Engineering consultancy Arup has forged a new alliance with software firm Autodesk. The collaboration will see the firms work to enhance carbon management across the built environment sector.
The global push to net-zero looks increasingly behind schedule, with governments and businesses alike struggling to make a dent in their emissions before 2030. With global temperatures rising, the built environment sector is responsible for approximately 34% of energy-related carbon emissions worldwide – presenting a major opportunity to get that progress back on track.
Illustrating the size of the impact addressing this could make, the global area of building floor is expected to double by 2060, while three-quarters of infrastructure that will exist in 2050 is yet to be built. Built environment expert Arup is now working with Autodesk, to implement new software solutions that can help address the related need for actionable carbon reduction solutions.
Autodesk is an American multinational software corporation that makes software services for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, education, and entertainment industries. Working to transform carbon management across the architecture, engineering, construction, and operations (AECO) industries, its engagement with Arup is the first of its kind – with the consulting firm defined as a customer under a new collaboration model, focused on enabling sustainable outcomes at scale.
Joe Speicher, Chief Sustainability Officer at Autodesk, commented, “Collaboration with industry is critical for accelerating the development of sustainable solutions – such that we can better measure, manage and mitigate carbon impacts associated with the built environment. Engaging with Arup and other industry leaders will allow us to validate carbon management technologies with our customers, so we can collectively accelerate the AECO industry’s transition toward a low-carbon future.”
According to a release from the firms, Arup’s leadership in this inaugural collaboration provides example of how strategic alignment between technology and domain expertise can accelerate industry transformation. By collaborating to bring streamlined AECO technology solutions for carbon assessment, the companies are seeking to drive an industry-wide scale of built environment decarbonisation in alignment with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
This work will particularly target asset owners and investors as ultimate decision-makers in the built environment and will look to include other companies and partners as the work expands. In particular, the initiative will help with the development of Building Information Modelling (BIM) guidelines for carbon assessment through the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD); explore the whole life carbon data journey through industry standardisation efforts; and enable BIM-integrated automation of Whole Life Carbon Assessment methods, collaborating on research and development to use AI to drive decarbonisation of buildings.
“This work demonstrates our commitment to radical collaboration across the industry to tackle decarbonisation,” added Jo da Silva, Arup Fellow and Global Sustainable Development Leader at Arup. “By combining our technical expertise in whole life carbon assessment with Autodesk’s innovative technology platforms we’re creating data-driven solutions that will inform early design decisions focussed on reducing carbon and costs. Together we’re not just developing tools but driving towards a unified path for net zero buildings that aligns with the Buildings Breakthrough, coordinated by the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction, and delivers value for our clients and the sector.”