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Improving Sustainability
Through Materials
C
Homes to both the refurbishment and
commercial sectors.
Gareth Moores, Managing
To echo these legislative drivers, clients are
Director of Hargreaves
also becoming more involved in ensuring that
their buildings are embracing the ‘green’ agenda.
Building Products, advises on
More and more they are setting requirements for
the use of a minimum level of recycled content
the need to move towards
and waste management at the tendering stage of
sustainable construction.
a project. To deliver such requirements,
architects must identify the opportunities at the
verywhere any construction outset of a project. The choices they make in
E
professional turns they are faced terms of design and materials can affect the
with sustainability. The industry overall sustainability of a building.
produces more than 100 million “Changes to traditional practices are
tonnes of waste each year, and increasingly being seen across the industry to
uses around 480 million tonnes of materials. ensure that the best use is made of the
By looking at alternative practices, there is the resources we have available. It’s a fact that a lot
opportunity for all involved in the industry to of those resources are actually ending up at
make a significant difference to these figures landfill as waste,” comments Gareth Moores,
and reduce the environmental impact of the Managing Director of Hargreaves Building
construction process. Products. “Reducing waste at source and using
Legislation is increasing the pressure on the sustainable materials are two ways to be more
industry to deliver more sustainable resource efficient. There is already a wide range
construction. The Code for Sustainable Homes, of sustainable mainstream products readily
draft Sustainable Construction Strategy and the available, many of which have been commonly
Housing Green Paper all demand that new used for decades. One easy place for architects
buildings are more energy efficient and more to start is in the selection of aggregates.”
resourceful in their use of materials. This is only Substantial quick wins in terms of sustainability
set to increase, as proposals are currently being can be made through looking at alternative
discussed to extend the Code for Sustainable sources of aggregate. Natural aggregate will
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