How can sustainability be promoted in building projects?

Podcast

|5/17/2024

In this episode, broadcaster Rachel Burden hears from architectural designer and Channel 4 presenter Charlie Luxton on why he’s so passionate about creating greener building projects. He tells Dani, Chief Commercial Officer of HSS ProService Marketplace, it’s great that companies will be able to better measure Scope 3 carbon emissions on the new platform. Or, read the guide below to discover how you can promote and build sustainable architecture and what steps you can take to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

“In five years’ time the entire basis of your business is going to have to change, and either you’re ahead of that change or you’re playing catch up, it’s your choice.”

That’s the stark warning from architectural designer and Channel 4 presenter Charlie Luxton to businesses who he says are often focused on keeping costs down in the current financial climate, rather than prioritising sustainable building, to help reach the governments 2050 net zero target.

And, with the building sector accounting for 38% of global C02 emissions, it’s vital that the building sector starts to take steps today to reduce carbon emissions.

“It’s very high in everyone’s ambitions lists” he says, but in reality, this becomes ‘it’s quite nice to have …. but actually we can get by without it”.

Sustainable building projects read well on paper but when it comes to putting your money where your Mi-Tower is, that’s when plans start to fall short.

So, how can sustainability be promoted in building projects, moving ambition to actuality?

In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about prioritising, promoting and pursuing sustainable projects, including the benefits, changes you can make, and potential challenges you may face and how to overcome them.

Don’t have time to read the guide? Listen to Charlie Luxton’s full insights from episode three of The Drill, ‘Charlie Luxton talks sustainable buildings and contractor buy-in’ by listening below.

Benefits of promoting sustainability throughout your building projects.

We already know that by promoting sustainability through building projects cuts that building’s greenhouse gas emissions throughout it’s lifetime, but there’s plenty of reasons your business should, too.

It’s a Money Saver – Although there may be higher upfront costs, sustainable construction saves money. Green materials require minimum maintenance, so there won’t be a need to constantly fix or replace anything. Environmental buildings are also cost-effective as most use renewable energy & reduce water usage which will save money on energy bills.

Improves Social Value - As we move towards Net Zero, social value is recognised as a crucial aspect of business operations. This is because how you convey your sustainable practices shows your focus is beyond simply profit; you’re emphasising your business’ impact on its community, environment, and employees. By prioritising sustainable practices and conveying them to your community, this can create stronger relationships throughout your network.

Better Quality of Life – If we’re working on improving our outdoor environment, why wouldn’t we do the same when we’re inside too? According to research, better air quality, insulation & light sources all contribute to creating a cleaner indoor environment. These changes can help reduce stress, asthma and other health conditions improving the quality of life for those work or live in sustainable buildings.

However, to reap the benefits that promoting sustainability brings to construction projects, you don’t need to make significant changes straight out of the gate.

HSS ProService Marketplace can provide you with the tools you need to create sustainable buildings, such as greener product alternatives at the point of order, a sustainability insights dashboard, and more. Best of all? It’s completely free to sign up. Book a demo and let us show you how the platform works.

Book a demo now

Three sustainable building challenges (and how to overcome them).

Bumps in the road are part and parcel with any construction project. But just because you’re faced with challenges, doesn’t mean you can’t overcome them if you’re prepared.

Here’s three challenges you may come across during your sustainable build:

High Initial Costs - Initial costs may be a challenge as materials are more expensive upfront than traditional builds. This will have a knock-on effect for main contractors as the pricing for their new materials and technologies might not be able to stay consistent.
However, sustainable buildings can increase profit values by up to 20%. So, although you may have higher material costs, the building itself will be worth significantly more.

Regulations – As legislation often change, it’s important to use a partner company that will keep you up to date with changing regulation information and who check that the products you’re using are complying with that information on your behalf. A failure to do so could mean significant overhead costs for your business.

Lack of Sustainable Product Information – Using sustainable products is only half the battle. To build a report on how sustainable your projects are, you need complete oversight into how much C02 your equipment produces, how much was used to transport the goods to your site, and so on. Oftentimes, suppliers are reluctant to provide this information, especially to SMEs.
One way to overcome this is to work with a third party provider, who can liaise with the supply chain on your behalf, and provide all information for you.

Although technology and new processes can seem daunting, these challenges are simple to overcome with the right groundwork during the planning process. Whether looking for a new supplier, or evaluating your current supply chain, it’s vital to evaluate how they can support your businesses to become more environmentally conscious.

How can sustainability be incorporated into construction projects?

Creating a sustainable build isn’t just about meeting regulatory requirements. It’s about rethinking traditional practices and adopting innovative approached to minimise a building’s long term environment impact, while maximising long-term value.

Although this seems overwhelming, with the right knowledge these can be easy to implement.

Here’s three ways you can start incorporating sustainability you’re your construction projects today:

1. Using sustainable materials.

Every project you’ve worked on likely uses the same, or similar materials. However, it’s important to work with third-party suppliers who can provide sustainable materials, including those that have been recycled or locally sourced. This can significantly reduce a building project’s environmental impact.

Although searching for these alternatives can often be time consuming without the right technology, it will help to promise sustainability throughout your building project.

2. Having a local supply chain.

With Scope 3 data becoming ever more important, it’s vital to choose a supplier that is local to your site, or sites. This helps you avoid excessive transport fees (especially on last minute deliveries), and keeps carbon emissions down.

Alternatively, selecting a supplier that has a large network across the UK can ensure that no matter where your project is located, the emissions to get materials or equipment to your site will be significantly lower than one with a single location.

3. Using the latest technology.

To support your construction businesses to become more sustainable, there are many technologies available to support you.

A good provider will give you the tools you need to understand your full C02 emissions on a project by project basis, including Scope 3 reports, and give your team the power to make sustainable choices, such as choosing to hire equipment that emits less carbon per hour. Although these can be costly, depending on the provider, some are available free of charge.

On the HSS ProService Marketplace, we provide Scope 3 reporting tools as standard to remove the human error from your sustainability data. To find out how it can help you translate your businesses’ commitment to sustainably into operational processes, book a free demo with a member of our team now.

Book demo now

Creating a sustainable future.

So, how can sustainability be promoted in building projects?

The short answer: through every element of the project, from initial scope to the end result.

By understanding the benefits that come with building sustainable buildings and how you can implement these changes to your projects you begin to take the necessary steps to creating a sustainable future.

Now that you know how to move forward with sustainable building projects, you’ll have no problems making a positive change for the environment.

One way your business can achieve this is by implementing a new procurement process. Modern solutions, such as HSS ProService Marketplace, help businesses to lower their carbon emissions by giving their teams the necessary tools to make better choices with ‘greener alternatives’ at the point of order. The marketplace also includes carbon emissions reports that include Scope 3 emissions. This gives all levels of your business insight into your carbon output and takes the headache out of reporting.

Whatever solution you choose, prioritise sustainable building projects and architecture.