Construction is one of the most polluting industries in the world, generating huge amounts of emissions developing sites and resourcing materials. Those choosing to stand up to the challenge can therefore have a massive impact, including those in East Anglia.
One company which has had sustainability at its heart since its formation almost 80 years ago is Suffolk-based block manufacturer, Lignacite.
Construction Anglia spoke to its chairman and safety, health, environment, and quality (SHEQ) team about the future of construction and how sustainability should be at the core of every company’s vision for the future.
“I think sustainability in construction is vital,” said Lignacite chairman, Giles de Lotbiniere.
“The construction industry creates 45% of all manmade CO2 released.
“If the construction sector can get its act together, it could make a huge difference to the world.
“Companies are starting to take it more seriously, driven by the Government, by customers and often by architects who have always had sustainability at the forefront of what they do.
“I think it’s going in the right direction but there’s still much more that needs to be done.”
Marvyn Candler, SHEQ Manager, echoed Giles’ calls for change within the industry.
He said: “Sustainability is very important. We don’t own the planet, we simply borrow it from our descendants.
“We cannot just keep digging fossil fuels and raw materials up and hope they don’t run out – we need to find better ways to do it.
“It’s one of the biggest challenges the construction industry is facing.”
Lignacite, which has plants at Brandon in Suffolk and Nazeing in Essex, produces concrete building blocks for construction, with at least 30% recycled materials used in their standard range.
Formed in the 1940s, the company originally concentrated on just one product – the Lignacite block – but over the years has released other types of blocks, including its super high strength and lightweight ranges. Those have gone on to be used in some of the country’s biggest construction projects, including The Shard, The Gherkin and Google’s “Landscaper” HQ.
Lignacite blocks are currently being used in a number of high-profile projects across the UK.
These include the expansion of Warner Bros Studios in Leavesden, the £21 million redevelopment of Marrist Wood College in Guildford and the transformation of 20 Giltspur Street, the former Bank of America building, near St Paul’s in London.
The company has recently unveiled its new ECO Range of blocks, which contains between 50 and 70% recycled materials, including recycled sand from building sites.
“It’s a family business,” said Giles. “It was started by my grandfather in 1947.
“Rather by chance, right at the beginning we used wood shards in our blocks – offcuts of doors and windows – so we have always used recycled materials in our blocks.
“We started out with sustainability at the heart of the company, admittedly rather unknowingly, but it has become a mainstay and a unique selling point for us.
“Wood shards are a superb material to include because they help keep blocks smooth, are good in a fire and lock up CO2.
“Not only is the recycled wood great as a material when added to the concrete, our ECO blocks contain either 50% or 70% of recycled materials which is much kinder to the environment.”
Jacky Whiffen, the company’s SHEQ Coordinator, said he was proud of the company’s green credentials and hoped they could spur other firms to take on the challenge.
“As a business, sustainability is very important for us,” he said. “Not only on principle, but to separate us from other businesses.
“With sustainability becoming such a big issue, alongside it being the right thing to do, it makes good business sense to embrace it.
“It sets a standard – that green is good – which we hope will impact and inspire other businesses to do the same.”
Giles said although concrete had a much lower carbon footprint than other building materials like steel or aluminium, the holy grail would be the first cement-free block.
“Concrete is the second most used substance around after water,” he said. “Across the world, humans use more than one cubic metre of concrete per person per year, so a truly sustainable concrete block will have a huge effect on protecting the environment.
“The biggest baddie is cement in terms of carbon emissions and environmental impact, so there’s a goal of achieving a cement-free block.”
Marvyn added: “A big step forward, which everyone is trying to focus on, is to come up with the first cement-free block that will be commercially viable.
“However, it needs to be equal in strength and as robust as traditional cement blocks.”
Marvyn said every block in Lignacite’s ECO Range has independently verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), giving customers the peace of mind that all products comply with building regulations and contribute meaningfully to EPD sustainability targets.
Not only that, all recycled materials used in Lignacite’s blocks have been third-party verified, assuring customers of the credibility, authenticity and quality of the materials used.
Jacky said it was a crucial time for the construction industry, a moment when it needed to step up and make changes.
“I think we are at a crossroads where it’s hit and miss in the industry,” he said. “Some are taking sustainability seriously and others are not.
“There are those who need to change their processes to move forward and think about the future of the planet.
“We are all here just once and if we can make a difference to tomorrow, that’s how it should be.
“Our motto for the ECO Range is “Tough on performance, kinder on the planet”, which I think perfectly captures the company’s commitment to protecting the environment while guaranteeing trusted, high-quality products.
“This new block represents an important milestone for both the company’s ongoing journey and the broader evolution of the industry.”
For more on Lignacite and its new ECO Range, see here.