The Net Zero Stage at Digital Construction Week focuses on how digital tools, methods and skills can help lower emissions across the built environment.

In the lead up to the show, we speak with Amanda Fennell, Director of EMEA Marketing for Autodesk Construction Solutions, who are the proud sponsors of the Net Zero Stage this year…

Why was it important for Autodesk to sponsor the Net Zero Stage this year?

We’re really pleased to see sustainability at the top of the DCW agenda this year, with the dedicated Net Zero Stage. The drive towards net zero is critically important for the future of our planet – and the construction industry has a central role to play.

We know that many construction organisations are taking proactive steps to reduce their emissions; last year, our research found that European construction companies are planning to invest €900,000 in becoming a more sustainable company over the next five years.

At Autodesk, we want to be a partner on that journey, by empowering people with technology to design, collaborate, build and fabricate in ways that improve energy and material productivity – while also reducing waste and staying competitive.

How is Autodesk contributing to the drive towards Net Zero?

Technology will be crucial for reducing emissions across the built environment, and this is one way that Autodesk is supporting industry-wide change.

Access to real time information helps companies to build right first time, avoiding rework and preventing waste. Data is also incredibly important, from enabling visibility over the carbon impacts of materials during design, to the creation of materials passports for circular construction.

At Autodesk, net zero is also central to our own operations. We power our facilities, cloud services, events and employees working from home with 100% renewable energy.

For the second year in a row in 2021, we neutralised our greenhouse gas emissions across our operations and entire value chain. We also launched a sustainability bond, to finance environmental and social initiatives worldwide.

What else is Autodesk working on right now?

We recently launched Bridge, a new collaboration capability that empowers construction teams to share relevant data with project stakeholders, regardless of whether they are on the same team or building a project within Autodesk Construction Cloud.

This capability can improve collaboration, reduce rework and deliver better control and management of project information – ultimately helping organisations to build right first time.

Can you pick one or two highlights from the Net Zero Stage? 

The whole agenda looks very compelling! It’s great to see so much insight into the different ways technology can support net zero across the industry – and particularly the passion of the next generation of construction professionals about rethinking sustainability in the industry.

What role do you think trade shows like DCW play in the lives of industry professionals?

Trade shows like DCW are really important for construction, as our whole sector is based on collaboration across many organisations.

Now more than ever, we need to learn from one another to make the industry better. Technologies may have helped keep construction moving from afar during lockdown, but there’s huge value in getting together in person.

Tell us about a recent innovation you’ve been impressed by. 

Retrofitting is an incredibly important application for digital technology. In the UK, meeting the national goal of a net zero economy by 2050 would mean retrofitting one million houses a year for the next three decades.

Technology will be crucial for viable large-scale retrofitting. Creating accurate digital plans can provide owners with the insight to plan retrofits more effectively, while rich data enables owners to assess the full implications of completed projects and identify improvements.

Modern methods of construction can help to overcome the limitations of piecemeal retrofitting. For example, the Energiesprong Foundation has partnered with manufacturing to create a ‘whole-building’ approach, using prefabricated parts.

What are the biggest challenges facing the construction industry? 

Productivity and quality are ongoing challenges across construction – and particularly with the rising cost of materials, building right first time is more important than ever. In the UK, the new requirements of the Building Safety Bill might seem like an added complication for high rise buildings.

For owners of existing buildings, it means creating an accurate, as-built record of facilities as they stand today. For new projects, it means evidence about how work is actually completed – making construction firms even more accountable.

But while this might seem like an added burden, it’s actually an opportunity to evaluate how we work and establish best practice in the industry.

Using technology can not only enable businesses to demonstrate their compliance but gives firms the data needed to improve outcomes.

We can reduce waste, support collaboration and help attract the young people vital for the industry’s future – changes we really need to see.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in digital construction?

It’s an incredibly exciting time to be joining the industry. Construction is changing, and there are huge opportunities to change the way we work for the better.

Digitalisation can create a more sustainable, predictable sector – with huge benefits for wider society. In turn, that will mean the industry can attract more diverse talent and improve retention.

My advice would be to be optimistic about the future. Learn about new technologies and the impact possible on the ground, then make change happen.

Autodesk Construction Cloud combines advanced technology, a unique builder’s network and predictive insights to connect people and data across the entire building lifecycle, from design through operations. Their mission is to help teams meet the world’s rapidly expanding building and infrastructure needs while making construction more predictable, safe and sustainable. Visit the Autodesk website.