How we’re supporting UK construction via our partnership with the Supply Chain Sustainability School
Time is of the essence when it comes to getting the built environment to operate truly sustainably. While there have been many positive developments over the past couple of decades, there’s still a long way to go.
At Etex, we’re firm believers that everyone has their part to play in this – from manufacturers like us, plus architects, contractors, housebuilders, and on-site workers, through to industry bodies and Government. We can’t do this alone; the sector must collectively rethink its ways of working to do its bit and become properly sustainable.
This year we became a partner of the Supply Chain Sustainability School (SCSS) – an organisation that brings together clients, contractors and suppliers with the shared goal of creating a more sustainable future for the built environment. Last month, we hosted a roundtable with the school and various contractors and clients, where we discussed how we as a manufacturer of building materials – specifically plasterboard via our Siniat brand – can support the industry in their sustainability efforts.
We looked at what sustainability requirements for materials look like now and in the future, and what clients and contractors are looking for from the supply chain in the coming years, as we appreciate this is one of the biggest factors contributing to their carbon footprints. Working in partnership with other areas of the industry means we’re able to support on what they really need, rather than assuming.
We also discussed some of the attendees’ key sustainability drivers, which included: Building Regulations particularly Part L (and Part Z which is currently being proposed by the industry); their organisational net zero targets; planning permission, funding requirements and tenders which favour sustainability; retrofitting and more. It was clear from the discussions that a real shift is happening – one that’s picking up pace quickly.
Off the back of the conversations, we identified that we can support clients, contractors, specifiers and architects in a number of ways. There are more things to discuss, but the actions we’ve decided that are most important for us to focus on in the short to medium term are:
Ian Heptonstall Director, Supply Chain School
"If you are going to effectively tackle the sustainability issues such as carbon, waste, and social value it is essential that we foster a culture of collaboration between manufacturers, clients, and contractors. It’s great to see Etex and its customers coming together to explore these issues and focus on how we accelerate our journey towards a more sustainable built environment."
1.
Supporting customers on Scope 3 (indirect) emissions
Scope 3 emissions make up a huge percentage of a construction firm’s total emissions, and as we’re seeing increasing requirements to report on them (notably for major Government contracts), should not be ignored. While more arduous, this requirement to report on Scope 3 is likely to become more commonplace, as public and private sector follow suit.
The supply chain is in a prime position to help organisations reach their Scope 3 targets, meaning collaboration is key. As gypsum (the key component in plasterboard) can be endlessly reused without any impact on its performance, plus the fact we operate a circular model with it, puts us in a strong position to help customers make carbon reductions via this product.
2.
Simplifying Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)
While EPDs are an important way of reporting a product’s environmental life cycle impact, there’s a general consensus that because they’re often laborious and complicated to digest, they end up feeling ‘tick box’. So, we’ll look at the best ways we can provide both standard EPDs and a simplified commentary on the key points.
3.
Drylining versus other materials in a building
Later this year, we intend to look at the embodied carbon in typical buildings and see how Siniat can reduce carbon. It might not be the largest value in a building yet we can look to take action now.
We will run our ideas past the group again to get their final feedback on how we can best support them, before setting plans for 2023, 2025 and 2030. We’ll be reporting on progress throughout the year, so check back here for updates. Ultimately, the challenge for us all is ‘what can we do now and what’s our plan to build sustainable solutions in the future?’