What is sustainability?

This is the first in a series of articles which will explain the ins and outs of sustainability and how to apply it in C&D.

Sustainability is increasingly under the spotlight in the construction and demolition industry – from Government and local council resource consents and contractual requirements, to demand from private and corporate clients. But what does it mean to be sustainable and how can you apply it to your work? 

What actually is sustainability?

Sustainability is a broad term covering a wide range of activities – it’s not just about hugging trees. It’s a holistic way to work which considers the broad-reaching impacts of our actions. 

Being sustainable means meeting our current needs in a way which will last, and which won’t compromise whether future generations can meet their needs, too.  Sustainability can be divided into three “pillars” – environmental, economic, and social.

Environmental sustainability 

Environmental sustainability in construction and demolition is all about how we can build, demolish, renovate, rebuild, and landscape in a way which preserves our environment in the long-term. This might mean:

• Using principles of sustainable site planning and design at the beginning of a project
• using materials made from sustainable renewable products or processes
• making sure materials are used as efficiently as possible on 
• reusing materials again and again and again
• constructing buildings that have a minimal, or even positive, impact on the environment.

There are plenty of easy ways to start reducing your environmental impact on construction jobs, which we are going to cover in more depth in future articles. 

Economic sustainability

Economically sustainable businesses prioritise long-term value over short-term gains – focusing on efficient use of resources, equal sharing of wealth, and building resilience against economic shocks, such as earthquakes, droughts, or cyclones. 

Balancing economic, environmental, and social outcomes can be challenging, but it’s worthwhile. Sustainability is a journey – you don’t have to do everything all at once. 

• You can improve your economic sustainability by investing in:
• renewable energy
• green technologies
• sustainable infrastructure that reduces environmental harm while creating economic value
• fair wages
• ethical labour practices
• equitable access to opportunities – because economic growth should benefit all members of society.

Social sustainability

What sets social sustainability apart from the other two pillars is that it relates directly to people, focusing on the importance of human sustainability, both now and in the future. It means thinking about your staff as whole people with lives outside of work, not just another resource when they’re on the clock.

Key aspects of social sustainability include:

• Equity and justice: Equity acknowledges everyone starts at a different level. You wouldn’t expect a healthy builder and one with an injury to perform equally. They can both work, but with some adjustments.
• Diversity and inclusion: This is about hiring people from different backgrounds, and valuing, respecting, and celebrating differences.
• Community engagement: Encourages participation by your team in decision making. 
• Livelihood security: Ensuring stable employment and income for individuals.
• Quality of life: Things like subsidised health insurance, consistent working hours, and flexibility for family commitments.  
• Cultural preservation: This is about maintaining and respecting cultural heritage. Encourage your team to embrace their cultural heritage on site.

The waste hierarchy

There are lots of ways to tackle your waste, but best practise uses the waste hierarchy. So, what is the waste hierarchy? It’s a super-easy framework to help you decide how to deal with materials, so they maintain the highest value possible throughout their lifetime

The circular economy

At the heart of the waste hierarchy is a thing called the circular economy, which is just a different way of thinking about the way we make, use, and dispose of products.

In the cycles of our natural world, nothing is wasted – the ingredients of all living things are continuously absorbed back into a regenerative, circular system.

At the moment, we use a linear economy (with a bit of recycling), which focuses on getting products to the consumer as cheaply as possible.

To make the most of the resources available to us, we need to shift to a circular economy, which is one where we keep materials in use, at their highest value possible, for as long as possible.

Putting it into practice

There are lots of ways you can be more sustainable in your work as a builder or contractor. You could do this by:

• Using electric tools
• Reducing wastage during your builds (we’ll cover this in more detail in future)
• Building good quality, warm, and dry homes
• Participating in community events or charities
• Paying living wages and looking after your employees’ wellbeing.

Tune in next time, when we’ll cover what carbon is, why it matters, and how it’s measured in C&D. 

This content is brought to you by 3R Group, in partnership with Mitre 10 Sustainability on Site and BRANZ. For more information on how to be more sustainable on your building sites, head to www.mitre10.co.nz/trade/sustainability &  https://www.branz.co.nz/reducing-building-material-waste