The UK has committed to hitting net-zero by 2050. The construction industry is one of the most significant users of global resources and contributors to pollution, which means we will have to rethink the whole construction industry to play our part in hitting the target.
The built environment currently stands for 33% of carbon emissions in the UK, and the construction industry agreed in 2017 with the government to halve their emissions by 2025. This means that for four years, sustainability has been a critical focus on many construction projects, from sourcing materials to designing and building an eco-friendly future.
We get it; tackling climate change isn’t a one-man job, but small changes throughout your project can make a huge difference.
Here are our top 3 ways to be more sustainable on your construction site:
1) Cut down on waste
Our industry produces an enormous amount of waste; every year, 400 million tonnes of material is used in construction and ¼ of that goes to waste. Of course, you can re-use excess materials at the end of the project; however, the critical thing here is to ensure you are recycling correctly, using skips and recycling units efficiently and where possible.
2) Use sustainable building materials
One of the first steps of creating a sustainable site, although concrete is the most preferred construction material, it isn’t environmentally friendly as the production releases a large number of greenhouse gasses in the air.
So, what’s the eco-friendly option?
Over the years, engineers have found several different building materials, one of which is, surprisingly, straw bales. They are now considered a better alternative to rebar and concrete construction as they provide high insulation levels from hot and cold weather when sealed correctly.
3) Transport, transport, transport
Firstly, getting materials transported to your site can account for a significant amount of carbon emissions before the physical construction has begun. Of course, you may not have influence over how your materials are delivered, but you can be more mindful of sourcing locally.
Secondly, your onsite transport fleet. To reduce the carbon footprint generated by the transportation fleet, you can use a transportation management system. It will help you monitor drivers and their driving behaviour, control speed limit, map out the best possible routes.