Building a More Sustainable Future: What Does This Mean for the Construction Industry?

In the face of climate crisis, it’s no surprise that sustainable practices have become commonplace and more accessible. With this in mind, how is the construction industry adapting to the demands of our environment?  

Sustainable construction adopts a number of principles, with the overall goal to reduce the industry’s impact on the environment through sustainable development practices, utilising energy efficient sources, and taking advantage of green technology.  

Sustainability principles: 

• Reduce Waste 
• Recycle 
• Conserve Energy 
• Build Green Buildings  
• Use Sustainable Resources e.g. Bamboo, Recycled Plastic, and Laminated Timber. 

While many construction firms are reviewing their day to day practices and operations, there are certain trends that we can expect to see evolving in the immediate future, including Green Construction and Modular Buildings.  

What Does This Mean for the Construction Industry?

Green Construction

Green construction encompasses both the technology to lower a building’s carbon footprint and the careful planning of materials in order to reduce the use of resources. Not only does green construction improve the building’s sustainability rating, reports link to an overall improvement in the wellbeing of the building’s occupants and passers by. Benefits include productivity, mental health, work output, workplace satisfaction, staff attraction, sense of community, workplace pride, and positive atmosphere.  

However, with so many elements and initiatives to consider, how do we recognise sustainable builds and renovations? This is where schemes such as SKA and BREEAM are relevant. Both schemes are designed to rate building sustainability against industry recognised benchmarks, generating an overall performance score. 

BREEAM

BREEAM (Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method) was the first established sustainability rating scheme for construction and refurbishment. BREEAM helps clients measure and reduce the environmental impacts of their buildings and in doing so create higher value, lower risk assets.

What are the aims of BREEAM?

• To mitigate the life cycle impacts of buildings on the environment
• To enable buildings to be recognised according to their environmental benefits
• To provide a credible, environmental label for buildings
• To stimulate demand and create value for sustainable buildings, building products and supply chains.

SKA

SKA Rating was established in 2009 as the environmental assessment method, benchmark and standard for non-domestic fit-outs. It helps designers, contractors, landlords and tenants assess fit out projects against a set of sustainability good practice criteria, known as good practice measures (GPM). 

While other environmental rating standards exist (e.g. BREEAM), SKA addresses the need for a certification which is project driven, rather than whole building focussed. SKA Rating has been developed with designers, contractors, corporate occupiers, managing agents and consultants. It differs from other labelling systems in that it is:

• Project driven – labels fit out projects irrespective of base building
• Free online tool – this has been made available to help organisations achieve more sustainable fit outs (businesses only pay if they want formal certification).
• Flexible scoping – the tool measures only what is within the specific project’s scope.

Both BREEAM and SKA are useful rating systems which are becoming increasingly popular in the construction and fit out industry. For more information regarding the schemes and how to get involved, visit their websites here:

BREEAM: https://www.breeam.com/discover/how-breeam-certification-works/ SKA: https://www.rics.org/uk/about-rics/responsible-business/ska-rating/

Modular Buildings

Modular Buildings, also known as prefab buildings, are becoming more popular than ever before. This type of construction involves producing smaller units (modules) in off site factories, which are later transported to a construction site and assembled. Before leaving the factory, walls, floors, roofs, doors and windows are all built and installed, and wiring, plumbing and ductwork are added as well. Many modular buildings are now constructed with fixtures and finishes already in place before they ever leave the factory. 

Once the modules are transported to their site, they can be assembled and fitted seamlessly in a predetermined order which greatly reduces labour costs and time. The result is a complete building, often finished twice as fast as a similar building on a traditional site. While modular buildings offer fantastic benefits in terms of site efficiency and construction costs, they also offer impressive environmental benefits.

Eco Benefits: 

1. Decreases Construction Waste 

2. Uses Recycled Materials 

3. Decreases Energy Consumption During Construction 

4. Reduces Emissions 

5. Uses Insulation That Reduces Energy Needs 

6. Ability to Integrate Solar Panels 

7. Features Green Fixtures and Finishes e.g. LED lighting

8. Built to Last and to be Reused 

Maintaining Sustainable Momentum

Watching the construction industry adopting sustainable best practices and expanding the range of eco conscious materials is a reassuring sight. However, it is important that the industry maintains the momentum of this movement in order to reach wider targets, such as the UK government’s Net Zero target.

While trends constantly evolve and change, it is safe to say that sustainability has become more than a trend, rather a lifestyle change that we all need to continually review and improve.