Industry targets greener, cleaner construction sites

A coalition including some of the UK's leading construction firms has today released a new report, detailing how the sector could slash carbon emissions by 15 per cent in just two years, through the introduction of simple energy efficiency measures.

The 68-page action plan was developed by the Strategic Forum for Construction, an industry-wide group including construction, engineering and property firms such as Arup, Balfour Beatty, Bovis Lend Lease; Skanska and Taylor Wimpey, as well as the Carbon Trust and the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

It sets out a package of measures that could cut carbon emissions from building sites in England by 750,000 tonnes a year, saving firms £180m a year in energy costs.

In particular, it notes that the replacement or upgrading of draughty and inefficient temporary cabins could cut carbon emissions by 200,000 tonnes a year, while reducing annual energy bills by £45m.

"Cabins are one of the biggest single sources of carbon emissions and simply replacing them with more efficient cabins, with proper insulation and triple glazing, could cut the industry's emissions by four per cent," Paul Toyne, chairman of the Carbon Subgroup of the Strategic Forum for Construction, told BusinessGreen.com. "The financial savings mean that the payback period can be as short as two years."

The action plan also details how the sector could cut emissions by using more fuel-efficient delivery and fleet vehicles, and deliver another 84,000 tonnes a year in carbon savings by using more efficient equipment on site.

In addition, Toyne said that the group was aiming to work with electricity grid operators to try and connect construction sites to the grid at an earlier stage in many projects – such a move would minimise the use of diesel generators and help to cut carbon emissions by 45,000 tonnes a year.

He added that the companies within the group would now begin work on specific proposals, detailing how they intend to translate the action plan's recommendations into onsite activities.