NBS has revealed the findings of its ‘Sustainable Futures Survey’, a study aimed at understanding sustainability attitudes and protocols within the construction sector.
The research found that, despite motivation from most construction professionals to deliver sustainable outcomes – only a third usually manage to achieve it within a project.
Worrying still, was that a further third of respondents ‘rarely achieved’ sustainability goals and 1 in 10 never achieve them at all.
The study, which polled 608 construction professionals, found that less people are achieving sustainability targets on projects, compared to those in its 2014 Sustainability Report.
Key points include:
- Only a third of construction professionals achieve sustainability targets – whilst a further third ‘rarely achieve’ them
- Fewer people report achieving sustainability targets on projects compared with 2014
- In the past year, just 14% have seen sustainability goals set on every project
- Only 4% have worked exclusively on net-zero projects, whilst more than a half haven’t worked on a single net-zero project (in the past year)
- Lack of client demand and the cost of achieving sustainability stated as main barriers to sustainability success
Respondents were also quizzed on the the number of projects that had received clear sustainability targets within the past year. Promisingly, 69% had worked on projects where sustainability goals had been included at least some of the time, whilst a quarter (25%), had seen targets ‘most of the time’. However, just 14% had seen targets set on every build, showing a need for improvement when goal-setting at the start of each project.
With the government’s 2050 Net Zero targets in-sight, currently, just 4% of respondents have worked on exclusively net-zero projects and over half (51%) had not worked on a single net-zero project in the past year. Interestingly, those who are more confident on the topic of sustainability are also more likely to include sustainability goals within their own builds – as well as work on net-zero projects.
As part of the study, NBS also wanted to explore some of the barriers to achieving sustainability to find out how standards can be improved.
When identifying the main barriers to success, over half stated that a lack of client demand (52%) was the most common cause – just 1% more than the cost of achieving sustainability (51%). Another concern was the view that sustainable products are being ‘value engineered’ (38%), suggesting cost-cutting measures could rise question marks over quality. 37% also stated that lack of government policy and regulation was another reason for a lack of take up of sustainable practices, highlighting the impact government intervention could have on the hearts and minds of those working in the sector.
Lee Jones, head of manufacturer solutions at NBS and acting head of sustainability at Byggfakta Group, said: “The findings are eye opening – it’s clear that projects need to have clearer guidelines on sustainability goal setting, implementing targets up front during the design phases will help encourage lower carbon outcomes. A further uptake of digital construction will help architects and specifiers ‘design in’ these measures.
“There’s also a need for greater communication and trust between all parties in terms of specific responsibilities. Uncertainty around who is accountable for what is allowing sustainability standards to slip. Further work is needed on behalf of product manufacturers when it comes to providing sustainability information for their products – that way green credentials can be compared and understood.
“It’s promising that individuals are now taking on more personable responsibility to deliver more environmentally friendly results – and we’ve seen how further education and knowledge on the topic goes hand in hand with sustainability success.
“Moving forward, it’s clear the industry needs further guidance and commitment from the UK government around sustainable legislation and that we need to prioritise a circular economy, thinking more about recycling and reuse of existing buildings. Given how much we’ve learnt from this year’s study, it will be fascinating to see how far the needle has moved in our next sustainability report.”
