Post by account_disabled on Mar 4, 2024 2:34:20 GMT -6
Double materiality? How can a little play on words help brands choose more sustainable and healthier materials for the built environment to reduce risk and benefit all stakeholders—from investors to employees and communities to the planet— ? We tell you.
Certainly previous articles have looked at how investment and design outcomes are increasingly being held to a higher level of expectations to benefit all stakeholders. An approach we call a multi-stakeholder lens.
We also present what we see as an implication of this multi-stakeholder lens: a paradigm shift in investment and design in the built environment, from what do we design ? to whom?
But we realize that no discussion of Chile Mobile Number List stakeholder intent and benefit would be complete without understanding what they really care about. Here, the idea of materiality occupies a central place. So what do we mean by double materiality?
What is double materiality?
According to the Sustainable Brands portal , in ESG strategy and reporting , a company's materiality issues are those that not only pose significant risks and opportunities for the company—such as climate change—but also issues that They reflect the company's impacts on the environment and society.
For example, the impacts of the company's operations on human rights or climate change through carbon emissions.
double materiality
That's right, the explicit focus on understanding the intersection between the financial and social or environmental impact of problems is known as “double materiality.” And it is the most important thing in the ESG discourse, since both lenses are important for companies to make better decisions.
Why does it matter that companies incorporate double materiality?
Certainly, the term material has a more "material" definition. And we believe bringing both definitions together is critical to helping leaders reduce risk and create value in the built environment.
Whether in the built environment or product markets, the word material also includes the “things” that end up in a final product. And it can range from the building itself to the finishes, equipment or furniture that make the building's spaces usable. But even the cleaning products used for its maintenance would also be part of its materiality.
double materiality
Materials have an impact on the environment and beyond. Approximately 11% of total global greenhouse gas emissions are attributable to construction materials. The carbon impact of materials is known as “embodied carbon,” which, once in place, can remain indefinitely. A fact frequently cited in recent years is that the global concrete industry, if classified as a country, would itself be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases.
Why address the issue of double materiality, without it it will not be possible to achieve ambitious climate goals without addressing this problem.
Bet on double materiality
Materials decisions are still too often focused on the use phase. However, it is estimated that more than 90% of the decisions that influence these impacts are made in the design phase. This is where we must change our focus.
Therefore, architects have recently established voluntary targets for embodied carbon reductions through the Architecture 2030 program . The program foresees a 50% reduction by 2030 and zero emissions from materials by 2040. Achieving these results will not be easy and will require many innovations in the design process, materials and technology.
Companies, investors and developers also have a role to play. In its new Business Manifesto for Climate Recovery , announced at COP26 , the World Business Council for Sustainable Development focuses squarely on reducing the negative social and environmental impacts of the built environment. This requires adopting a “full cycle” approach to design and construction.
Social responsability
It is also important to consider the role of cleaning and other chemicals used in the built environment. Extended producer responsibility laws and policies seek to hold manufacturers responsible for the lifecycle impact of their products, from production to disposal.
For example, expanded producer policies related to paint and cleaning products are already in effect or have been proposed in states such as Colorado , Oregon , and Maine , to name just a few.
double materiality
These developments are just some points of proof that illustrate that the choice of materials used in the built environment is, in fact, material. Given the focus on climate change and net zero targets, companies have no choice but to consider the selection, use and disposal of materials in the built environment as part of their risk management strategy.
In fact, to reduce risk and support long-term goals for health and the environment, we need to make better decisions about what we build into the built environment.
How can companies better choose materials in the built environment?
Construction technologies and materials continue to evolve. Several promising solutions are emerging that we share with you below:
Materials that sequester carbon
The volume of materials already used throughout the built environment is staggering. Experts predict that the industry could add another 2.4 trillion square feet of new space by 2060. With typical materials and technology, this would require three hundred billion tons of material.
What would happen if this material, instead of generating greenhouse gas emissions, could sequester or absorb it ?
The material most frequently mentioned in the context of carbon sequestration is wood. When wood is used for framing, finishes, or other building components, the carbon that was stored in the tree is retained in the building.
double materiality
If that wood is reused at the end of that building's useful life, it can continue to sequester carbon indefinitely. The use of wood in buildings is expanding rapidly. Technical advances, along with changes in building codes, allow taller and larger structures to replace wood with steel or concrete.
As building designers actively promote the use of wood to sequester carbon, one concern is that all wood used is sustainably harvested. For that reason, in Cuningham , wood is restricted from forest products harvested in North America ; ideally through a certification program like the Forest Stewardship Council .
Concrete has received a lot of media coverage for its enormous environmental impact, and the industry is responding. There are different possible approaches with concrete. One that Cuningham is already specifying is CarbonCure , in which recycled CO2 is injected into the mix and becomes a permanent part of the finished product.
Beyond wood and concrete, many manufacturers are developing other materials capable of sequestering carbon. They are available in carpets , insulation, siding, furniture and others. Architecture 2030's target of an immediate 40% reduction in embodied carbon is believed to be now possible. But it requires planning and commitment from both the client and the design team.
