Here’s Where we shine the spotlight on future-proof buildings and low ecological footprint: Peter Buurman | Strategic sustainability consultant.
How do you design a building that remains within Paris-Proof standards in terms of environmental impact? As ambassadors of the Whole Life Carbon approach, we look beyond energy consumption during operation, says Peter Buurman | Strategic sustainability consultant at Deerns. ‘To get the full picture, Whole Life Carbon goes beyond charting operational emissions, to mapping emissions of material use over an entire asset life cycle – from extraction to maintenance and demolition.’ By providing insights into the total environmental impact, better-informed choices can be made in the design phase that contribute to a sustainable building.
People are at the heart of sustainability, according to Peter.
" We want to ensure that we create an environment where people can work better, more pleasantly and intelligently. Sustainability should not be at the expense of the human experience. The two should go hand in hand.
Progressive designs through co-creation
Peter illustrates how collaboration can achieve better results: ‘Two years ago, we carried out a new construction project with co-creation sessions. Through intensive collaboration over a period of eight weeks, we designed the entire building in three sessions of two days. This method, inspired by software development, resulted in better designs and strong team dynamics without the distraction of email traffic in the interim. This success motivated us to apply this form of collaboration to other projects as well.”
