New Tata Steel report reveals importance of sustainability in construction

A new report from Tata steel has revealed that over 80% of construction industry is investing in sustainable strategies.

The new report, “Sourcing responsibly: A market insight into sustainability attitudes and practices”, has revealed key findings from a survey commissioned by Tata Steel in March 2016, highlighting the importance of sustainability in the construction industry.

From those that responded to the survey, 82% of them confirmed that their companies are investing or planning to invest in a sustainability strategy.

The aim of the survey was to gain an understanding on the current attitudes and practices in regards to sustainability, highlighting some important results including why sustainability is crucial within the construction industry and of great value to companies.

Respondents were supply chain leaders, and included architects, consultants, developers, engineers, planners and installers, who provided the insights outlined in the report.

Topics covered in the report include sustainability investments, education, and barriers to improved sustainability performance.

Barry Rust, Energy & Sustainability Manager at Tata Steel stated: “Sustainability is becoming a critical issue in the construction industry, as shown by the results detailed in our report. Responsible sourcing emerged as a particularly important theme, with the industry clearly prioritising a need to understand the provenance and impact of the materials used in construction. As a manufacturer of construction products certified to BES 6001 responsible sourcing standard, we are pleased to see such a positive response to responsible sourcing and plan to use the findings from the report to encourage greater adoption of sustainable materials in the construction industry.”

Within the report, key figures in the construction industry, such as Rory Bergin, Partner of Sustainable Futures at HTA Design LLP, discusses the need for the construction industry as a whole to focus on responsible sourcing to remove the negative impacts of the materials used in a building and then the negative impact of the building itself. Additionally, John Hutton, Head of Sustainability at BAM Nuttall, highlights responsible sourcing as a key part of the transition to a more sustainable industry.

Jonathan Clemens, Head of Marketing at Tata Steel Construction & Infrastructure, added: “We have made a public commitment to leading and advocating environmentally responsible practices in all business operations. Overall, our report details a positive industry-wide approach to sustainability, but it also highlights areas of opportunity for businesses within the construction industry to grow and improve. This includes the requirement for more emphasis on recyclability, rather than recycled content, and further education to ensure that there is a greater emphasis on the whole life cycle of the building. Only through this life cycle approach will the optimum resource decisions be made and the value of the building asset maximised.”

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