When you hear ‘sustainability’ and ‘construction’ in the same sentence, often your mind lands in one place – LEED Certified; and if you aren’t involved in vertical or commercial construction, the thought process typically ends there.
Why is that?
“Well there’s no designation/certification for Heavy and Industrial construction projects when it comes to sustainability” says one. “Our clients don’t seem to care, so why should we?” says the other.
Technically, you would be correct – on one point at least (more on that later). But when it comes down to it, every contractor should be worried about sustainability in some form or fashion.
Before we lose anyone, let’s set the record straight: the solution to sustainability in our industry isn’t a tax on emissions, it’s not 3D printing construction materials onsite, and it’s certainly not electric excavators or haul trucks. The true solution is a conversation on what sustainability actually looks like and why it matters (hint, lower operating costs).
Over the next few weeks our goal is to start a conversation about sustainability and how we as an industry can make a difference while maintaining profitability and elevating environmental stewardship. Every suggestion made will include quantitative data in regards to potential sustainability goals, as well as looking into the savings, or costs, associated with each suggestion. At no point will we try to change any minds in regards to climate change or politics – our only goal is to make the business case as to why everyone in our industry should truly care about sustainability, and how a solid sustainability plan can actually set you apart from your competition.
So, the moment everyone has been waiting for – why should your construction company care about sustainability, and your company’s carbon footprint? Here’s a quick summary of the top reasons we think you should care, and the main topics of the next articles to come:
- It’s the ultimate measure of job site efficiency.
- It represents a cost center you didn’t know existed.
- It’s an indicator of your environmental stewardship.
- It’s a valuable benchmark.
- Your clients care – or will start to care soon.
After we wrap this up, we’ll post a summary on what a sustainable jobsite actually looks like. Then we will continue to provide tips on quantifying your operation’s footprint, and provide insights on what others in our industry are doing or have done in regards to sustainability.
Thanks for following along. Let’s build with data.