Andy Walder, director of the National Construction College, Europe’s largest construction training provider, looks at the importance of environmental best practice and sustainable building solutions and how businesses can improve their sustainability credentials by undertaking specialist construction training.

Sustainability is increasingly becoming an issue of concern to us all, whether this is the amount of waste we produce, the amount of energy we use or the products we choose to buy. The construction, maintenance and use of buildings impacts substantially on the environment and is currently contributing significantly to irreversible changes to the world’s climate.

Buildings are responsible for almost half of the country’s carbon emissions, half of our water consumption, about one third of all UK landfill waste and one quarter of all raw materials used in the economy.

If the construction industry is to deliver the thousands of projects currently underway or planned, while also helping to meet the Government’s targets of an 80% reduction of the 1990 levels of emissions by 2050 and a 50% reduction in construction waste to landfill by 2012, the workforce must be provided with the training and tools they need to become skilled in modern and sustainable building techniques.

In the current climate it is very easy for many of us to forget the importance and impact our sustainability credentials can have on the environment but also on the profitability of the company.

An improved approach to an organisation’s sustainability procedures can have an immediate and substantial effect on reducing operational costs, but it can also lead to an improved reputation which can consequently have longer term profitability benefits to a business.

Good site managers are a key factor in the success and efficiency of a build and although they are not often involved in early stages of a site’s design and planning, there are many aspects relating to sustainability that they can implement throughout the lifespan of a project.

Site managers and supervisors can ensure best practice in areas such as complying with the Code for Sustainable Homes and associated environmental assessment schemes such as BREEAM, as well as producing effective site waste management plans.

As sustainable practices are now a legal requirement and clients are increasingly demanding that environmental assessment schemes are adhered to, if not exceeded, it is important for all of those on a site to take responsibility – it is no longer a box-ticking exercise.

A building project’s environmental impact extends much further than how much energy it will take to power and maintain it – considerations need to be put in place from design to procurement as well as from build to end use.

Energy use on site needs to be considered, especially in relation to vehicles and transport. Petrol and diesel consumption of site vehicles as well as energy use in site cabins are areas which can have a dramatic impact on carbon emissions. In these instances it is important to consider the length of time engines and generators are left running, as well as measuring access routes around the site and minimising the number of miles travelled.

Efficient use of materials on site, as well as responsible procurement, is an aspect where site workers and managers can take proactive steps. Those responsible for procurement need to ensure that materials provide good value for money, rather than just being the cheapest, and that a method for disposing of packaging is in place.

One of the most problematic materials on a site can be plasterboard, as standard length boards often result in non-reuseable off-cuts. It is estimated that plasterboard makes up 36% of site waste each year and large manufacturers can now offer plasterboard cut to a specified length, which could prove more efficient, both in time and cost.

Biodiversity can also become a matter for site managers and supervisors. Protected species such as badgers, bats and crested newts, as well as flora, including wild orchids, are surrounded by strict guidelines as to what can and cannot be done should their presence be discovered. For example, work cannot be carried within 30 metres of a badger sett, but sometimes it can be problematic to distinguish between them and fox dens or rabbit warrens. Site investigations prior to work commencing should identify these issues. However, managers should have the skills to identify these and take action should they be noticed during the build process.

In terms of reaching the Government’s target, there is still a long way to go, but by providing people with the training and knowledge they need, we can start to address these issues now to help us all build a sustainable future.

The National Construction College is the training arm of ConstructionSkills and offers both young apprentices and adult students a wide range of specialist courses, including a number of sustainability courses which cover areas such as environmental management systems, waste management, understanding the Code for Sustainable Homes and site sustainability simplified. It has seven campuses around the UK, which provide training for more than 30,000 people per year.

Andy Walder
Director
National Construction College
http://www.nationalconstructioncollege.co.uk
0344 994 4433