With more than 10.6 million tonnes being generated annually, the construction industry is one of Scotland's largest producers of waste*. Firms currently pay out £32 per tonne in landfill tax and, with this tax set to double by 2010 the financial impact on companies which do not act will only increase.
Since 2005, Envirowise has worked closely with construction giant Laing O'Rourke to improve its green credentials and the company is currently involved in developing a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) Project which has already resulted in financial savings of £30,000 for the business.
Laing O'Rourke has developed the SWMP Project through its involvement in a consortium contracted to design, construct and manage a £135m schools building programme as part of the City of Edinburgh Council's Smart Schools Programme. All schools are being designed to high standards of sustainable construction. One project currently underway is the redevelopment of Broughton High School in Edinburgh.
Dr Stephen Thomson, Resource Strategist at Laing O'Rourke, said: "The construction project teams have improved resource use, in addition to storage and handling issues both on and off-site. Our SWMP project demonstrates a practical approach to data recording which isn't onerous for site managers, and the time spent by administrators checking the number of skips, matching invoices, and dealing with issues regarding missing delivery tickets will be significantly reduced.
"Working with Envirowise on SWMPs has produced a robust and simple Excel-based template which will significantly influence our final Group SWMP design. As a result, we're reducing our environmental impact while at the same time building the foundations of a more profitable business."
Envirowise construction specialist, Rupert Carrick, said: "Green buildings should aim to have as little impact on the environment as possible throughout their design, construction and maintenance. For a building to be genuinely sustainable, it must also be practical and cost effective.
"It's vital that the benefits of a 'zero waste' approach to all stages of a project's delivery are communicated to the construction industry. SWMPs offer a framework for systematically managing and reporting on waste levels throughout the life of a project.
Envirowise's 'An Introduction to Site Waste Management Plans' guide is available to download free-of-charge at the SWMP guide page.
For more general advice regarding resource efficiency, companies can call the Advice Line on 0800 585794 or visit the Construction pape.
*Sources:
SEPA Waste Data Digest 7 – 2005/2006
Total Waste Arisings
During 2005/2006, an estimated 10.60 million tonnes of Construction and demolition was generated in Scotland.