Sustainability Research and Development Programme

This contractor has been working in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast to support academic research opportunities associated with the university’s Leadership for Sustainable Development MSc course. The Research and Development Programme has produced a number of diverse research projects surrounding sustainability, which are both utilised by the company and help to fulfil the MSc degree requirements.

In 2020, the research project was ‘A comparative assessment of carbon dioxide emissions associated with prefabricated and cast-in-situ construction techniques for concrete’. With currently no viable alternatives to concrete existing that would match it’s affordable, long-lasting and dependable nature, different construction techniques must be employed to reduce the embodied carbon on construction projects.

Results highlighted within the study support the contractors decision to opt with the precast construction technique over traditional cast-in-situ, as it provided many sustainability benefits, including:

• Reduced CO2 emissions (approx. 50% reduction during the construction stage)
• Reduced costs associated with waste and time on site
• Improved quality
• Reduced community disturbance
• Improved productivity

This research supports decisions surrounding sustainable construction techniques, as the company progresses towards Net Zero Carbon.