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This contractor decided to use butcher curtains to drive energy efficiencies and environmental benefits to the project. The use of butcher curtains to cover the external temporary and permanent doors or openings provided a draft-free environment inside the building, even if the doors were open, the curtains prevented cold air from entering the building and rooms and prevented hot air…
As the Lillie Square project was evolving from superstructure and cladding towards utilising fit-out trades, the project held a ‘managing fit-out waste workshop’ with subcontractors. The purpose of the session was to help raise awareness about the importance of waste on the project and to also discuss ways in which waste could be reduced. The workshop covered a number of…
Sites should be conscious of the impact their project is having on the environment. In order to limit the negative impact, the waste produced on site should be reduced and recycled. Measures to reduce waste should be identified and implemented on site. Below is an example of how sites have achieved this, using recyclable hoardings: Hoarding was constructed using a recyclable…
The project is using drainage kerbs made from recycled waste polymers, packaging, freezer bags and single use plastic bottles. Using products made from recycled polymers ensures that a valuable resource is not sent to landfill or used as a fuel. A drainage kerb made from recycled waste polymers also has a lower carbon footprint than an equivalent concrete drainage kerb….
There are many different drivers to reducing and eliminating waste on construction projects. A simple way of reducing waste where possible, and significantly reducing the numbers of vehicles coming to and from site from waste removal is a compactor or baler. Cardboard and plastic waste being baled not only saves space on site, but reduces costs in skips and decreases…
This contractor has used biodegradable cable ties to further reduce the consumption of single use plastics onsite. These cable ties have been used in areas such as exclusion zones and in their debris netting on the scaffold. This has been particularly useful as cable ties are often disposed of in general waste which is often then converted to landfill. In…
Although this is not mandatory, the colour coding of construction waste skips is becoming widespread throughout the construction industry. The colour scheme refers to labels that can be fitted to waste skips, indicating the types of waste that can be placed in them, thus helping with waste segregation and reducing disposal costs. Skips can also be painted in their designated…
By returning HDPE membrane off-cuts from site to Newton headquarters in Tonbridge via backloads, the material is then initially processed in-house. Working closely with the UK’s largest non-profit recycling organisation RECOUP in order to set up the necessary relationships with both a plastics reprocessor and an end-manufacturer who will use the recycled material. Newton is the first waterproofing materials supplier…
This contractor has opted to use SESI Soaps for the cleaning and maintaining of site. The products are all vegan, cruelty free and made using biodegradable plant based formulas. In addition to this the contractor are using the refillable containers to avoid single use plastic.
On this project there is a large amount of plastic water barriers (approximately 1.5km in length). Over time sections of this barrier became worn or damaged from vehicle strikes, handling etc. and becomes unfit for use – usually when it can no longer hold water. They gathered up quite a quantity of these end-of-life barriers and were looking at a…
This contractor has worked with Smile Plastics on their site in London. The start-up company uses recycled plastics only to create new items of furniture for the final completed project, with an agreement in place for Smile Plastics to create vanity units for the superloos on site. They have been successful in using a start-up company to provide 100% recycled…
This contractor booked a meeting room to hold a screening of the docu-film ‘A Plastic Ocean’. They had 15 attendees from the team who joined for a plastic free lunch and film, and received a reusable water bottle, mug and bag for attending and to help kick-off their actions and as a reminder of their commitment. This initiative can be…
Students are playing a key role in helping to reduce the carbon footprint of this new school. The contractor is involved in consultations with students at Kenilworth Multi Academy Trust (KMAT) during the build process on issues which will help minimise the school’s impact on the planet. Ideas are discussed by the KMAT’s ‘Green Team’ and the wider student population…
This contractor is working with their subcontractors to meet their One Decade to Act goal of zero avoidable waste by 2030. One of the ways they are doing this is through opting for Proplex sustainable signage. They made a change by eliminating the use of laminators and PVC signage and instead communicated this information at their monthly sustainability meeting. Paper…
Cartons of milk are a commodity in most UK households, however, most disregard these and throw them away. Milk bottle tops can be broken down and turned into pellets to be used in the production of other items such as traffic cones as long as they are responsibly cleaned and separated. Introducing Friends of Water Search and Rescue Team, a…