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Builder: English Construction, Shropshire
Practices: A wide understanding of resource efficiency and adoption of a long-term view to waste minimisation. Appointed a Waste Champion, provided formal training for employees/sub-contractors and is in the process of drawing up a Site Waste Management Plan.
Region: Midland
In an industry notorious for producing vast amounts of waste, English Construction has discovered that going green is a sure fire way to grow business. The company has adopted a long-term approach, to help reduce waste and save money, through re-cycling, training and working with suppliers.
A small company of six employees, English Construction carries out all types of domestic and commercial work from shop conversions to building exclusive family homes.
Director David English has seen the cost of hiring skips double since he set up business four years ago. Said David: "We take waste minimisation seriously to help make the business more cost-effective and I believe it is better to re-use materials wherever possible. Disposal of waste is a growing concern, so it's better to act sooner rather than later."
English Construction has appointed its very own 'Waste Champion', who is responsible for segregating, re-using and cutting down waste. A concrete crusher is used on site to crush down any unused concrete, which is then re-used as hardcore. Left over timber is taken away for other projects and any, which is scrap, is chopped up and used on David's log burner, helping him reduce his energy bill by £1,000.
The whole team is trained to 'think green' as part of the company's toolbox training, which delivers practical information and guidance on how the company addresses the problem of waste. This goes right the way through to sub-contractors who undertake work for the company.
David and his team recently converted an old poster and sign shop in Shrewsbury town centre into four luxury town houses, using re-claimed materials wherever they possibly could. "It was cheaper to take the bricks down and clean them, rather than buy in new ones," said David. "This meant we could retain the look of the property and not have to find so many new bricks to match."
English Construction only works with suppliers that will take back surplus supplies. Said David: "Some builders will order in 20,000 bricks and not use all of them. Any left over often get thrown into a skip or just buried on site. Even if we've only got 20 paving slabs left over it's cheaper to take them back and means there's less waste."
Next steps for English Construction involve drawing up a Site Waste Management Plan, which is a way to formalise procedures through set policies, and a move to a new yard. "The biggest problem with waste minimisation is storing materials to be re-used. By moving to a new yard in Shrewsbury we will be able to store much more re-cycled material," said David.
First posted: 9th November 2006. Last modified: 9th November 2006
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