Adaptive reuse
Surprising amounts of existing buildings are demolished annually. The trend for developers, builders, and even many design professionals is to start over. But this means that large volumes of construction materials are sent to landfills each year.
So what can you do? It is suggested to opt for adaptive reuse. Because it allows the carbon embedded in those materials to remain in place, with only a small percentage removed and, hopefully, recycled.
Since a building's structure accounts for approximately 50% of the total embodied carbon, even a complete gut and retrofit approach can prevent significant amounts of new greenhouse gas emissions. The dual materiality approach seeks to encourage the construction industry to look for existing buildings that can be reused before committing to new construction.
double materiality
While these strategies primarily focus on materials for new buildings, not building is also a strategy. Renovation and rehabilitation to bring existing buildings up to building standards, rather than demolishing and rebuilding, are also options offered by dual materiality.
How can companies identify these materiality opportunities?
Below we name some forms of evaluation and tools for selecting materials.
Whole Building Life Cycle Assessments (LCA)
Whole building LCAs can be a starting point for material selection. LCA captures start-to-finish impacts of structural materials.
The assessment begins with the extraction and harvesting of raw materials and extends throughout the expected useful life of the building, including maintenance and replacement of building components. The focus is the choice and use of the material. Downstream recycling, operational energy or emissions modeling, and excavation of the site itself are generally excluded from the analysis.
Environmental Product Declarations (EPD)
EPDs are comprehensive reports from manufacturers that detail the life cycle impact of a given material or product, from resource extraction and manufacturing to reuse or disposal.
Because EPDs cover the full life cycle impacts of materials and products, and are intended to be independently verified and recorded, they provide credible and comparable information on a product's environmental impacts.
double EDP materiality
Furthermore, its information extends beyond that provided by other ecolabels or certifications that often cover only individual aspects of a material's life cycle.
Medical Product Declarations (HPD)
The potential impacts of the materials on human health are also critical to consider. HPDs provide information on substances included in construction products, from carpets to sealants and more.
The HPD Open Standard , developed by the HPD Collaborative , is a standardized specification for reporting product content and associated health information.
HPDs are harmonized with programs such as the International Living Future Institute , Cradle-to-Cradle Product Innovation Institute , Clean Production Action , BIFMA , LEED , WELL and many others. According to the HPD Collaborative, which maintains a searchable repository , more than 700 manufacturers use HPD to provide material transparency data on more than 33,000 products.
Materiality has many definitions. By considering material as a material in the broader context of ESG and business strategy, companies can make better decisions in the built environment that reduce risk to the company and investors; build trust; and create greater long-term economic, environmental and social value by incorporating dual materiality.
Certainly previous articles have looked at how investment and design outcomes are increasingly being held to a higher level of expectations to benefit all stakeholders. An approach we call a multi-stakeholder lens.
We also present what we see as an implication of this multi-stakeholder lens: a paradigm shift in investment and design in the built environment, from what do we design ? to whom?
But we realize that no discussion of Chile Mobile Number List stakeholder intent and benefit would be complete without understanding what they really care about. Here, the idea of materiality occupies a central place. So what do we mean by double materiality?
What is double materiality?
According to the Sustainable Brands portal , in ESG strategy and reporting , a company's materiality issues are those that not only pose significant risks and opportunities for the company—such as climate change—but also issues that They reflect the company's impacts on the environment and society.
For example, the impacts of the company's operations on human rights or climate change through carbon emissions.
double materiality
That's right, the explicit focus on understanding the intersection between the financial and social or environmental impact of problems is known as “double materiality.” And it is the most important thing in the ESG discourse, since both lenses are important for companies to make better decisions.
Why does it matter that companies incorporate double materiality?
Certainly, the term material has a more "material" definition. And we believe bringing both definitions together is critical to helping leaders reduce risk and create value in the built environment.
Whether in the built environment or product markets, the word material also includes the “things” that end up in a final product. And it can range from the building itself to the finishes, equipment or furniture that make the building's spaces usable. But even the cleaning products used for its maintenance would also be part of its materiality.
double materiality
Materials have an impact on the environment and beyond. Approximately 11% of total global greenhouse gas emissions are attributable to construction materials. The carbon impact of materials is known as “embodied carbon,” which, once in place, can remain indefinitely. A fact frequently cited in recent years is that the global concrete industry, if classified as a country, would itself be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases.
Why address the issue of double materiality, without it it will not be possible to achieve ambitious climate goals without addressing this problem.
Bet on double materiality
Materials decisions are still too often focused on the use phase. However, it is estimated that more than 90% of the decisions that influence these impacts are made in the design phase. This is where we must change our focus.
Therefore, architects have recently established voluntary targets for embodied carbon reductions through the Architecture 2030 program . The program foresees a 50% reduction by 2030 and zero emissions from materials by 2040. Achieving these results will not be easy and will require many innovations in the design process, materials and technology.
Companies, investors and developers also have a role to play. In its new Business Manifesto for Climate Recovery , announced at COP26 , the World Business Council for Sustainable Development focuses squarely on reducing the negative social and environmental impacts of the built environment. This requires adopting a “full cycle” approach to design and construction.
