We live in an age where each and every one of us needs to think long and hard about what sort of carbon footprint we are leaving for future generations, and the building industry shouldn’t be, nor is it, exempt from this. Sustainability in the construction industry has never been more important than it is right now and an increasing number of companies are going green for the health of the earth and future generations.
Building a brighter future for us all
A construction company doesn’t just build homes, offices, and schools, it helps create neighbourhoods where people will live work and play for generations to come. In years gone by the amount of energy use and energy waste that went into the development of buildings was off the scale. The development of a building project usually entailed harsh environmental repercussions.
Levels of carbon dioxide and a variety of other pollution tended to soar during the creation and operation of buildings. Thankfully, the level of awareness surrounding such issues as climate change, fossil fuels, and recycling now means that when we build we think of how it will impact on the local environment and ecosystem and how we can limit that damage by utilising more sustainable practices.
To sustain is the name of the game
The building industry currently produces three times the waste of all the households in the UK combined. That’s over 36 million tones of waste being sent to landfill sites each and every year. Wood, insulation, plastic, lead pipes, glass, metals, paint and roofing materials, tiles, asphalt and brick and block are all being disposed of in landfill. This is a financial, social and environmental issue that has to change.
Any construction company operating today which cares about the future will strive to employ sustainable practices to negate any possible environmental footprint. Such an approach conserves energy, minimises waste, and if that wasn’t enough it also reduces costs. Energy Star rated windows and Energy stated appliances, in addition to the installation of solar panels, can all ensure that a building operates in both a green and efficient manner. The reduction of carbon emissions and waste are essential when approaching the process of design and construction. How water in the building will be drained and conserved is another key factor. As are considerations of biodiversity and waste reduction.
Building bridges to a better world
Sustainable practices need to become part and parcel of all construction endeavours for the greater good. Construction waste can be tackled by three sustainable superheroes. Their names are Reduce Reuse and Recycle. When a construction company builds a new building it not only needs to employ sustainable practices, it needs to ask if it is well run, well connected, well served, environmentally sensitive, well designed and built, actively inclusive and safe and fair for everyone. Above all, sustainability in the building industry is important because it builds a bridge to a better world for us all.
To find out more about how we prioritise sustainability in our building projects, speak to us at Lydon Contracting.
Lydon Contracting Ltd
Your Total Construction Solution
Tel: 01327 811533
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