Tags

Thursday 20th June was Clean Air Day 2019, the UK’s largest campaign against air pollution. Before this on Wednesday 5th June it was World Environment Day, the United Nations day for encouraging worldwide awareness and action to protect our environment, with this year’s theme focusing on air pollution. Between the two events, the Multiplex Sustainability Team posted 13 Top Tips…

Sites that are not on a mains electricity supply often use individual lighting towers, each powered by a single generator, to provide lighting to site compounds etc. This can result in relatively high fuel use and associated carbon emissions. Volker Fitzpatrick chose instead to install a number of second hand street lighting columns, fitted with LED lights, linked to the…

In order to adequately manage and monitor noise at local sensitive receptors during the build, three noise monitors have been installed to provide real-time data at three locations. A logistical challenge was presented by the remote location required for these monitors to be placed and consequently, lack of power source. However, this was overcome through early engagement with a local…

Ardmore have introduced the use of double-storey height, precast reinforced concrete columns which had the following benefits. Carbon footprint: With the concrete coming in precast, there is a vastly reduced number of vehicles on site, approximately 50%. Community: Now less vehicles are arriving on site, the impact on the community is greatly diminished. The public’s safety is increased with less…

This project is set to be the UK’s first fossil fuel-free major mixed-use property estate, all eight buildings across the development will be powered by electricity derived from renewable resources, producing zero emissions in operation. Features of the Fossil Fuel-Free Mixed-Use Estate: All buildings across this estate will be electric and use air source heat pumps. The first on this…

The UK Government is required to achieve an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, however the National Atmospheric Emission Inventory recently highlighted that emissions produced from diesel run vehicles increased by 20% in 2016 compared to 1990 levels. The health impacts associated with diesel engines are now well known and London has introduced low emissions zones and Non-Road…

To aid in getting the project team back on site safety during the coronavirus restrictions where feasible and allowed, they bought twenty folding bikes for the team to use. This allowed for the team to travel some or all of their journey to and from work by bike and therefore avoiding public transport which was more congested and presented more…

There is some speculation that because plant is electric that it won’t perform as well, so awareness is currently an issue. This contractor couldn’t find clean tech readily in the UK and looked into the European market to find solutions and therefore went to Germany and met with BMS and have since partnered with them and had a number of…

This contractor is trying to create a more environmentally and carbon aware workforce through a number of different schemes. Seminars are a good way to do this however, they have found the best way is through incentives. By incentivising carbon offsetting through their employee of the month programme, they are creating a culture that is more aware of the carbon…

From October 2013, under the Companies Act 2006 (Strategic and Directors’ Reports) Regulations 2013, quoted companies are required to report their greenhouse gas emissions on an annual basis. A quoted company is a company whose shares are traded on a stock exchange, such as the London Stock Exchange. Other non-quoted companies can also voluntarily report their annual greenhouse gas emissions….

This project achieved carbon neutral status by registering with the ‘One Carbon World’ Scheme, working out its carbon footprint and purchasing carbon credits at a discounted rate. The carbon credits are then used in support of tree planting on a Rainforest Alliance validated sustainable forestry project. One Carbon World is a carbon neutral not-for-profit organisation and a global resource partner…

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…

As part of working towards reducing our carbon emissions and becoming carbon positive, we have replaced our standard cherry picker with a NIFTY HR21 HYBRID 4×4 MK2. Niftylift has combined an efficient Tier 4/EU Stage IIIB Diesel engine with a clean and quiet electric power pack to produce the world’s first parallel hybrid power system on a MEWP. The system…

On this project they have been part of a trial to determine if they can swap to sustainable PPE. Five members of the team have trialled sustainable workwear in efforts to ‘green up’ the supply chain. Items of PPE that have been a part of the trial include soft shell jackets and boots made from recycled plastic bottles, glasses made…

The site had to construct just over 500 metres of diaphragm walling, which was 30 metres deep. Through 3D modelling, the site was able to arrange for prefabricated reinforcement cages to be delivered and placed in single lengths. The particularly innovative aspect was the use of 3D modelling to create formwork for each one of the steel cage panels. The…