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NEWS & MARKET22 NEWS & MARKET AAC WORLDWIDE %u2022 2.2025already at the design stage. Such a model goes back for approval by the architect and the investor, where, after final changes, it can be used to place a complete order and plan production and transportation and logistics.The 3D model itself, however, serves as the beginning of further work with it. Using 4D simulations, manufacturer can create a progress schedule and optimize the way that panels are assembled. It allows to move part of the construction process into the production phase.During the construction stage, the model is further used, thanks to augmented reality glasses. Microsoft Hololens 2 edition Trimble XR10 glasses on construction sites are used along with Trimble Connect software for positioning and visualizing models on site.Augmented and mixed reality technology is developing at a rapid pace, enabling the placement of models on construction sites with a high degree of accuracy. This advancement allows for the layout of walls using large-format elements, replacing traditional 2D paper-based assembly plans. The benefits are undoubtedly free worker's hands, as they can see the model displayed in front of them where the physical object is supposed to be, but also ensuring that the information is always up-to-date. By placing the model in the cloud, any corrections can be applied in real time and are immediately visible in the model available on site.At the beginning of 2021, Xella also introduced the service of in-house wall installation on site. As a result, the company is able to offer a full range of services, which is called wall-as-a-service. All wall-related activities - from design in BIM, to production, transportation and logistics, to on-site installation - come from a single entity. But the work doesn't end even after the wall is finished. In Xellas%u2019 pilot project, the company also conducted an as-built scan of the entire building. This allowed to compare the as-built model with the actual state, so the future the design can be improved at an earlier stage.AAC as a material for sustainable constructionAutoclaved aerated concrete is known as a material with a low environmental impact [33-36]. To produce 1 m%u00b3 of concrete, between 300 to 600 kg of raw materials are needed, making it a unique construction material in this regard. Its low mass leads to lower emissions from transport and reduced load and reinforcement requirements for structures. The production of AAC needs sand, lime, cement, anhydrite, water, and aluminum paste/powder. Production in Polish plants is zero-waste %u2013 no waste is generated during production, as unused parts of the mass are returned to the mold, and after autoclaving, elements can be crushed and included in the recipe. Currently, AAC can be produced with up to 30% recycled material. Emissions from AAC production mainly consist of scope 2 emissions, mainly emissions from the production of lime and cement. AAC industry has developed a roadmap for zero-emission production of autoclaved aerated concrete [33]. The roadmap includes, among other things, reducing lime and cement emissions using Carbon Capture technology. An important property of AAC is its ability to bind atmospheric carbon dioxide in the amount of 70-80 kg CO%u2082/m%u00b3 during the recarbonization process [36]. Over its lifecycle, the emissions of AAC are comparable to those embedded in wooden structures.Modular panels made of AAC, compared to standard blocks, have slightly higher emissions due to the presence of reinforcement, which is, however, minimal and amounts to about 10 kg/m%u00b3. In Scandinavian countries, the technology of building houses from AAC panels with a thickness of only 10 cm is popular. These buildings do not even have ring beams, and the roof structure based on trusses is only connected to the foundation slab with steel pins. In the coming years, the popularity of thinner partitions is expected to increase, which will result in a typical AAC wall having an even lower carbon footprint than wooden structures over its lifecycle.ConclusionsModular AAC panels have been used in Europe for many years. Various indicators point to an inevitable increase in labor costs in Poland in the coming years and good prospects for the development of the AAC industry. Western European countries have been facing a shortage of willing construction workers and high labor costs on a larger scale for years, which is why these solutions have a much larger market share there (e.g., in the Netherlands).In Poland, panels are currently produced in two manufacturing plants. In both cases, the production lines have been redesigned to meet contemporary market and production realities, and the product range includes typical elements. Elements available from stock can be used in virtually any type of building, and modularity does not imply significant changes in the assumed design concepts.Modular elements for structural partitions are mainly used in single-family and non-residential buildings. In the case of private investors houses, the fixed costs of the investment mainly consist of mortgage servicing, so speeding up the construction of walls compared to small-sized blocks is not as important. Considering that younger investors, in particular, are more inclined to buy houses from developers, in investments involving the construction of several to a dozen single-family houses, whose number has been increasing in recent years, shortening the time has a real financial dimension. Regardless of profitability, the ability to complete the structure (even without insulation) in single day can be a key factor likely to increase interest in this technology. The key in this