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TE3CHNOLOGYfocus Visualising carbon 3D Repo provides an API that allows designers to view embodied carbon within the building components and methods of construction in their 3D models Hosted by 3D Repo and codelivered by ZERO, the recent online webinar 'Visualising Carbon: BIM to Zero'' explained how embodied carbon can be visualised within construction models, enabling architects and engineers to make informed choices about what building materials they use and the building processes they adopt based on the amount of embodied carbon within each. ZERO are a group of construction industry professionals who were taking part in the webinar to highlight the major issues facing the planet from the point of view of a not-for-profit, independent group of self-styled next generation radicals, relating our current situation to their futures as potential leaders within the industry. Launched by James Bowles, 4D Consultant at Freeform, in 2001, the group now has 400 members based in 40 countries worldwide. ZERO sponsors events and working groups and is building a low carbon playbook, where working groups have been focusing on individual topics to provide practical guidance for people working on low carbon projects, enabling members to explore solutions and foster the adoption of significant actions which could have an immediate impact on an individual project's CO2e (embodied carbon) levels. Putting that in context, James explained that the construction industry emits 4 billion tonnes of CO2e annually - equivalent to 12% of all human-related emissions. This combines data from all of the processes involved in construction, from mining and extraction to processing and manufacture, assembly, transport from its source and to the construction site, construction processes - in fact, all emissions during a building's lifecycle and its eventual demolition or repurposing. Leveraging the expertise within their group, ZERO offers advice in all areas: designing with embodied carbon in mind; tools available for embodied carbon measurement; how to develop awareness and upskill people; technology innovations and low carbon methods of construction. Going further, they want to change people's mindsets, get clients to insert CO2e related clauses into contracts, and set targets and promote dialogues by sharing success or failure. James was joined by Tasha Greenfield, a Design Coordinator at Natural Building Systems and a co-leader of the ZERO Next group. With access to all available sources of information about carbon emissions, ZERO were able to provide some striking and quite alarming statistics, such as that the built environment contributes around 39% of total global emissions, 31% of which are materials. Figures from the Institute of Structural Engineers (IstructE) show that one return economy flight to New York emits 1000Kg of CO2e, and if we stopped driving cars we would each save 3000Kg CO2e per annum. You can view the full presentation on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/jbwhK0oScBE Besides IstructE, other suppliers of carbon data include Building Transparency, who have developed the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3) - a free database of construction EPDs Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) defined by ISO 14025 that 'quantifies environmental information on the lifecycle of a product to enable comparisons between products fulfilling the same function'. The CIC Carbon Assessment Tool is similar, developed to create a common platform for evaluating the carbon performance of buildings and infrastructure in Hong Kong from raw material extraction to the end of construction. Closer to home, Professor Geoff Hammond and Craig Jones, from the Sustainable Energy Research Team (SERT) at the University of Bath, are behind the Inventory of Carbon and Energy (ICE), which has been providing an online source of data for embodied energy and carbon of construction materials since 2006. There is a variety of tools for measuring CO2e but, as Tasha suggested, it's early days and processes are still being evaluated and refined. Even the EC3 User Guide is a work in progress. 14 July/August 2022
