Sustainable foundations: Why the construction industry must heed the call of renewable technology

Builders and other industry professionals have embraced the efficiency and design advantages of technological advances, yet the rising use of drones, digital twinning, augmented and virtual reality, sensors and cameras, 3D printing, and artificial intelligence (AI) brings an environmental cost many are unaware of. At the same time, there are significant financial benefits to embracing equipment designed to be easily disassembled, repaired, replaced, and recycled.

Throwaway electronics have a devastating ecological impact, cause serious health problems among waste pickers in developing countries, and waste staggering amounts of vital and increasingly scarce materials such as rare earth elements, aluminium, copper, and steel. 

Emma Armstrong, sustainable electronics ambassador and group commercial director at In2tec, says that while the industry has made positive changes to its ways of working to protect the environment for future generations, tech is often overlooked.

"Repairing, reusing, and recycling otherwise obsolete technology conserves the materials needed by the construction sector," she said.

"Many devices and appliances are intentionally designed with a limited lifespan - a concept known as built-in obsolescence - encouraging consumers to replace rather than repair them.

"The alternative is modular and easy-to-repair tech that allows companies to extend the life of the product and limits the need to buy increasingly rare, expensive and ecologically damaging replacement products."

In2tec is working to slash the harrowing environmental and societal impact of ewaste by providing innovative solutions to the growing problem of throwaway electronics. The company’s signature ReUSE and ReCYCLE comprise a closed-loop process allowing manufacturers to remove components from existing electronics at the end of their useful life and reuse them, carbon-free.

One example is a ReUSE product used in the manufacture of an extraction fan used in homes, retail, and hospitality, with an annual volume of 200,000 units.

ReUSE makes the PCBA used in the fan a highly recyclable and reusable electronics assembly that can be separated and reused or sold. This returns up to 1.2m LEDs and 200K connectors back into circulation – slashing materials and energy use.

Changing this product to ReUSE saved 6.49 Mt (metric tonnes) of annual CO2 emissions in first-life manufacture, and subsequent builds will achieve greater CO2 savings.

"Meeting environmental obligations is not the only reason to research sustainable technology - the economic benefits can be substantial," Armstrong added.

The UK has several pieces of legislation governing sustainability in the construction industry, including the Climate Change Act 2008, which sets targets for greenhouse gas emissions reduction, and the Environment Act 2021, which aims to improve air quality, biodiversity, water, and waste reduction.

Earlier this year, it was announced that England’s circular economy taskforce (CET) will prioritise initiatives to tackle waste within construction and four other key industries. Some studies find that construction is responsible for up to 50% of climate change.

“It’s time to end Britain’s throwaway society - the status quo is economically, environmentally, and socially unsustainable," said secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs Steve Reed.

"Moving to a circular economy is a pivotal moment for British businesses to innovate, grow and lead the world, so we can slash waste and strengthen supply chains."

www.in2tec.com