How to position your construction business sustainably to win more business

Sustainability isn’t new to the construction industry, but we’re seeing ever-increasing levels of demand, expectation and schemes across the UK. With the UK’s commitment to Net Zero in 2050, it means we in the construction industry have a lot of work to do - in under 30 years! So, it’s no wonder that tenders and contracts are demanding higher levels of sustainability and clients are asking for more validation.

There’s a real risk that your construction company could get left behind if you don’t adapt or successfully demonstrate your sustainability practices.

But fear not, below are some tips to help you. Whether it’s sharing good sustainability behaviour you’re already doing, developing shrewd partnerships, or making changes in your business, there are many opportunities for you to champion.

Showcase things you’re doing already.

We work with clients that often overlook things they’re doing already or are too modest to share their sustainability successes. Whether it’s on social media, your website or marketing materials, make sure you’re telling potential clients what you’re already doing:

·       Use a case study to demonstrate where and how you built a sustainable property. Explain how you added your expertise to reduce waste, energy, or environmental impact

·       Highlight your use of sustainable materials, such as recycled or renewable materials, that reduce the impact on the environment

·       Publish your sustainability policy or process on your website. It doesn’t have to be complex, just a summary of your commitments

·       Showcase energy-efficient features of the buildings you’ve worked on. This could be as simple as insulation, windows, and lighting that reduce energy consumption and cost, or more complex air-source heat pumps, solar panels or water recovery systems

·       Collate and share your team’s knowledge. Some team members will be more experienced or educated than others, so learn from each other through recommendations, tips, practices or products that could help reduce environmental impact

·       Emphasise your use of sustainable building practices, such as reducing waste, recycling materials, and using renewable products wherever possible

Make an impact

Here are some ‘sustainability in practice’ ideas you could adopt:

·       Choose partners and suppliers that have a sustainable approach and supply chain. This helps to promote sustainable practices and sends a positive message to customers and stakeholders about your company’s commitment to sustainability, plus you can learn from what they’re doing and how they’re reducing carbon in other ways

·       Educate your team about alternative products or materials for lower carbon construction. There are plenty of trade shows, podcasts, online seminars and CPD programmes available. Or ask your sustainable partners and suppliers if they can come and present to the team or run educational programmes.

·       Gain accreditation or promote the certifications or accreditations that the company has: BREEAM, LEED, or ISO 14001 – to show you meet recognised standards for sustainability.

·       Introduce some ultra-low or zero emission vehicles when your existing fleet needs renewing and get ahead of the ZEV 2035 programme.

·       Implement methods for yourselves. Install some solar panels, a wind turbine or heat recovery to power your own offices. Not only will this help reduce running costs longer term, but it will provide practical experience so you can talk with greater authenticity about the products and services you’re offering. If investing in alternatives isn’t quite right, try gathering feedback and real-life use cases from colleagues, employees and clients about technologies, equipment and materials they’ve used instead. Many manufacturers even run specially designed training programmes for contractors and specifiers.

·       Offset your energy use with carbon reduction initiatives. But make sure you use a Gold Standard provider for reputable, accountable results.

·       Get involved locally. Plant trees, invest in local parks, donate to energy saving initiatives like installing solar panels for the local youth group. Sustainability is about your own little patch of the world, as well as the bigger picture. And this could offer some great PR and networking opportunities too.

We can lend a hand

If you’re struggling for resource, your team is lacking experience, or you need some more strategic advice about showcasing your sustainable practices, we can help..<Contact us> to find out more.