New WRAP report reveals role for resource efficient construction in meeting climate change targets

05 November 2009

The first piece of research into how materials resource efficiency could help to meet UK climate change targets was launched by WRAP yesterday, at its Annual Conference. The report shows that the efficient production and consumption of materials could contribute as much as 10% of the target reduction in UK domestic greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.

As one of the biggest sectors in the UK, the construction industry has an important role to play in delivering best practice materials resource efficiency and thereby minimising climate change impacts.

Meeting the UK climate change challenge: The contribution of resource efficiency is the first report of its kind to consider the impact that non-energy related strategies could have on climate change – an important message in the build up to the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. Research found that improved resource efficiency across all sectors, including construction, could have an immediate impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions – saving up to 254m tonnes over the next ten years.

Lean production, materials substitution, redirection of landfill materials, sustainable building (MMC and off-site) and the efficient use of existing housing infrastructure are all identified as key strategies through which the maximum benefits of resource efficiency could be realised by the construction sector.

Mike Watson, Head of Construction, WRAP, commented on the report, “This research draws a definitive link between resource efficiency and climate change. Up until now, in the construction industry in particular, the focus has been on energy consumption during the use of a building or infrastructure, rather than the carbon impact of material use.

“The good news is that many companies from across the construction industry are already performing well on the key strategies outlined by the report. Over 200 companies have signed up to collectively reduce waste by 2012 as part of our Construction Commitments: Halving Waste to Landfill and the actions required to deliver on these commitments will put businesses well on track to contribute to climate change targets, as well as reap the cost benefits associated with improved resource efficiency.”

Editor's notes:

1. The United Nations definition refers to resource efficiency as…reducing the environmental impact of the consumption and production of goods and services over their full lifecycle
2. WRAP helps individuals, businesses and local authorities to reduce waste and recycle more, making better use of resources and helping to tackle climate change.
3. Established as a not-for-profit company in 2000, WRAP is backed by government funding from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
4. Working in seven key areas (Construction, Retail, Manufacturing, Organics, Business Growth, Behavioural Change, and Local Authority Support), WRAP’s work focuses on market development and support to drive forward recycling and materials resource efficiency within these sectors, as well as wider communications and awareness activities including the multi-media national Recycle Now campaign for England.
5. More information on all of WRAP's programmes can be found on http://www.wrap.org.uk/
6. WRAP is facilitating a number of voluntary industry agreements with the shared objective of reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill in the UK. These include:
   - The Courtauld Commitment – a voluntary agreement between WRAP and major UK grocery organisations that supports less packaging and food waste ending up in household bins.
   - The Construction Commitments: Halving Waste to Landfill – launched in October 2008, this agreement aims to halve the amount of waste from construction, demolition and excavation entering landfill by 2012 in line with the government’s Strategy for Sustainable Construction (June 2008).
   - The Home Improvement Sector Agreement – a voluntary agreement between WRAP and major UK DIY retailers that supports less waste packaging being sent to landfill.

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