Responding to a consultation on the Future Homes Standard, the Government has set out plans to radically improve the energy performance of new homes, requiring them to be highly energy efficient, with low carbon heating and zero carbon ready by 2025.

Although uptake of sustainable building products and practices are steadily increasing, they are still in the minority, which can result in higher costs and present clients working to tight budgets with a dilemma. The challenge may be exacerbated by a lack of familiarity with these less frequently used options and add to labour times and costs, especially where specialist skills or knowledge are required.

Benefiting from building greener

One way that energy performance can be improved is by installing external wall insulation (EWI).  Whether as part of a refurbishment or new build project, EWI reduces unnecessary heat loss and CO² emissions and has a positive effect on the environment, assuming the products used are compliant with building regulations and thermal requirements.

With the correct specification and proper installation, the lifespan of a building’s external fabric can be extended by up to 30 years, and as it requires little or no maintenance, so further reduces the environmental impact.

One example of a project where we used EWI to upgrade the building was at the Riverside leisure centre in Chelmsford. Through using this cost-effective and environmentally sustainable method, the eco-friendly leisure centre is now compliant with thermal regulations, and the energy-efficient design has been recognised by BREEAM and awarded a ‘very good’ sustainability rating.

With 72% of domestic emissions arising from heating and the provision of hot water it is vital that improved levels of insulation are used. Systems like EWI can have an immediate and positive environmental impact by reducing energy consumption but must be installed by an experienced professional. Poorly installed EWI can lead to damp and mould, and potentially costly remedial work.

Managing waste effectively

The construction industry is currently responsible for about a third of the UK’s landfill waste, 13% of which comes from products delivered to construction sites and subsequently sent to landfill without even being used. Aside from the financial landfill cost and extra transport, much of this waste decomposes, generating carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

We minimise wastage on our projects by taking time at the planning stage to ensure efficient purchasing, in addition to optimising the cutting of façade and cladding boards.  Some panels are only made in standard size sheets, so wastage could be as high as 80% without careful planning, and we advise clients on wastage factors when they seem to be excessive. Working with clients to calculate alternative options should reduce both costs and wastage, as well as having the further financial and environmental benefit of minimising the number of deliveries and reducing the fuel used.

Small changes add up

There are numerous ways to decrease the environmental impact on a construction project, but by using high quality insulation, minimising deliveries and reducing waste, each of these small steps will make a positive difference and lessen the impact on the environment.

With government focus very rightly on sustainability, the majority of the enquiries we receive include a comprehensive set of questions within the pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) where we document our environmental policy and the measures we take to reduce waste.

All Eden Facades, employees have achieved a CIEH Level 2 Award in Environmental Principles and Best Practice, and we are currently working towards ISO 14001, the international standard for designing and implementing an environmental management system (EMS), comprising the policies, processes, plans, practices and records that define the rules governing how we interact with the environment.

Tony Hill, Managing Director at Eden Facades comments, “We’re committed to helping our clients reduce carbon emissions and regularly monitor our supply chain to ensure environmental improvements are made where possible. The need for businesses to address environmental issues has never been greater, and building sustainably should be a core focus for the whole supply chain. Ensuring all our employees have achieved the CIEH Level 2 Award means that as a team we understand the principles and importance of environmental legislation, and can identify the sometimes simple measures that can be put in place to improve sustainability”.

If you’d like to find out more about our approach to sustainability, or to discuss an upcoming project with us, get in touch on 01268 744199 or email office@edenfacades.co.uk