{"id":135855,"date":"2024-01-02T15:54:02","date_gmt":"2024-01-02T15:54:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?p=135855"},"modified":"2024-01-02T15:55:21","modified_gmt":"2024-01-02T15:55:21","slug":"materials-procurement-how-new-approach-transform-sustainability-construction-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/digital-construction-news\/materials-procurement-how-new-approach-transform-sustainability-construction-industry\/135855\/","title":{"rendered":"Materials procurement: How a new approach can transform the sustainability of the construction industry"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Build Chain<\/a> explain how a new approach to materials procurement can help to reduce carbon emissions in the construction industry<\/h2>\n

Although COP28 has drawn to a close, sustainability will continue to be a popular topic within the construction industry. The UK is targeting net zero emissions by 2050, and businesses of all types will need to make changes to help the country achieve its targets.<\/p>\n

With construction being responsible for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions<\/a>, there is a lot of pressure on our industry, in particular, to reduce the negative impact on the environment.<\/p>\n

One often overlooked area of the building cycle where significant, impactful change can be made is materials procurement. A new approach to this vital industry activity has the potential to be transformational.<\/p>\n

Current sustainability challenges in materials procurement<\/h3>\n

A significant portion of construction industry carbon emissions can be attributed to the manufacturing and transportation of materials, making it clear there is room for improvement when purchasing materials.<\/p>\n

Adopting a local supply chain is a great place to start; reducing the distance materials need to travel to get to the site directly reduces the transportation-related carbon emissions associated with each project.<\/p>\n

Additionally, the materials themselves need to be manufactured and packaged in a more environmentally friendly way. Those with responsibility for selecting and purchasing materials should look for widely recognised certifications such as Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) ratings and prioritise these over less sustainable options.<\/p>\n

With procurement teams facing time pressures and industry-wide issues like price inflation, change and innovation are required if the sustainability of materials procurement is going to be improved.<\/p>\n

Using digital solutions to procure more sustainably<\/h3>\n

Utilising modern technologies transforms procurement and ensures sustainability can be embedded into the process.<\/p>\n

Digital solutions can improve the impact of materials procurement on the environment in a variety of ways:<\/p>\n