Is the UK pricing itself out of the global construction market?

Just over 140 years ago in 1872, the Marie Celeste set sail from New York with a crew that was never to be seen or heard of again. It was in that same year that Yellowstone became the world’s first National park and it was also the same year that Louis Bleriot was born - the pioneer of the modern aviation industry.

However, believe it or not, it was also in that year that the Swiss Government set in place the first climate initiative by implementing the protection of migratory birds. This initiative was the first of many such agreements and initiatives put in place over the next 125 years which gradually changed from the protection of birds and fishes to the protection of the earth and culminated in the Kyoto Protocol in 1997. Has the implementation of these initiatives and awareness made any difference?

Despite steps taken to minimise the impact of man on the environment, in 1997, 125 years after that first initiative, the effects of the environment caused worldwide damage.

• Texas was hit by more ferocious tornados than it had ever seen.
• Great areas of Poland were flooded in areas never seen before.
• The continuing burning and de-forestation was seen as the contributory cause of the crashing of Flight 152 in Indonesia.

It is clear that back in 1872, we had no concept of the rate of increase in the world’s population. At present we are increasing the world’s population at about 1 billion every 12-15 years and it is estimated that the population will only begin to slow down in about 40 years’ time. At that point, the population will be more than 10 times that of what it was when that first initiative was put in place.

If not of greater significance, it is the enormous growth of the economy of the world. Not only has the population of the world ballooned beyond all expectations, a higher proportion of that  population uses more and more earth resources and produces more and more waste whether it is gas, inert or other forms of pollution.

And the question arises, at what point does the planet reach saturation point and the whole system close down?

The SternReview amongst others, presents a formidable argument for undertaking action now to not only minimise our emissions but to reduce them in order to slow the environmental clock down.

Introduction of financial incentives and penalties are suggested with the aim to effectively force polluters to take stock as corporate and social responsibility does not seem to have the desired effect. With regard to our own industry and current construction methods and building regulations, studies have shown that in the UK;

• Nearly 50% of carbon dioxide emissions are building related
• Over a quarter of CO2 emissions come from housing
• Approximately 10% of CO2 emissions are associated with the manufacturer and transport of construction materials and the construction process.

So what, in the construction industry, can we do?

In the great scheme of things – probably, not a lot. Yes we can provide better insulated buildings, more efficient heaters and adopt lean construction techniques but at what cost?

The UK forms less than 2% of the world’s CO2 polluters – are we expected to lead by example and possibly price ourselves out of the construction market or do we try and save the world?