As climate change steadily dominates the news agenda, companies in the construction industry increasingly have no choice but to take action to reduce their environmental impact.

However, many still remain unaware of the positive impacts that taking a proactive approach can have on both their business operations and their bottom line.

Scotland-based Barr Construction is one company in the construction sector leading the way in improving business practise and as a result is already seeing a range of benefits. In partnership with sustainability experts Envirowise, Barr Construction has trialled a focussed Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) on a recent project, which achieved an 18% reduction in waste production and resulted in significant financial savings.

The construction industry is one of the largest sources of waste in Scotland, with more than 10.60m tonnes being generated annually. Envirowise is encouraging Scotland's 14,500-plus construction firms to use SWMPs as a way of managing and ultimately reducing the waste they produce. With firms currently paying out £24 per tonne in landfill tax and, with this tax set to double by 2010, the financial impact on companies which do not act will only increase.


During the SWMP trial, Barr Construction worked closely with Envirowise to identify environmental impacts of the project, assess significant impacts and risks, set objectives and targets and monitor performance. The company's staff, from site managers to designers, received expert training on their specific roles and responsibilities in relation to SWMPs to ensure the programme was a success.

Following this trial, Barr Construction now have the tools and knowledge to implement SWMPs company-wide with the potential to make huge financial savings as a result. With a long term environmental programme now in place, the company has integrated the principles of sustainability firmly into its business culture, with waste reduction established as a key priority in improving its environmental impact.

Quality and Environmental Manager, Charlotte Morison explains: "We are already seeing the financial benefits of implementing SWMPs and now plan to roll them out across another 50 sites. We have been working with Envirowise and will continue to do so as we start to incorporate SWMPs into the planning stages of all our new projects.

"Ultimately our goal is to minimise the waste generated during a project by more efficient ordering processes and more sustainable design practices. Not only are our costs being significantly reduced but we are also improving our processes and improving the sustainability of the developments we create."

(GK/JM)