detail and construction planning is carried out with digital models, resources can be saved - depending on the choice of building material. The possibilities are manifold and start with the use of digital structural analysis solutions: by optimizing planning and improving steel connections in the project, designers can save large quantities of connecting material. Also, prefabrication of concrete structures can minimize the amount of material used in production. Digital solutions for the model-based planning of precast concrete elements further minimize errors, by up to 60%. On the construction site itself, up to 90% of paper can be saved by using digital solutions.
Approximately 80% of building´s costs are incurred during operation, with a large portion of those costs related to energy consumption. Integrated Workplace Management Systems (IWMS) allows heating, ventilation and lighting to be optimally controlled. They can also be used to better measure the need for office space. This ensures that only the space that is actually needed is designed - another important lever for sustainability. In addition: employees benefit from a positive working environment, thanks to the right temperature and ventilation which is enabled by smart building solutions.
Using BIM solutions throughout the building lifecycle makes it possible to reuse the raw materials when renovating or deconstructing the building. Because of the complete documentation, it is possible to locate exactly which material was used where, even years later. The building thus becomes a supplier of raw materials.
Environmental footprint
Minimizing our environmental footprint and impact is very important to us. As a software provider, our impact centers around the usage of energy in the offices, staff commuting to work and servers and communications infrastructure. We are currently working on a group-wide strategy, which will be based on avoiding, minimizing, and offsetting our GHG emissions. A recent energy audit conducted for the holding company and the German based brands found that the Nemetschek Group is already in a very good position and relatively economical in its use of resources regarding energy usage and power consumption.
Many of our brands are already conducting individual measures to lower their environmental footprint. Current measures of individual brands include various digitalization projects such as electronic invoicing - which saves up to 100,000 pages of paper per year at one subsidiary alone. In order to reduce resource consumption and avoid waste, we have introduced initiative which are replacing disposable cups and plastic bottles with reusable glasses and glass bottles. Some brands are also offsetting their business travel related carbon emissions with donations to environmental projects.
Pilot for automated CO2 footprint analysis
In 2020, we have started a pilot project for an automated CO2 footprint analysis. Despite being a mid-sized company with 3000 employees, we are facing a some complex challenge with regards to reporting all energy data across the 16 subsidiaries (Nemetschek Group brands) at 80 locations worldwide.
Partnerships & Initiatives
The 50 Climate Leader Initiative aims to showcase companies leading the change to a more sustainable world, offering sustainable and environmentally sound solutions to current challenges. We have been invited to participate to show how the construction industry can save resources throughout the building lifecycle, by planning, building and managing buildings and infrastructure projects more efficiently and sustainably. The Nemetschek Group 50 Climate Leaders Video
The “Deutschland 4.0” Innovation Challenge is a nationwide university competition under the patronage of the German Minister of State Dorothee Bär. Students of different disciplines and start-ups can develop new concepts and innovations for relevant social challenges to drive digitalization in Germany. The Nemetschek Group is participating with a use case to evaluate and analyze the benefits of digital solutions througout the building lifecycle and its measurable impact on climate change and sustainability. Our core concern in the Nemetschek Group is to drive digititalization in the construction industry.
More information at Ekipa and #DE4punkt0
Guidelines
Our Group Environmental Guideline sets out key commitments relating to energy conservation and operational resource protection. These include, among other things, the will to comply with all relevant laws and internal guidelines, to integrate environmentally relevant processes into day-to-day business, or to encourage all employees to take responsibility for environmental protection and actively practice it in their workplace. Transparency and open communication with all stakeholders on environmentally relevant issues are also part of the guideline, for example, as is the purchasing of products, materials and services in line with environmental protection.