As the country seeks to become more environmentally efficient, regulation surrounding environmental responsibility is becoming increasingly tight.
Nowhere is this more prominent than the construction industry. This is in part due to the huge presence of waste and emissions that comes as a by-product of the industry’s work.
In order to win contracts and protect themselves financially, construction companies must take on the challenges presented by the ever-tightening environmental legislation.
This has the potential to reshape the construction industry and how they operate. But with that being said, there are some easy checks and changes that can be put in place to ensure they are improving their environmental responsibility.
Here are five areas that construction companies can look into improving. This is to ensure that they are ready to tackle the challenges surrounding increased environmental responsibility.
Training
When training your team it is important to explain the why as well as the do and don’ts of construction within the bounds of environmental regulation.
You are only as good as your team. If your team is well informed on environmental policies they will be able to ensure that they aren’t unknowingly causing issues that could lead to penalties.
Often incidents that lead to harsh penalties are caused by simple mistakes. These are usually made by construction teams who are not well versed on policy surrounding their environmental responsibilities.
Training your team and ensuring they understand the legislation is an immediate change that you can make. This can have a profound impact in protecting your company from avoidable penalties.
Recycling & Recycled Materials
When working on a build you may have an opportunity to opt for recycled materials. No matter if it is for piping, framework, or for other applications, they are often every bit as reliable as conventional materials.
It will help boost your chances of winning contracts as it shows your willingness to go above and beyond in ensuring that your build is environmentally responsible.
In an industry where reputation is key, working with recycled materials will offer you an opportunity to stand out from the crowd.
Water & Wastewater
Water and wastewater mismanagement could lead to fines amounting in the tens of millions. For this reason alone it’s important to ensure you have everything appropriately accounted for.
You need to consider the essentials, like who supplies my water and wastewater treatment? And how do I know everything is being properly managed and taken care of?
Look for a water supplier with experience specifically in the construction sector to ensure that you are on top of industry standards.
Premium suppliers, like Castle Water, will guide you through all the services that you need with helpful insight on how to treat water at an affordable rate. The support they offer will keep you company within all legislative requirements.
Environmental Design Considerations
For those on the design team, simple changes could make big differences in creating efficient homes that use less energy. Not only must the construction build itself be environmentally sound, homes are expected to be more energy efficient.
Simple changes like more open space, bigger windows, and a light design could cut-down the need for electricity. Take advantage of daylight. Sturdy homes that trap heat well will also help reduce gas costs. Double or triple glazing windows may be an effective installation to consider.
Homes that can accommodate renewable energy will also be in demand in the coming years, bringing us on to:
Renewables
From solar panels to heat pumps, many are looking for renewable energy in their builds, with that in mind, construction companies will have to design homes that can accommodate renewables.
Again, showing that you can build premises with renewable energy in mind may be exactly what is needed to win your construction company a big contract. With a growing emphasis on renewables in the public sector this has never been as important as it is currently.