NFB recommends environmental management system (EMS)

Tuesday, 16 February 2010

Environmental issues in the construction sector are vitally important, and pressure is being exerted from all levels of the supply chain requiring companies to manage their environmental impacts. Implementing and maintaining an environmental management system (EMS) whether to a recognised standard such as ISO14001:2004 or an internal system, help you to understand, control and reduce your environmental impact, whilst reducing costs and maintaining a competitive edge.

The National Federation of Builders (NFB) recently carried out a survey of its members in order to determine the significance of the environmental agenda. Questions were asked on a wide range of topics and the results were encouraging, highlighting that a number of organisations are already taking environmental issues into consideration in all areas of their business.

According to the survey, 88% of respondents have an environmental policy, which provides a sound starting point from which to develop an EMS. However, despite increasing client demands, a huge 64% do not yet have an EMS of any kind in place.

The marketplace and tender process for winning construction work is undergoing a period of change. Not only are construction companies having to keep up-to-date with changes in building regulations and building standards (such as the Code of Sustainable Homes) they are also having to make alterations to their activities in order to meet increasing client demands. A noteworthy 82% of all respondents are being asked by clients and principal contractors whether they have an environmental policy in place and almost three quarters of respondents stated that they are regularly asked by their clients and principal contractors whether or not they have an EMS in place.

Not only does an EMS ensure legal compliance and pollution prevention, it can also play a vital role in helping companies to work towards the Government’s targets to reduce environmental impacts from the construction sector. The Climate Change Act aims to reduce the UK’s carbon emissions by at least 80% by 2050 and 26% by 2020, against a 1990 baseline, and the construction sector will have a significant role to play in achieving these targets. However, the survey highlighted that currently only 9% of respondents know their company’s carbon footprint. Understanding and measuring your carbon footprint is an essential first step in reducing carbon emissions.

As a result of the increasing importance of environmental issues in construction and the increasing need to demonstrate legal compliance and best practice, the NFB, in partnership with ECUS Ltd (Sheffield based environmental consultancy), is about to launch a new environmental support package for members with a wide range of environmental support, including:

• Environmental management system implementation
• Training
• Environmental legal compliance
• Carbon footprint assessments

ECUS has an excellent and long-standing reputation in dealing with sustainability issues in the construction sector and takes a practical and pragmatic approach to finding solutions and working with clients.