TECHNOLOGYfocus VISUALISING WITH POWER BI How does 3D Repo leverage such data? Andrew Norrie, Commercial Director at 3D Repo explained how their software is used to manage BIM models and the data behind them. It is not a carbon tool in itself, but can link to all sources of carbon information using its API, mapping the data to individual components in a model, and presenting the information in Microsoft's Power BI dashboard. "It's similar to how we use PlanBase," he explained, "designed to help the public view planning applications, and SafetiBase which does the same for Health & Safety compliance or to view on-site safety issues." Implementation Manager at 3D Repo, Mia Dibe, demonstrated how their solutions were based around three methods, each of which can be individually customised to suit each project. Method 1, Mia explained, is where models are directly embedded in Power BI, and pick up their data from external sources, linking it to the 3D models in 3D Repo as required and viewing it within Power BI. Method 2 is mainly a manual process, using a custom Dynamo script to source embodied carbon data and linking it to, say, a Revit model, from which data is extracted and applied to the 3D Repo model, subsequently viewing it within Power BI. Method 3 uses metadata from a variety of sources - CSV, PDF, Excel,API, SQL and so on - mapping carbon data directly to BIM objects, which could be anything from materials to logistics, and linking that directly to the 3D Repo model - again using Power BI to display the results. Alternative APIs, such as OpenText, Asite, Procore, Luminova, Dynamo can also be integrated with 3D Repo, giving unlimited access to carbon data from all sources. Similarly, other LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) data sources, available in spreadsheets, are easily brought into 3D Repo. Power BI displays a graphic 3D rendering of the model, accompanied by data browsers which, when you click on components - such as columns, floors, structural foundations and other features - display the CO2e in each component material, and elements of its carbon scoring with reference to its lifecycle. The model is colour-coded for ease of reference, and the CO2e can be accumulated from each phase to provide lifecycle data. Once the model is set up then subsequent changes to any of the external data are automatically applied. COMPARING RESULTS Using Power BI's capabilities, the results of several simulations can be displayed simultaneously to compare the scale of CO2e using different materials and building processes. Mia used this to show the differences between buildings with a high CO2e based content using concrete, average Rebar, XPS insulation and steel framing. This was a typical project which uses less intensive CO2e materials and the best conventional result that could be achieved using commonly available and approved materials. The best quoted solution, however, uses rammed earth, cement bonded wood chip, straw insulation and engineered wood. The stark differences highlight the results that can be achieved with carbon reduction, ranging from 6448 tonnes CO2e for the most CO2e expensive solution, 3300 tonnes CO2e for a typical solution, 100+ tonnes CO2e for best conventional, to the final one of minus 0.15t CO2e. Step forward the first of the three little piggies, whose house wouldn't survive the wolf's huffing and puffing but would certainly earn credits for its environmental credentials. THE BENEFITS OF VISUALISING THE DATA Visualised CO2e in 3D models facilitates the inclusion of carbon metrics in the BIM process. It reduces the double-handling of data from clients and makes decisions and outcomes accessible to all. It also demonstrates how changing components and materials can significantly alter a building's carbon performance without affecting its appearance. Strategies for embodied carbon reduction, such as optimising material choices, will reduce the embedded carbon in a building. For example, abandoning the project would, of course, provide a 100% reduction in CO2e. Building less, to spec and with no additional creative elements might save 20% of CO2e. Building clever - designing with low carbon materials, could save up to 50%. The best option, though, Andrew suggested, is to build efficiently. Eliminate waste, use low carbon construction methods and other processes outlined here and you could realise a massive 80% reduction in Carbon emissions. The choice, as always, is yours. www.3drepo.com July/August 2022 15
Page 1 and 2: Construction Computing WWW.CONSTRUC
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS JULY/AUGUST 2022 CONTENTS
Page 5 and 6: DESIGN WITHOUT LIMITS The best-in-
Page 7 and 8: VISIBILITY CONTROL ACCURACY CONSTRU
Page 10 and 11: INDUSTRYfocus Expanding horizons Da
Page 12 and 13: AWARDS Sponsored by: The Constructi
Page 16 and 17: CASEstudy Curbs without limits The
Page 18 and 19: TECHNOLOGYfocus PIM to AIM David Ch
Page 20 and 21: CASEstudy Studio Bark Studio Bark i
Page 22 and 23: SOFTWARE focus The integration impe
Page 24 and 25: TECHNOLOGYfocus Extending reality B
Page 26 and 27: INDUSTRYfocus UK Tekla Awards 2022
Page 28 and 29: TECHNOLOGYfocus ASICs in the city R
Page 30 and 31: TECHNOLOGYfocus Get Smart Matthew M
Page 32 and 33: YOUR GUIDE TO 5 7 1 2 3 21 22 23 24
Page 34 and 35: CASEstudy Drones over HS2 Balfour B
Page 36: MODEL CHECKING FOR QUALITY. Use Sol

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