Government sustainable construction strategy gets mixed welcome

The government's new Strategy for Sustainable Construction lacks teeth according to the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA).

"The Strategy for Sustainable Construction is good as far as it goes," said a CECA spokesman. "There is, however, a lack of any evident drivers to effect change in behaviour," he added.

Business minister Shriti Vadera launched the joint industry-Government Strategy for Sustainable Construction which sets out to improve the productivity, efficiency and sustainability of the UK's construction sector.

Commitments include the recruitment of 230,000 additional trained construction workers by 2010; to ensure all construction projects over £1M have biodiversity surveys carried out and instigate the necessary actions by 2012 and to achieve a 50% reduction in the amount of construction, demolition and excavation waste to landfill. Other commitments undertaken include the reduction of worker deaths by 10% year on year and to ensure that 25% of materials used in construction projects are responsibly sourced by 2012.

CECA was pleased at the terms of definition for sustainability. "It shows that sustainability goes beyond environmental concerns, is now an agenda that covers all aspects of commercial construction activity and must be underpinned by the collection of data and clear reporting," said the spokesman.

The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) also welcomed the document but identified a number concerns with the draft version of the strategy, including a lack of detail on how to address the problems associated with non-domestic buildings and existing building stock and as well as a lack of clarity about organisational roles and responsibilities, and overall accountability for delivering the strategy.

CIOB also felt that targets that were not challenging enough to deliver the desired outcomes.

"The strategy has addressed many of our concerns but still fails to acknowledge the potential of decarbonising the industry's energy supply at source," said a CIOB spokesman.