there has been a reduction in recent times in research in the area of concrete. a very widely used material, that is probably misused and mishandled. and as a result might be over specified from the point of view binder contents and water cement ratios.

what work could be done to look at the current standards and use reduced w/c ratios to improve the quality of concrete that is being produced?

with GGBS being a constrained resource, certified PFA not being available and limestone filler not being used as an addition. are calcinated clays a feasible in Ireland?

are we getting the most out of technology when it comes to the concrete structures?

Concrete, can we do more with what we have.
if SCM availability is an issue, can we reduce binder contents to reduce carbon in our concrete.
are the other locally available resources that are not being utilised.
do we understand concrete behavior after placement.

Can construct innovate/NASI conduct a survey of current dry mortar products on the market that fail to reach stated CE marking standards

I have working as a chemist in the dry mortar/construction chemistry industry for 35 years formulating dry mortar/pastes and liquids for the construction industry. It is my belief, that a number of manufactures domestic and importers supplying the Irish market fail to reach their stated CE status. I believe the NSAI should investigate such company’s/products who are putting sub standard products not fit for purpose on the Irish market.

What measures would CI propose to ensure that raw materials used for aggregates , cement and concrete are adequately certified

The sector must avoid damaging outcomes represented by Pyrite and Mica Redress Schemes and by cladding issues.

Why do we need an EPD for a construction product? Who is using it and for what? Which Governmental body requesting an EPD in Ireland and who approves it? what is the normative basis we should follow when calculating the EPD indicators and mainly the embodied carbon?

I propose we discuss the reason behind the EPD and carbon calculation. The aim is to set the grounds of what we know so far on this topic and bring together the professionals within Construct Innovate ahead of the “Whole Life Carbon” working group scheduled for the upcoming period. I think everyone will be interested to discuss and share their current level of knowledge on the embodied carbon calculation methodologies and hear from others as well.

When considering operational carbon what are realistic implementable technologies that we can implement and explore for our future building stock.

Tackling Operational Carbon in buildings.

What constitutes a good roadmaps for construction contractors to decarbonise their construction stage processes (Modules A4 & A5) of BS EN 15978; allowing for variation in terms of project scale and type.

Most construction companies have major emissions arising from four categories, namely: Plant, Buildings, Compounds and Fleet. What is the best timeline for phasing in technologies to decarbonise, each of these four categories? See draft roadmap attached, to be validated & improved upon.

How do we overcome barriers for compliance to standards & codes, while achieving goals for circularity & lower embodied carbon?

1. Overcoming barriers to using recycled concrete as certified aggregate for reuse under buildings and in concrete production.
2. Overcoming barriers to maximising the reuse of excavated (inert) materials as suitable fill, while overcoming issues related to potential contamination and avoiding expensive disposal option.
3. Overcoming barriers to using low embodied carbon materials on construction projects, such as: building regulation issues blocking use cross-laminated timber, or other materials

Can BER improvement system related to rental costs be adjusted to incentivise large landlords to invest in retrofit, or could carbon penalty system be considered

It seems that apartment blocks are problematic to improve and hard to convince at board level to make an economic argument to proceed.

How can digitalisation accelerate energy upgrade in housing?

RetroKit is a climate tech business based in Ireland, aiming to support decision-makers and the value chain in home energy upgrades upscale their operations and their impact. We would like to explore issues around data (availability, quality, protection), AI/machine learning (role, added value), adoption by the construction sector, etc.