‘Smartifying’ Construction for Circular and Zero-Carbon Biobased Buildings (SmartBioC)

Abstract

SmartBioC focuses on creating a user-friendly digital tool that allows users to select and specify biobased materials and building components for a modular housing unit based on a set of performance indicators including carbon footprint, thermal performance, cost, social value, health and wellbeing. The ultimate aim of the tool is to speed up the uptake of circular biobased materials to provide zero-carbon, healthy and socially and economically viable solutions for the construction industry. Smart construction integrating the use of digital technologies and modern methods of construction (MMC) has the potential to improve the affordability, efficiency, and sustainability of new and refurbished buildings. Aligned to a circular economic model, opportunities exist to optimise the use, reuse, and disposal of biobased materials within the expanding MMC housing market, thereby improving carbon sequestration and mitigating climate change. Together with industry partners, SmartBioC’s research team is using the UK’s Design Council’s Beyond Net Zero Framework of exploring, reframing, creating and catalysing to facilitate a collaborative and iterative process where the end-user is at the centre and determines the final outcome. SmartBioC ‘explores’ data obtained on biobased materials and ‘reframes’ it for alignment with indicators relatable for end-users. A BIM Object library of MMC premanufactured components with alternative biobased material configurations ‘created’ using Autodesk Revit is then exported into gaming platform Unity. Rapid prototyping and testing in Unity allow distribution of a web-based tool (html) for user feedback and development purposes (catalysing). User-friendly digital tools like SmartBioC give end-users, designers, decision-makers and specifiers, the ability to select circular biobased materials whilst visualising their design in 3D, along with information about the environmental, economic and social impacts of their choices. The adoption by the construction industry of zero-carbon, healthy and socially and economically viable biobased building solutions is imperative if the catastrophic impacts of predicted global warming are to be averted.