In response to the Government’s 10-point plan for a Green Industrial Revolution published in Nov-20, the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) created a workstream to develop the construction sector’s response with a plan to achieve net zero, which is contained in Construct ZERO.
This set out nine key priorities within three categories (transport, buildings and construction activity) to co-ordinate the sectors approach to the Government’s plan, together with the Green Construction Board (GCB).
Here, we’ve summarised the key points of these nine priorities and the opportunity they provide for both manufacturers and merchants, based on our experience with our clients:
Transport: zero emission vehicles
Accelerating the shift of the construction workforce to zero emission vehicles and onsite plant
- Opportunities
For both manufacturers and merchants, the opportunity exists to migrate motor vehicle fleets to EV (electric vehicles), with benefits both for employers (reduced congestion charges) as well as employees (with reduced benefits in kind). HGV and van fleet migration represent a longer-term aim, but opportunities with electric vans and Euro6 HGVs exist already.
Modern methods of construction (MMC)
Maximising the use of modern methods of construction and improved onsite logistics, reducing waste and transport to sites.
- Opportunity
For manufacturers, particularly timber and timber frame, the focus on MMC creates a significant opportunity to specific and grow revenues. Similarly for merchants, these create opportunities to provide a breadth of products to the offsite manufacturing site, often in a single delivery.
Developments enabling connectivity with low carbon transport
Championing developments and infrastructure investments that both enable connectivity with low carbon modes and design to incorporate readiness for zero emission vehicles.
- Opportunity
One of the key areas of opportunity this presents is for a growth in renewable products take up, with both heat and power generation and with EV charging technology, an area that merchants are beginning to see demand for. By supporting customers who are residential developers, opportunities exist even on smaller residential sites to innovate with these products, particularly to help them achieve planning consents.
Buildings
Retrofitting existing housing stock
Work with government to deliver retrofitting to improve energy efficiency of the existing housing stock.
- Opportunity
Arguably the largest opportunity with the estimated 22m+ existing residential properties that need retrofitting. The GCB’s National Retrofit Strategy now provides a framework and both merchants and manufacturers have a key part to play in this. Focusing on education for customers of the products available that form part of this solution is key, and the use of ‘Sustainability branches’ to showcase how they can be used will be key to merchants and manufacturers alike.
Low-carbon heating solutions in buildings
Scale up industry capability to deliver low-carbon heat solutions in buildings, supporting heat pump deployment, trials of hydrogen heating systems and heat networks.
- Opportunity
For manufacturers and merchants, heat pumps and the conversion of boiler from gas to hydrogen are only the beginning of the opportunity. As the replacement for the Green Homes Grant is considered, the consideration to widening approved low-carbon heating solutions to be “technology neutral”, as recently proposed by Oftec, will create significant opportunity.
Energy performance of buildings
Enhancing the energy performance of new and existing buildings through higher operational energy efficiency standards and better building energy performance
- Opportunity
Opportunity continues to exist for both merchants and manufacturers to help customer understand the significant benefits that heating controls can add to a heating system. The drive to net zero and improved EPC ratings will only add to this, as will levels of U values impact the importance of insulation and thermal bridging with lintels.
Construction Activity
Carbon measurement
Implementing carbon measurement to support our construction projects in making quantifiable decisions to remove carbon.
- Opportunity
Both merchants with their branches and manufacturers with their plants have significant opportunity to measure and mitigate their own carbon usage, while reducing costs in the process. Low carbon heating and power solutions and treatment of product packaging are two key areas of focus where benefits can easily be realised.
Designing out carbon
Becoming world leaders in designing out carbon, developing the capability of our designers and construction professionals to design in line with circular economy – shifting commercial models to reward measurable carbon reductions.
- Opportunity
As part of greenfield branch and manufacturing site expansion plans, opportunities exist to work with architects and planners to develop low-carbon branches and manufacturing sites to support the initiative. In addition, by using low-carbon heating and power solutions, cost benefits can also be derived.
Low-carbon materials
Support development of innovative low carbon materials (prioritising concrete and steel), as well as advancing low carbon solutions for manufacturing production processes and distribution.
- Opportunity
New, innovative low-carbon products have already begun to be developed by concrete manufacturers, and the opportunity for both manufacturers and merchants to help specifiers and developers to understand and use what is available presents significant opportunity. As with the previous eight priorities, by helping and educating customers on the solutions available, a sustainable competitive advantage and value added felt by customers can be achieved.
For both manufacturers and merchants, Construct ZERO also provides opportunities to:
Lead and support customers on sustainability
Through supporting both colleagues and customers with understanding the benefits of sustainable products and the solutions available (with opportunities to showcase and create sustainable branches and training centres), both merchants and manufacturers will benefit with incremental repeat sales, as the net zero target deadlines draw nearer and the new normal of net zero becomes a reality.
Share and learn experiences as Business Champions
The opportunity for merchant and manufacturer organisations to take part exists as part of the CLC’s initiative, with a monthly quota of new ‘Business Champions’ being part of the programme.
The aim is to share real life experiences and best practice to help guide both participants and the sector’s carbon change programme. By taking part, merchants and manufacturers can also benefit by being leaders in their sector.
If you would like to talk to us, informally and in confidence, to understand how we can help you and develop your business, please contact us at info@moorgatemanagement.com or call Chris Maityard on 07767 291379.