Building the case for green building

There is an ever increasing pressure on the construction industry to adapt to environmental and sustainable practices. It is a concern that has grown from the recognition that rising populations and economic development are threatening the world's resources.

In terms of construction, the process that natural resources undergo in order to be turned into building products uses highly energy-intensive procedures, further threatening the environment. Some 47% of UK carbon emissions are attributed to domestic, commercial and industrial buildings. Furthermore, the construction industry generates 100 million tonnes of waste every year.

It is of little surprise then, that driven by the government and public opinion, manufacturers are increasingly promoting the positive environmental effects of their products. But is there a business case for their specification, and can ecological building materials and products compete with the traditional approach to construction?

Currently, there is a perception that contractors do not care about a building's performance. Neil May, managing director at Natural Building Technologies (NBT), believes energy and health performance are not taken into account. "They are implicit in the Building Regulations, but once a design has passed they no longer seem to matter," he says.

"Even in terms of design no one knows if a building design that passes the Building Regulations is actually environmental. Usually it is based on cost and whether a system possesses the bare minimum."

Ian Exall, head of marketing at H+H Celcon, agrees that most contractors are not willing to go down the environmentally-friendly route, as in the majority of cases the client will not pay a premium. However, he believes the tide will turn. "With such media attention and benchmark projects such as the Olympics leading the way in sustainability, I think more and more contractors will have to consider the use of sustainable materials," he comments.

Competing products
As will be demonstrated at the Innovations for the Built Environment exhibition (comprising the Ecobuild, Futurebuild, Cityscope, Regenex and Building for Health shows at Earls Court 2 - 27 February to 1 March) there are some natural and ecological building materials that can and do compete with the traditional, while others are still to prove they are worth the price premium they command. The Building Research Establishment (BRE), which provides consultancy, testing and commissioned research services covering all aspects of the built environment and associated industries, has experience with many of these products and advises on their use and environmental worth.

Christian Steel, principal consultant at the BRE's BREEAM centre, which assesses and promotes sustainable building practices, has recognised a stronger focus from manufacturers on improving the performance of building materials and products. "In the main, environmental or natural products can compete with more traditional methods, but to gain acceptance this needs to be proved," he explains.

"In countries, such as Germany, which traditionally have had a more environmentally-conscious approach, there have been studies into the performance of ecological products, but to gain acceptance among UK specifiers and contractors locally-sourced studies and certification must be available."

UK catching up
In continental Europe over the last 10 years, ecological technologies have been developing at a rapid rate. In Germany, ecological building materials account for between 10% and 15% of the building product market, but the UK lags behind. However, according to May, the UK is now catching up, with distributors piggybacking on research from continental Europe to promote ecological products.

But to gain widespread acceptance there will have to be a combination of a compelling business case and perhaps further legislation. This has been the case for products provided by NBT. "Because of Part L and EcoHomes ratings we are now able to compete with traditional building systems," explains May.

There is also an argument that natural products can perform a variety of functions, while those that are synthetic are more one-dimensional. "For example, the woodfibre versus polystyrene debate used to be considered only in terms of thermal performance," May continues. "But woodfibre can achieve good acoustic performance and, combined with a light timber frame, it has a huge amount of thermal mass."

However, many ecological products and materials carry a price premium that no contractor is willing to absorb. Peter Goring, technical director at John Doyle Construction, which specialises in concrete frame, recognises that there are ecological products available but "without a critical mass specifying them, there is not enough quantity when you need it at the right price".

Risky business
Goring recounts a case in which a client specified the use of a particular secondary aggregate. "We were asked for waste products from a tin mine as a secondary aggregate - which incurred no aggregate tax. However, as this hadn't previously been done, it attracted a premium of £5/m3. That's a £5 premium on top of £70/m3, which doesn't make business sense. On top of this we decided we were too unsure of the associated technical issues and it involved too much risk."

Despite a price premium, this should have produced a saving, as there is no aggregate tax. However, because the secondary aggregate had been specified from a particular tin mine and was not available in volume it attracted a high price.

In this instance, the distance the aggregate had to travel was also a consideration. The questions of where the material was sourced, how far it has had to travel, and the energy used to process it must also be taken into account before a full picture of a product's environmental qualities can be assessed. "There is a hankering for specifying ecologically-friendly products, but specification should move away from labelling products ecological or natural," continues the BRE's Steel. "We need to take a step back and look at whether it comes from a natural source and whether the methods used in its manufacture are sustainable."

Once this has been established there is still the task of sourcing the materials at the right price to offer the correct performance. NBT's May believes this can be achieved through an integrated approach to design. "A joined-up approach to performance will mean that products are not fighting against each other," he explains. "This will make the cost more reasonable as systems will be built with fewer parts, making them more financially viable."

May also believes further legislation will be introduced with regard to carbon taxes. "The use of renewables will carry incentives and, with rising energy costs, traditional products will become more expensive to make. When this occurs ecological building products will gain mainstream acceptance."

While products are available that offer high levels of performance, most carry a price premium that inevitably deters most contractors. However, it looks increasingly likely that there will come a time when sustainable development becomes a business opportunity. With such a high level of awareness, and the focus of the government, disregarding environmental issues will become increasingly difficult. As the Sustainable Construction Task Force has declared: "Sustainability issues are of crucial and strategic importance to business. Ignore sustainability and your reputation is on the line."

Ten things not to miss at Ecobuild 2007

[Contract Journal, 7th Feburary 2007, p20-21]