5 ways to make commercial build more sustainable guide, Eco building site tips, Property contractor advice

5 Ways To Make Commercial Build More Sustainable Guide

23 September 2023

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Over the last couple of decades, the construction industry has been pushing harder towards more sustainable, greener practices. But it’s not quite there yet.

According to recent studies, construction is still responsible for nearly 50% of climate change, with new projects also impacting landfills (50%), air (23%), and water (40%) pollution.

For this reason, it’s more important than ever to keep pushing hard towards sustainable construction and to put sustainability at the forefront of your mind when you’re starting a new build.

Of course, this is easier said than done. Construction is an essential part of our society, and it can be very difficult to change traditional practices and not have your time management and budget suffer as a result.

That being said, there are several things you can do that not only go easy on your budget but are far more ecologically friendly too. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular methods below:

5 Ways To Make Your Commercial Build More Sustainable List

Start With An Energy Efficient Plan

Going back to the statistics we mentioned earlier in the article, this isn’t quite as damning on the “construction part” of the construction industry as you might think. In fact, as much as 80% of the environmental damage associated with construction comes from buildings that are in use. This means that the emissions are negatively impacting the environment after the construction is finished. But there are things you can do to avoid this happening. Take accountability for potential emissions while designing the building, and make sure you start with an energy-efficient plan.

Choose Precast Concrete

When it comes to construction, it’s important to choose precast concrete over creating, moulding, and setting the concrete on site. A precast concrete retaining wall, for instance, is not only going to be more versatile, durable, and of better quality, but it will also have no risk of toxic byproducts and – because it is made in a factory – will have little to no waste during creation.

Limit Your Materials

Speaking of waste, it is essential that you limit the materials that you use during construction. According to recent figures, the typical wastage on a construction site amounts to 30% of the total weight of the building materials delivered to the site. That’s a huge and unnecessary amount of waste, so it’s important to get the planning right and try to minimise it as much as possible.

Manage Your Waste Effectively

We’re not saying you can totally avoid waste during a construction project. Even if you work hard to minimise it, there is a strong likelihood that there will be some, so you need to manage it effectively. Create a waste management policy that combats these problems, including recycling what you can, and sorting hazardous and non-hazardous waste into separate skips.

Think Positive

Minimising waste during a construction project is as much about the little details as it is about the big ones. For this reason, it’s important to think positively about how you can soften the blow, and be open to advice during the design process. Talk your partners and workers through the benefits and goals of sustainable construction. If you instil a positive, sustainable-focused atmosphere into a project, then the chances are the construction will find more sustainable routes as a result!

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