We must have an industry-wide effort, focused on sustainability in design, one where we can all contribute, rather than having a few people in senior positions trying to force the issue.. We need to do more with passive design, whether it be a fully certified, Passivhaus approach, or simply using sustainable design features more generally from the start through to completion: early design stages, technical design, procurement and construction.
The construction sector is a major consumer of natural resources, yet the climate crisis demands smarter, more sustainable construction solutions.To achieve United Nations Sustainable Development Goals we must embrace environmental engineering, by doing everything we can to minimise human impact from the built environment and protect the natural world..
There is growing industry consensus that the way we design, build, operate and dispose of our buildings and associated facilities need a major overhaul.Our aim must be to obviate waste, increase efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote construction methodologies that support both people and the environment..In 2018 the UK generated 222.2 million tonnes of waste, with the construction industry responsible for around 30%.. 1.
The good news is that 92.3% of non-hazardous waste generated in the construction industry is recovered, but this has remained static for the past 10 years with no meaningful improvement.To reduce the quantity of waste and minimise the need for recycling even further, we must move towards sustainable construction practices and a circular economy where buildings, components and materials are used more than once.. Why is the circular economy important?.
Pollution has a negative effect on people, our water systems and the ecosystems around us.
Waste leads to pollution, whether it be from littering, incineration or landfill.‘It’s very easy, really,’ he says.
‘There’s a central stairway, which you can sort of run up, or walk with intent… The lifts are very quick.They’re very spacious.
It’s easy to negotiate your way around.If, for some reason, I couldn’t go that way, there are fire exits at each end of the building, which I could go up if needed.’.
(Editor: Rechargeable Switches)