NFB Arms the Construction Industry with the Tools to Decarbonise
Posted by: electime 10th December 2020
The National Federation of Builders’ (NFB) Major Contractors Group (MCG) is arming the construction industry with practical tools for contractors to start or accelerate their journey towards achieving net zero carbon with a newdecarbonisation handbook. Launched by Mark Wakeford, Chair of the MCG, at the NFB’s Large Contractors Forum, ‘Transforming Construction: Delivering a Low Carbon Future’ contains practical actions contractors can adopt and implement in their own businesses. Featuring a foreword by Gillian Keegan MP, Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills, this landmark handbook is designed to help contractors to step up to the plate and deliver the country’s net zero carbon ambitions.
The handbook’s launch is timely being published ahead of the UK hosting the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) next year. It also meets the current demand for low carbon transformation being driven directly by the construction industry. Research by the NFB, reveals over 80% of main contractors surveyed actively want to take on the journey to net zero having either produced a business decarbonisation strategy, or are planning to do so. Interestingly, the COVID-19 pandemic has not dulled the industry’s commitment to a low carbon future with the survey also revealing nearly half of businesses thought it was more important than ever, and none thought it was now less important. This drive is in line with the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) who in response to the COVID-19 crisis put together an industry recovery plan setting out a three phased approach to recovery, recommitting the sector to the net zero agenda.
Building on the MCG’s own landmark report, ‘Transforming Construction for a Low Carbon Future’, published in November 2019, the new MCG handbook offers a clear practical route map to help deliver this low carbon future. Commenting, Mark Wakeford Joint Managing Director of Stepnell Ltd and Chair of the NFB MCG said: “While COVID-19 undoubtedly presents a significant immediate risk to us all, few would argue about the momentous threat that climate change presents to all our futures. With our new handbook we set to arm our colleagues with the tools they need to start or accelerate their decarbonisation journey. To deliver our country’s net zero ambitions, we must help each other to do so. This handbook is designed to do just that. It focuses on steps that we ultimately all need to take, but does so in a way that should allow any business, at whatever stage of their decarbonisation journey, to be able to apply.”
Designed to help the industry collaborate on delivering the UK’s net zero ambitions the handbook presents staged actions and measures for contractors to adopt and implement to work towards the ultimate goal of net zero while being affordable and fitting with each business’ vision. The report covers multiple areas where changes can be made to help decarbonise including:
- developing teams to lead change
- reducing the carbon footprint of staff and corporate
- recording, accounting and reducing emissions associated with construction projects
- reducing embodied carbon
- reducing carbon emissions through building performance
- reducing carbon through procurement
To download a copy of Transforming Construction: Delivering a Low Carbon Future’ visit https://www.builders.org.uk/policy/carbon-report/carbon-report-2020/
