Sustainability is becoming increasingly important for the construction industry from waste reduction to embodied carbon to reduced carbon emissions and reporting. Both legislation and consumer demand will continue to grow in the coming years as we continue to see the impact of climate change and the need for mitigation and adaption increases. Here are 5 key sustainability considerations for commercial plumbing solutions.
Environmental Product Declarations
An EPD or Environmental Product Declaration can provide a fact-based and certified proof of environmental impact of a product over its lifetime. They can support carbon emission reduction and help architects, engineers and designers to choose the most sustainable option for their project. They can also communicate this information on their customers to ensure carbon transparency. EPD’s can help to achieve credits in certification schemes including LEED, BREEAM.
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BIM (Building Information Modeling)
In its 2025 construction strategy, the UK government has stated that it expects widespread adoption of BIM to help achieve a number of targets including a 50% reduction of greenhouse gases in the built environment. The NBS digital construction report 2021 found that 75% of BIM users agree that BIM is having a positive impact on environmental sustainability. Wavin’s BIM is the only BSI kitemarked drainage package in the UK – a testament to its accuracy and detail. 100% accurate content at LOD400 and accurate clash detection are the drivers of a true representation of all the products in the 3D model.
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Upcoming Future Homes and Building Standards
Future Homes and Building Standards are being developed with a target implementation date of 2025. It plans to reduce the CO2 emissions of the average new home by 75% compared to one built to current energy efficiency standards. Whilst new uplifts to building regulations this year are paving the way towards the new standards, house builders will need look further ahead to ensure new homes are future-proofed. The exact details of the standards are not yet confirmed and whether there will be a ban on connecting new homes to the existing gas network are unclear. However in light of consumer environmental concerns and rising gas prices, preparing for low carbon heating sources in advance of this could be a good option. Research from property firm Savills found that 59% of respondents would be willing to pay more for a home if at least 75% of a property’s energy was powered by renewable sources.
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Waste Reduction and Recycling
Waste reduction and recycling common place in the construction industry with the recognition of not only the environmental impact of waste but also the cost implications on a project. However, there are still further opportunities to drive sustainability by reducing, reusing and recycling. Smart manufacturing, lean construction techniques and innovative building materials, are now being leveraged by some industry leading contractors to enable them to design waste out of the process altogether. A circular construction approach can also help to protect against materials shortages.
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Modular and Offsite Construction
Modular and offsite construction is generally a sustainable way to build. Offsitehub.co.uk outlines 5 keys reasons for this. Less time on site, less waste and traffic, increased waste recycling, less energy usage and thermal efficiency when using precision made steel frames. For plumbing and drainage Wavin can support modular and off-site construction with the following:• A complete plumbing and drainage solution• Secure fittings to prevent moving or dismounting in transit• Quick and easy installation with no hot works required• Highly accurate BIM Revit package with automatic routing preferences and BSI Kitemark• Market leading guarantees• Design and technical support from our dedicated technical design team
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