The sustainability jigsaw

Sustainability has come a long way in the last few years, from tree huggers to the mainstream. But with confusion and misconception still common-place, many manufacturers and specifiers find it a puzzle. CIMCIG's Chris Ashworth shows how the pieces fit together.

How can so many alternative, and very different, products (such as timber and steel) all claim to be more sustainable than one another?

The answer is that sustainability should be judged on a product's performance in seven key areas. This is what BRE is trying to achieve with its Green Guide To Specification, consolidating its findings into simple ratings. But it's difficult, especially when the same product can be produced by different factories. Unsurprisingly therefore, there's a tendency among some manufacturers to focus on those areas where their products perform best. This in turn leads to conflicting claims. Sustainability consultants, and not a few specifiers, are becoming increasingly aware of the various elements of the sustainability jigsaw. But among many professionals there's still a lot of confusion, and therefore plenty of scope for 'greenwash'.

The following are the seven key pieces of the 'sustainability jigsaw':

Type of material

The type of material used, and its impact on the planet's resources now and in the future, is the first consideration. This is where products made from renewable resources or recycled materials are well positioned. Oil based products are at a disadvantage.

Method of manufacture

This takes into account the resources required to manufacture the product (e.g. energy, water etc), as well as the amount of waste created and the working conditions of those involved in the process. Increasingly, manufacturers are turning to green electricity as a means of improving their carbon emissions. Some use closed-loop water systems topped up via rain water harvesting. Other considerations are the chemical additives used in manufacturing some renewable materials to prevent them from deteriorating.

Transport to site

Although it's difficult to track, as there aren't currently the systems in place to accurately measure it, transporting goods made locally might reasonably be expected to use fewer carbon emissions than those that are shipped from half way round the world. Claims and counterclaims about the efficiency of various forms of transport can make decision making in this area subjective, however.

Packaging

Traditionally an area associated with high wastage, various requirements are now in place to deal with the removal and disposal of packaging to prevent it from ending up in landfill. Major progress has been made in reducing packaging levels in recent years, as this is an area where it's easy to show rapid improvement.

Product wastage

With some materials there's little or no wastage on site. This is a benefit of using modern methods of construction. Other materials, such as plasterboard, traditionally have high levels of on-site wastage.

UK manufacturers have put in place the Ashdown Agreement, which commits them to reducing the waste that goes to landfill. Increasingly, clients are also setting site waste targets as part of their contract requirements. John Lewis, for example, encourages zero-waste-to-landfill on its construction sites.

Efficiency in use

This considers both the ease of installation, and how efficient a product is once it has been installed. 'Efficiency in use' might therefore include the level of thermal insulation provided, or the thermal mass of a product, both of which would reduce the energy needed to heat or cool a building.

This area remains the subject of major debate between concrete and timber suppliers concerning the merits and disadvantages of different construction methods.

Ability to recycle

The final consideration is what happens to the product when a building has come to the end of its life. How easy will it be to recycle? Materials such as steel enjoy an advantage here, but the ease with which the different components can be separated is also important. This may reduce the appeal of some panelised systems.

The common measure for all of these areas is the number of tonnes of CO₂ emitted. However there are other factors to consider, such as the use of harmful chemicals and the contribution to society through the provision of employment.

The government tried to consolidate its thinking in its report Strategy For Sustainable Construction, published in June 2008. It added further drivers towards sustainability with the Code for Sustainable Homes, introduced in May 2008, and its White Paper Planning For A Sustainable Future, which was granted Royal Assent in November 2008. The next step will be publication of the revised Document L, expected later this year, and which is it anticipated will incorporate many sustainability initiatives.

In addition to legislation, we also have what is currently a voluntary initiative; certificates of responsible sourcing. Previously treated as being on the periphery of the construction remit, this is an area that's increasingly becoming a part of the mainstream. It's based upon an ethos of supply chain management and product stewardship, and encompasses social, economic and environmental dimensions. First applied to the responsible sourcing of timber with the introduction of FSC certification, it's now expanded to include all construction products with the launch by BRE of its global certification standard BES 6001. Focussing on a holistic approach to managing a product, it considers the entire supply chain – from the point at which a material is mined or harvested in its raw state, through manufacture and processing to construction, then re-use and recycling, until its final disposal as waste with no further value.

Such initiatives will require manufacturers to not just consider their own processes, but also those of their suppliers and customers, significantly broadening responsibility. It can be expected that clients and specifiers will increasingly insist upon products being certified in this way in future.

As an industry we have to become familiar with all of these concepts. There's still too much confusion however. Manufacturers may temporarily get away with ignoring some of these issues, by focussing on areas where they're strong and using 'spin' to promote their products' benefits, but those taking the long view must address every piece of the sustainability jigsaw. By all means they should flag their current strengths, but they should also implement a serious programme of improvement straddling all areas. It will not only strengthen their market position, but will doubtless also result in future cost savings, as future administrations increase the tax burden of those that remain inefficient.

References

Green Guide To Specification

Strategy For Sustainable Construction

Code For Sustainable Homes

Planning For A Sustainable Future

BRE Global certification standard BES 6001

Marketing Sustainability In Construction

Editor's note

RIBA Insight's FREE* Consultancy Days in London and Manchester offer an ideal opportunity to learn more about this important subject, with sustainability one of three key subject areas covered. Hear more about what the experts have to say, and the advice they have to offer manufacturers. Reserve your place now.

Chris Ashworth is a member of the organising committee of CIMCIG (Chartered Institute of Marketing's Construction Industry Group) and founder of Competitive Advantage Consultancy, which specialises in strategic marketing, market research and training for the construction industry.

Back to top