Sustainable in Construction
In this issue of Insight magazine you’ll see several organisations getting on the band wagon for sustainable construction, but we need to ask ourselves a couple of pretty fundamental questions;
Why do we need sustainable practices and products?
What is sustainable construction?
The Why...
There is ever increasing interest, in both private and public sector customers, to understand sustainable construction practices. This interest is driven by a realisation that sustainable practices make sense to constructors, owners and operators. The practices not only help the environment but can also improve economic profitability and improve relationships with stakeholder groups by;
• Increased profitability using resources more efficiently
• Securing opportunities offered by sustainable products or ways of working
• Enhancing company image and profile in the market place by addressing issues relating to Corporate and Social Responsibility
But you would be wrong to assume that this is only for the big construction firms as we are all consumers and are becoming more aware of the impact we are having on the planet. So whether you’re tendering for a public scheme or quoting on an individual residence, sustainability, credentials and practices will be looked upon favourably by the owner/operator.
Sustainable Development
The term Sustainable Development was coined in 1987 as: "...development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs".
The report in which this statement was penned was significant because it helped trigger a wide range of actions, summits, UN framework agreements and UK specific Sustainability Strategies including;
• ‘Strategy for Sustainable Construction’(launched by UK Government)
• Constructing Excellence
• The Sustainability Forum
• Materials Resource Efficiency in Regeneration
To name but a few and this can be a problem. A search on the internet will find thousands of opinions and strategies, so what is sustainable construction?
The What...
To give you the buzz words;
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Triple-Bottom Line
• Sustainable Communities Plan
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a key driver for private sector companies seeking to embrace sustainability in their business by integrating CSR behaviour into their core values. Its key principles relate to: Integrity; Transparency; Responsiveness, Fairness and Diversity. The concept of Triple-Bottom Line relates to the reporting of environmental and social performance (the environmental and social bottom line) alongside profits (the economic bottom line) as measures of success. The Triple-Bottom line encompasses environmental responsibility, social awareness/responsibility and economic profitability.
The Sustainable Communities Plan sets out major reforms of housing and planning and a new approach to how we build, and what we build, in order to bring about development that meets the economic, social and environmental needs of future generations, as well as succeeding now.
The public sector will be imposing sustainability conditions from ‘The Plan’ in their forthcoming procurement schemes, and thus sustainability is expected to gain importance in governmental procurement.
But what do you need to do?
Sustainability in construction is not yet an exact science, therefore some of the solutions offered are not always definitive, but the underpinning principles of Reduce, Replace, Re-use and Recycle are always present in some form or other;
• Keep up-to-date with the latest product innovations.
• Consider the ‘cradle to grave’ implications of the products you use; natural resources, production costs, transportation, life span, recyclability.
• Let your customers know the steps you’ve undertaken to achieve a more sustainable business.
• Join a construction scheme to assist you with planning and implementation.
• Consider adapting your business methods with regard to running an office, power usage, wastage and technology.
• Reduce vehicle usage, implement car-sharing, use more efficient models.
• Maintain equipment.
• Have procedures for dealing with site waste.
But what benefits will you see if you adopt the above practices...
More and more construction projects in the public sector require firms to have sustainability plans or commitments. Whilst this may seem daunting for some, a common sense step-by-step approach can quickly identify the best tools, products and procedures to suit your business.
But consider the opportunities, in a local community, sustainability planning grapples with;
• Housing shortages
• Decent Homes
• Abandonment
• Liveability
• Protecting the countryside
There has to be opportunities for all to benefit if we understand the issues and take steps to change our business focus. In the next issues of Insight we’ll cover Sustainability Practices to ‘cradle to grave’ products and what it means for constructors, customers and the environment. |
