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The Strategy for Sustainable Construction

 

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Purpose of the Strategy

This Strategy is aimed at providing clarity around the existing policy framework and signalling the future direction of Government policy. It aims to realise the shared vision of sustainable construction by:

  • Providing clarity to business on the Government’s position by bringing together diverse regulations and initiatives relating to sustainability;
  • Setting and committing to higher standards to help achieve sustainability in specific areas;
  • Making specific commitments by industry and Government to take the sustainable construction agenda forward.

Delivery

To deliver the Strategy, Government and industry have devised a set of overarching targets related to the ‘ends’ and ‘means’ of sustainable construction. The ‘ends’ relate directly to sustainability issues, such as climate change and biodiversity; the ‘means’ describe processes to help achieve the ‘ends’.

The table below sets out overarching targets and the chapters of the Strategy in which they are discussed. Central to each of these chapters is a delivery plan for industry and Government of specific actions and deliverables which will contribute to the achievement of the overarching target.

 

 

Chapter

Headings

Overarching Target

The

‘Means’

Procurement

To achieve improved whole life value through the promotion of best practice construction procurement and supply side integration, by encouraging the adoption of the Construction Commitments in both the public and private sectors and throughout the supply chain.

Design

The overall objective of good design is to ensure that buildings, infrastructure, public spaces and places are buildable, fit for purpose, resource efficient, sustainable, resilient, adaptable and attractive. Good design is synonymous with sustainable construction.

Our aim is to achieve greater use of design quality assessment tools relevant to buildings, infrastructure, public spaces and places.

Innovation

To enhance the industry’s capacity to innovate and increase the sustainability of both the construction process and its resultant assets.

People

An increase in organisations committing to a planned approach to training (e.g. Skills Pledges; training plans; Investors in People or other business support tools; Continuous Professional Development (CPD); life long learning).

Reduce the incidence rate of fatal and major injury accidents by 10% year on year from 2000 levels.

Better Regulation

A 25% reduction in the administrative burdens affecting the private and third sectors, a 30% reduction in those affecting the public sector by 2010.

The

‘Ends’

Climate Change Mitigation

Reducing total UK carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by at least 60% on 1990 levels by 2050 and by at least 26% by 2020. Within this, Government has already set out its policy that new homes will be zero carbon from 2016, and an ambition that new schools, public sector non-domestic buildings and other non-domestic buildings will be zero carbon from 2016, 2018 and 2019 respectively.

Climate Change Adaptation

To develop a robust approach to adaptation to climate change, shared across Government.

Water

To assist with the Future Water vision to reduce per capita consumption of water in the home through cost effective measures, to an average of 130 litres per person per day by 2030, or possibly even 120 litres per person per day depending on new technological developments and innovation.

Biodiversity

That the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity within and around construction sites is considered throughout all stages of a development.

Waste

By 2012, a 50% reduction of construction, demolition and excavation waste to landfill compared to 2008.

Materials

That the materials used in construction have the least environmental and social impact as is feasible both socially and economically.

 

Overview

The construction industry and Government will have key roles in implementing this Strategy.

For instance, all 30 member organisations of the Construction Industry Council will be developing and delivering a work programme in support of sustainable construction. The CIC will also be developing a Sustainability Charter to which all members would be required to sign up as a condition of membership.

The Construction Products Association has embedded sustainability thinking within its organisational objectives and is encouraging the industry to develop products and processes that contribute to a more sustainable built environment. It convenes numerous working groups, workshops and work programmes with its members to take forward the necessary activities. It promotes the uptake of Key Performance Indicator measurement by its members.

The UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC) is working with members and other stakeholders to create a ‘Roadmap to Sustainability’, a shared vision of a sustainable built environment that provides a path for the industry, its clients and policy makers to follow.

CIRIA will provide a means through which the many different stakeholders in construction can work together to promote this Strategy throughout industry. This will be performed using member contacts, networks and events (including CIEF), where appropriate, to promote the Government’s targets for sustainable construction.

Constructing Excellence will use its extensive network of organizations and businesses from across the built environment to communicate and promote the Strategy. It will also engage its local club network to promote the Strategy to SMEs and regional offices of major players. To aid uptake of sustainable practice, the Construction Clients Group has produced a Plain English Guide to Sustainable Construction.

Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) will support this Strategy through strategic alignment and working in partnership with the rest of the public sector while understanding the needs of business.

Industry, Government and its agencies will continue to work together – primarily by the actions outlined in the preceding chapters. As an example of activity within the public sector, the Department of Health promotes the Strategy across the health and social care sector and has developed the BREEAM Healthcare environmental assessment tool. This is supported by guidance, to ensure that in future NHS healthcare facilities are built and operated in accordance with these sustainable construction principles.

The Strategic Forum for Construction will be monitoring industry’s progress in regard to the actions and deliverables contained in this Strategy. BIS will be undertaking a similar function for actions and deliverables relating to the public sector.

The intention is to publish reports on progress at two year intervals and to hold conferences in 2009 and 2011. Targets, actions and deliverables will be reassessed and refreshed at these times.

Constructing Excellence collects the key performance indicator data for the industry. A number of Key Performance Indicators are relevant to the chapters within the Strategy and would help organisations to measure their performance against industry averages. Further information is available at: http://www.kpizone.com/

The Sustainable Development Commission will continue to monitor the performance of central Government operations against the targets of the Sustainable Operations on the Government Estate; this framework covers energy, biodiversity and consumption/production.

 

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