The path to enduring sustainability and net-zero emissions is full of challenges. Reducing carbon emissions and reaching net-zero will require a significant paradigm shift in building design, supply chain management, and manufacturing. S2A Modular is pioneering that transition in construction using innovative building materials, highly efficient modular structures, and green principles in a product-based approach.
According to Mckinsey & Company, the construction ecosystem accounts for approximately 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The main offenders are raw-material processing for buildings and infrastructure – the most significant being energy-intensive cement and steel production – closely followed by building usage, occupation, operations and inefficiencies like poor insulation.
While the construction industry is not often associated with sustainability, there is opportunity, incentive and urgency to evolve. Unaddressed, the carbon output from construction is expected to grow over the next 30 years to meet the demands of population increases and housing shortages. Investment in sustainable and resilient construction will accelerate as a result, decarbonization being a primary component of that trend, and by 2050 our buildings and infrastructure may look vastly different. But how will we get there?
How to decarbonize or reduce emissions associated with construction?
Construction Using Sustainable Energy
Immense amounts of energy go into construction so to help decarbonization efforts, S2A Modular is leading the construction industry with how it manufactures homes and commercial structures. Instead of utilizing grid electricity, S2A Modular’s revolutionary MegaFactories operate entirely off-grid using sustainable solar energy coupled with the latest industrial energy storage solutions by Tesla. Carports which provide shade for S2A’s employees are fitted with FreeVolt PVGraf solar panels which generate electricity for the factory, and at the same time, sends surplus energy to a Tesla MegaPack for storage. Methods like this to radically cut emissions associated with construction offers unique opportunities to reimagine and remake the industry. From design to materials to production and every link in the chain, sustainable modular construction is poised to deliver the eco-friendly, energy-efficient building methods the world desperately needs.
Focus on Low Emissions Building Materials – Combined concrete and steel processing represents 60% of carbon emissions in construction. To counter this practice, companies like S2A Modular are prioritizing organic materials like timber and sustainable alternatives to cement and concrete. Innovative, high-performance materials like concrete made from organic compounds are gaining worldwide interest and are far more sustainable to produce.
Reduce Waste – It’s no surprise that construction generates a significant amount of waste. From demolition to overengineering and imprecise processes, waste is always a concern for builders, especially for on-site construction. But it doesn’t have to be. Modular construction projects produced off-site can help reduce waste by safeguarding materials against weather and theft, plus recycling excess materials into other structures. Advanced S2A Modular MegaFactories, currently in development, will employ precision engineering techniques and assembly line processes that make the most efficient use of materials: exact measurements and cuts to ensure there is little to no waste.
Highly Efficient Design and Operations – Mckinsey & Company reports that 70% of a building’s CO2 emissions result from use and maintenance throughout its lifetime. That’s why fundamental design decisions like building size, insulation, number and placement of windows, and material choices can determine overall emissions for decades after construction. Structural design and planning are crucial to the long-term positive impact on decarbonization – doubly emphasizing the value of green building principles.
The team at S2A Modular excels in green building practices, providing structures with superior insulation and organic-based materials that strengthen over time to meet rising structural and emissions standards. S2A Modular also achieves high-efficiency benchmarks through integrated SMART home features, controlled by a single smartphone app that automatically optimizes energy use for maximum efficiency.
Incorporate of Renewable Energy Sources – The pathway to net-zero is complex and challenging, but the industry is racing ahead. In the residential space, upgrades like S2A’s GreenLuxHome incorporate net-zero and net-positive technologies that are fully sustainable, generating energy through industry-leading graphene solar panels and unmatched battery storage – virtually zero dependence on the power grid.
Looking to emphasize decarbonization in your next project?
S2A Modular and its partners are exploring building methods and materials to achieve net-zero construction throughout the product life cycle. Join our growing investor group or associate builders and developers around the country who champion modular construction, reducing emissions, and ushering in the next generation of #GreenLuxHomes.
Please contact us at S2amodular.com/contact to learn more.