Social responsability
It is also important to consider the role of cleaning and other chemicals used in the built environment. Extended producer responsibility laws and policies seek to hold manufacturers responsible for the lifecycle impact of their products, from production to disposal.
For example, expanded producer policies related to paint and cleaning products are already in effect or have been proposed in states such as Colorado , Oregon , and Maine , to name just a few.
double materiality
These developments are just some points of proof that illustrate that the choice of materials used in the built environment is, in fact, material. Given the focus on climate change and net zero targets, companies have no choice but to consider the selection, use and disposal of materials in the built environment as part of their risk management strategy.
In fact, to reduce risk and support long-term goals for health and the environment, we need to make better decisions about what we build into the built environment.
How can companies better choose materials in the built environment?
Construction technologies and materials continue to evolve. Several promising solutions are emerging that we share with you below:
Materials that sequester carbon
The volume of materials already used throughout the built environment is staggering. Experts predict that the industry could add another 2.4 trillion square feet of new space by 2060. With typical materials and technology, this would require three hundred billion tons of material.
What would happen if this material, instead of generating greenhouse gas emissions, could sequester or absorb it ?
The material most frequently mentioned in the context of carbon sequestration is wood. When wood is used for framing, finishes, or other building components, the carbon that was stored in the tree is retained in the building.
double materiality
If that wood is reused at the end of that building's useful life, it can continue to sequester carbon indefinitely. The use of wood in buildings is expanding rapidly. Technical advances, along with changes in building codes, allow taller and larger structures to replace wood with steel or concrete.
As building designers actively promote the use of wood to sequester carbon, one concern is that all wood used is sustainably harvested. For that reason, in Cuningham , wood is restricted from forest products harvested in North America ; ideally through a certification program like the Forest Stewardship Council .
Concrete has received a lot of media coverage for its enormous environmental impact, and the industry is responding. There are different possible approaches with concrete. One that Cuningham is already specifying is CarbonCure , in which recycled CO2 is injected into the mix and becomes a permanent part of the finished product.
Beyond wood and concrete, many manufacturers are developing other materials capable of sequestering carbon. They are available in carpets , insulation, siding, furniture and others. Architecture 2030's target of an immediate 40% reduction in embodied carbon is believed to be now possible. But it requires planning and commitment from both the client and the design team.
Adaptive reuse
Surprising amounts of existing buildings are demolished annually. The trend for developers, builders, and even many design professionals is to start over. But this means that large volumes of construction materials are sent to landfills each year.
So what can you do? It is suggested to opt for adaptive reuse. Because it allows the carbon embedded in those materials to remain in place, with only a small percentage removed and, hopefully, recycled.
Since a building's structure accounts for approximately 50% of the total embodied carbon, even a complete gut and retrofit approach can prevent significant amounts of new greenhouse gas emissions. The dual materiality approach seeks to encourage the construction industry to look for existing buildings that can be reused before committing to new construction.
double materiality
While these strategies primarily focus on materials for new buildings, not building is also a strategy. Renovation and rehabilitation to bring existing buildings up to building standards, rather than demolishing and rebuilding, are also options offered by dual materiality.
How can companies identify these materiality opportunities?
Below we name some forms of evaluation and tools for selecting materials.
Whole Building Life Cycle Assessments (LCA)
Whole building LCAs can be a starting point for material selection. LCA captures start-to-finish impacts of structural materials.
The assessment begins with the extraction and harvesting of raw materials and extends throughout the expected useful life of the building, including maintenance and replacement of building components. The focus is the choice and use of the material. Downstream recycling, operational energy or emissions modeling, and excavation of the site itself are generally excluded from the analysis.
Environmental Product Declarations (EPD)
EPDs are comprehensive reports from manufacturers that detail the life cycle impact of a given material or product, from resource extraction and manufacturing to reuse or disposal.
Because EPDs cover the full life cycle impacts of materials and products, and are intended to be independently verified and recorded, they provide credible and comparable information on a product's environmental impacts.
double EDP materiality
Furthermore, its information extends beyond that provided by other ecolabels or certifications that often cover only individual aspects of a material's life cycle.
Medical Product Declarations (HPD)
The potential impacts of the materials on human health are also critical to consider. HPDs provide information on substances included in construction products, from carpets to sealants and more.
The HPD Open Standard , developed by the HPD Collaborative , is a standardized specification for reporting product content and associated health information.
HPDs are harmonized with programs such as the International Living Future Institute , Cradle-to-Cradle Product Innovation Institute , Clean Production Action , BIFMA , LEED , WELL and many others. According to the HPD Collaborative, which maintains a searchable repository , more than 700 manufacturers use HPD to provide material transparency data on more than 33,000 products.
Materiality has many definitions. By considering material as a material in the broader context of ESG and business strategy, companies can make better decisions in the built environment that reduce risk to the company and investors; build trust; and create greater long-term economic, environmental and social value by incorporating dual materiality.