The declaration follows discussions coordinated by Multiplex with other leading contractors and has eight founding signatories: BAM Construct UK, BAM Nuttall, Canary Wharf Contractors, Morgan Sindall, Multiplex, Sir Robert McAlpine, Skanska UK and Willmott Dixon.
Now other firms are being invited to sign up to UK Contractors Declare initiative to form a united front to drive change in the industry.
The founders will commit to specific action aimed at achieving net-zero carbon emissions by no later than 2050. They will also share knowledge and resources on an open-source basis, to address the climate and biodiversity emergencies.
A statement issued by the Contractors Declare firms said: “We are hoping that strong support for the Contractors Declare statement will energise our sector to work with our clients, designers and supply chains to take action.”
Buildings and construction play a major part, accounting for nearly 40% of energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions while also having a significant impact on natural habitats.
The industry is set to play a key role in reducing emissions from the building stock and improving the environment.
Working as part of the wider global ‘Construction Declares’ movement, Contractors Declare is already engaging with Architects Declare and Engineers Declare to help promote a joined-up and strategic approach to combining resources, lobbying government and driving meaningful and effective change.
Contractors’ 10 commitments
- Raise awareness of the climate and biodiversity emergencies and the urgent need for mitigation and adaptation action among our employees, clients, peers, collaborators and supply chains.
- Advocate for faster change in our industry towards regenerative practices and higher Governmental investment to support a just transition, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
- Establish climate mitigation and adaptation principles, as well as maximise biodiversity and air quality enhancement. This will be demonstrated through commitments, actions and achievements. Seek for us and our key supply chains to set targets for our own emissions and for the assets we design and build using recognised standards aligned to the 1.5-degree scenario.
- Share knowledge and research on an open-source basis, to address the climate and biodiversity emergencies.
- Evaluate all new projects against the aim to contribute positively to mitigating climate and biodiversity breakdown, to adapt to climate change using nature-based solutions and encourage our clients to adopt this approach.
- Support the upgrade of existing assets for extended use as a more carbon-efficient alternative to demolition and new build whenever there is a viable choice.
- Support and promote the use of life cycle costing, whole-life carbon modelling and post-occupancy evaluation/performance measurement. We will do that as part of our standard scope of work to reduce both embodied and operational resource use for the assets we design and build.
- Adopt and support more regenerative principles, with the aim of achieving net-zero in line with recognised standards. For buildings, this should be in line with the UKGBC’s industry created definition of net-zero carbon.
- Work together with engineers, designers, clients, collaborators and supply chain to further reduce construction waste and transition to a circular economy.
- Accelerate the shift to low embodied carbon materials in all our work and promote meaningful actions that will lead to reducing embodied carbon by at least 40% by 2030, based on the World Green Building Council call to action.
Senior directors of contractors wishing to commit to the UK Contractors Declare can do so at: contractorsdeclare.co.uk
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