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What Are the Benefits of Sustainable Construction Materials and Practices?
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Over the last couple of decades, the topic of sustainable living has been prevalent in many political, economic and sociological discussions as our impact on the world around us becomes more apparent. So how, as builders, can we work toward building a more sustainable construction industry for both the environment and our clients? Let's find out.
What is Sustainable Construction?
Sustainable construction is the effort to involve renewable and recycled building supplies and materials within a project, maintain sustainable building practices, and increase the efficiency of properties to reduce their environmental impact. This new global initiative aims to decrease the industry's impact on the environment as it is one of the largest consumers of natural resources and one of the largest producers of hazardous waste.
Does Sustainable Construction Increase the Properties Value?
Buildings with green certifications have been commanding higher rent and sale values when compared to properties without sustainable certifications.
While investors were initially sceptical of the value of certifications like LEED and BREEAM, green certifications result in a rent premium of 6% and a sales premium of 8%, JLL says in a report on sustainability and the growing value of green.
To further support this, a recent study conducted by data intelligence firm, Deepki, spoke to 100 real estate investors and property professionals in the UK. The study found that 66% have already seen a decrease in both the capital and rental value of their properties due to poor sustainability performance.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
Corporate Social Responsibility is defined as minimising the negative impact your business operations have, not only on workers and clients but everyone who could be impacted by your business and the broader environmental effects.
Often customers and other businesses now look to work with companies that align with their own values, and our environmental impact is quite prevalent for many people.
Will Sustainable Construction Cost More?
Clients and contractors alike are often hesitant to discuss the possibilities of sustainable construction due to their preconceived conceptions that sustainable construction costs much more.
However, when compared to traditional methods, sustainable construction brings a minimal increase in initial upfront costs, a study conducted in 2019 found. However, this marginal increase of about 2% is made obsolete due to the increased life cycle saving of 20% of the total construction cost.
Energy Efficiency
One key element in a sustainable build is an energy-efficient property, which means fitting the build with all the necessary elements, such as properly insulating a home, to ensure it reaches its maximum potential.
Fastbuild stocks a range of internal building insulation, including loft and acoustic insulation, so your client's property can stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer with no need to increase energy bills by putting the heating on or running an air conditioner.
It is also essential to sufficiently insulate external cavity walls to increase the temperature efficiency of the property as well as insulate against sound pollution from the outside world.
You can find many of the items you need to construct, insulate, and finish an external cavity wall, including thermal cavity closers, cavity wall ties, air bricks, and cavity vents.
Minimise Waste Production
Construction has one of the most considerable waste problems when compared to other industries. Still, there are ways of ensuring minimal waste, which can reduce your clients' environmental impact and save you money on material and labour.
If proper waste reduction and management systems are put in place on a construction site, it benefits more than just the environment. Effective construction waste management reduces costs in many ways. You'll minimise spending by reusing materials and prevent double costs, which means paying for building materials that go to waste and then paying again to have them removed, whether that's through the labour it takes to remove it or the skip space it requires.
Source: Fastbuild Supplies
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