The DTI estimates that 15-20% of all material delivered to construction sites ends up in skips, costing industry hundreds of millions of pounds a year.
The new project aims to spread environmentally friendly practices to the UK construction industry by promoting close working between main contractors, sub-contractors and trade unions. It also hopes to tackle health and safety issues in construction by promoting better lay outs for building sites.
Announcing the project, the DTI's Employment Relations Minister Gerry Sutcliffe said: “I welcome this initiative for its direct approach to tackling safety and environmental concerns.”
The scheme will be funded with 191,500 from the DTI's Strategic Partnership Fund with businesses contributing 827,600 over the next two years to get the project started.
Under the project, companies running construction sites will receive tools to train all site staff about environmental concerns and safety issues. The tools include learning packs and a framework to reporting successes so best practice can be passed on to the next project.
Uly Ma, project manager from Greenfile Developments, said: “A majority of the construction sector employs subcontractors and this means that good practices learnt from one project may not be carried through to another. Also, many of these small companies may not have the resources to provide lifelong learning for their employees.”
She added that through staff training on waste issues and a well-organised and neat construction site, companies will not only avoid accidents and minimise their environmental impacts but could also make significant cost savings.
Other partners in the project include the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians, Laing O'Rourke Scotland, Mowlem Building, CITB – Construction Skills, Engineers Against Poverty, Building Research Establishment and Niall Marriott Associates.
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