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INDUSTRYcomment Retrofit for purpose? Marek Suchocki, infrastructure engagement lead at Autodesk, suggests mitigating the energy crisis with a national retrofit plan Amidst recent figures warning that three quarters of households in the UK will face fuel poverty before January 2023, it is clear that urgent action is required to to be taken to combat the energy crisis. To this effect, the new Prime Minister, Liz Truss, has promised a freeze on energy bills in order to mitigate the skyrocketing cost of gas and electricity for the end user. Some, however, have labelled this as merely a sticking plaster for a longerterm housing issue. Many within the industry have lobbied the Prime Minister to put in place a nationwide strategy for retrofitting, with a view to making homes more energy efficient to help combat the ongoing crisis and contribute towards long-term sustainability goals. Much of the UK's existing housing stock consists of older, inefficient homes, built before energy efficiency was a consideration. These homes can be extremely costly for owners and residents. Retrofitting will provide more efficient buildings that also improve the quality of life for residents; with accommodation that's warmer, weatherproof and more affordable. Making existing homes more sustainable will be critical for governments - and housing industries - to meet their sustainability targets. In the UK, 85% of the homes that we'll live in by 2050 have already been built. Therefore, meeting the UK's goal of becoming a net zero economy by 2050 would require retrofitting one million houses a year for the next three decades. In order to ramp up retrofitting in the UK, the process needs to be quicker, more cost-effective, and less disruptive to residents, while also maintaining an excellent level of quality. Integrating modern technology within construction will be an important foundation of this, and there are many ways this can be done in practice. Firstly, major efficiencies can be unlocked by integrating digital as-built models into the planning process. A lack of accurate information can seriously jeopardise a retrofitting project, especially where the building is older and plans are outdated, incomplete or lacking in detail. Requiring digital handover comprising BIM, verified asset data records and preparing an Asset Information Model (AIM), for example, can grant owners the insight to plan the retrofit more effectively and sustainably. In a broader sense, putting in place modern methods of construction can help to make the retrofitting process quicker, less disruptive, and more repeatable at scale. Currently, projects can be 18 September/October 2022
INDUSTRYcomment piecemeal and short-term, with projects often awarded to the lowest bidder, inevitably resulting in low quality builds. With modern methods of construction, it doesn't have to be this way. In recent years, we've seen innovators like the Energiesprong Foundation taking a 'whole-building' approach using prefabrication, constructing building façades in factories rather than tackling flaws one-by-one. Harnessing a data-driven approach will also help construction firms to make stronger business cases for major projects. Whether it's carbon emissions, air quality or impact on the local economy, measuring the full implications of retrofitting projects can be complex and imprecise. If this strategy is going to be rolled out at scale then collecting consistent, meaningful data must be the foundation. Making a data-driven approach the norm will help the government to formulate policy and allow owners to build a stronger business case for investment. Finally, ensuring a digital approach to construction will help to minimise errors and waste. Retrofit projects rely on accurate and up to date information, as errors can be both expensive to resolve and create an environmental impact. Implementing digital design and construction techniques will help teams get things right first time. Where records are poor or non-existent, new digital survey techniques including laser scanning and photogrammetry with drones rapidly create point cloud models of constructed assets. Scan-to- BIM techniques deliver an accurate model in a matter of hours to then leverage subsequent digital workflows. There will always be a balancing act to some extent when it comes to retrofitting, with any project having a whole host of benefits and costs to consider. If we continue to develop access to better data, modern methods of construction and a digital-first mindset, the UK has all the tools required to spark a retrofitting revolution that benefits everyone. The newly revised Construction Playbook from the UK Cabinet Office is further evidence that change in how the procure and supply side of industry operate is to be permanent, providing opportunities and improved expectations for all. www.autodesk.com September/October 2022 19
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Page 5 and 6: SUPERCHARGE YOUR WORKFLOW Model wit
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Page 10 and 11: SOFTWAREfocus A fluid situation Hig
Page 12 and 13: AWARDS Sponsored by: Autumn is upon
Page 14 and 15: INDUSTRYcomment The confusing world
Page 16 and 17: CASE study Keeping New Zealand on t
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Page 22 and 23: TECHNOLOGY focus AIMing off-centre
Page 24 and 25: TECHNOLOGY focus Fabricate smarter
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Page 34 and 35: SOFTWAREfocus A world of visualisat
Page 36: STAY FOCUSED, DESIGN MORE. With pow

CU Sep-Oct 2023

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