In response to the climate crisis, Diamond Build Group has launched a carbon reduction strategy aimed at achieving business carbon neutrality by 2045 and net zero by 2050.
Following an analysis of company carbon emissions generated from January – December 2021, a range of measures will be implemented, enabling the business to stay on track to meet the Government’s broader UK targets. The measures have been designed to reduce scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, which include those arising from gas heating, driving company-owned vans, electricity, and other activities such as paper use, business travel and water supply.
Key to the plan’s success will be Diamond Build’s move to a new eco-friendly office in April 2023. Green roofs, solar panels, low energy appliances, high quality insulation, sun tubes and recycling facilities are just some of the features that will help the contractor to reduce its carbon emissions by 20% in 2023. No gas will be used within the building with all heat generated using air source heat pumps.
Several energy related targets are also in place, which will reduce onsite regulated CO2 emissions by 36.7% when compared with a building constructed to current Part L Building Regulations (2013).
To achieve its carbon targets, other measures to be implemented by Diamond Build include:
- Switching to electric site vehicles with the aim of achieving a fully electric fleet by 2050.
- Reducing paper use by 50% by encouraging the adoption of e-documents over printed versions.
- Offsetting remaining carbon emissions by purchasing carbon credits from sources such as the Gold Standard.
- A new energy policy aimed at changing habits within the office, using more natural light, and providing automated lighting and air conditioning ensuring the systems are only switched on when necessary.
John Gray, Chairman of Diamond Build Group, said: “The construction industry is a major contributor to carbon emissions, which are generated both through the building process and operational use.
“To address the crisis, contractors must take a proactive approach and ensure that environmental pledges turn into action. Our carbon reduction plan quantifies our current carbon emissions and sets out the initiatives that will enable us to make tangible changes. These focus on addressing the Group’s most significant sources of carbon emissions with the long-term aim of reducing them by 68%.”
The new measures in Diamond Build’s Carbon Reduction Plan add to a variety of sustainability initiatives already in place across the Group, including an ISO 14001 accredited Environmental Management System for all projects, and environmentally-friendly practices and products on site such as eco-cabins, electrical zoning, out-of-hours mains switches, rainwater harvesting, and sustainable portacabins that enable grey water recycling.