“Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
The 1987 United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development led by former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland.
Profits, Planet, People
The three pillars of sustainability:
- Economic – Conserving natural resources used in economic production.
- Environmental – Maintaining life support systems necessary for human existence and economic production.
- Social – Balancing the human impact of economic systems.
Construction Consultants 7 Steps to Sustainability:
- Prioritise Sustainable Design and Engineering.
Consultants should integrate sustainability into every project from the outset and in line with the Golden Thread Principles and Building Regulation 38 to leverage this data to track, measure and reduce unsustainable practices throughout the built environment lifecycle.
Consultants should ensure that the design explores the insulation requirements of the development and how this can operate to reduce reliance on unsustainable energy sources in operation.
The BRE Group generates knowledge through independent research to create products, standards, and qualifications to help ensure buildings, homes and communities are safe, efficient, productive, sustainable, and enjoyable places to be.
BREEAM® is their suite of schemes to enable consistent and comparable assessment and verification across the entire built environment lifecycle. What is BREEAM? – BRE Group
- Prioritise Biodiversity and Habitat Creation.
Consultants should establish the ecological baseline and enhance this in their design proposals. This should include the creation of habitat opportunities and protecting and linking those that exist.
Consultants should focus on the impact of urbanism and how this can sustainably interface with the promotion of biodiversity and habitat creation.
Biodiversity: the new challenge for architecture | NBS (thenbs.com)
Bat, bird boxes, and bee bricks should be included in every development without exception.
- Prioritise Renewable Energy.
Consultants should ensure that Tender Documentation mandates the use of on-site renewable energy sources to power construction sites.
Consultants should ensure that their design explores renewable energy sources such as photovoltaics, ground source heat pumps, hydrogen, biomass, or electric boilers over gas, etc.
Rigorous new targets for green building revolution – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Prioritise Efficient Logistics and Deliveries.
Consultants to ensure that Tender Documentation mandate the requirement for Contractors to minimize delivery mileage, emissions, and carbon footprint, this could be achieved by planning deliveries strategically to reduce overall transportation impact and using electric powered vehicles.
SECBE | Blog: The Crucial Role of Logistics in Construction Projects – how good are yours?
- Prioritise Ethical Materials.
Consultants to ensure they propose or recommend suppliers and products that adhere to ethical and sustainable practices that also support and enhance sustainability.
Is it time you faced up to ethical sourcing? – Construction Management
- Minimise Waste and Prioritise Recycling.
Consultants to ensure that they set out targets for waste reduction and requirements for recycling. Consultants should (where able) require Contractors to re-use existing materials in their design i.e. reusing existing tiles or bricks.
Changing construction’s throwaway culture | Modus | RICS
Construction waste and materials efficiency | NBS (thenbs.com)
- Prioritise the Social Impact.
Consultants to ensure that they review the social impact of construction to support the eradication / reduction of poverty, improve human rights, creation of opportunities (employment, impact on communities, wellbeing, and economic stability).
Consultants to recommend that Clients include Social Value Initiatives in line with the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012. Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 (legislation.gov.uk)
Social value in construction – quick guide: the role of procurement – CCS (crowncommercial.gov.uk)
The why and how of measuring social value in infrastructure | Journals | RICS