Environment & Sustainability Statements

sustainability statementWith the need for sustainable construction growing, many businesses are turning to consultancy companies such as Complete Sustainability to produce a sustainability statement for their new buildings.

Complete Sustainability specialise in sustainability statements for all new constructions with strict planning regulations. By converting a building’s sustainability to a simple numerical rating of one to five, Complete Sustainability helps clients to meet the legal requirements of sustainability reporting on their new buildings.

This is achieved by completing a questionnaire based report which takes into account both the sustainability of the building itself and the sustainability of its construction. By thinking about sustainability throughout the process, project managers ensure that sustainability is embedded in their buildings from day one, both in terms of actual environmental footprint for the impact during construction and also future energy use.

Some examples of the questions asked by Complete Sustainability for a sustainability statement on a new building are:

– Sustainability of the construction materials used, both in terms of their impact on the environment during manufacture and transport but also in how easily they can be recycled or reused at the end of their life.

– Sustainability of the building’s location, including its proximity to public transport links, recycling facilities and other amenities.

These type of statements are expected to address; how the design and layout of a building scheme takes energy efficiency into account, how the proposal is in line with the Building Regulations requirement, what the development will do to increase efficient use of resources and to reduce wastage by methods such as re-using and recycling, what plans have been included in the layout and design to deal with future climate change and to ensure resiliency in regard to; adaptability of energy systems and the use of sustainable drainage systems.

Sustainability Statement FAQs

How do you understand sustainability?

Sustainability is the ability to satisfy the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to satisfy their own needs. Sustainable development uses a triple bottom line approach which takes into account economic, environmental and social sustainability.

Building sustainability begins with examining your footprint by looking at the energy, water, and materials these buildings use. From there, builders need to start thinking about how the buildings will be sustained in the future by producing less adverse impacts on our planet’s natural resources.

Buildings must also prove themselves with good indoor air quality and high thermal efficiency without compromising aesthetics or liveability. Sustainable building is about answering these questions before taking the first step so everyone can continue to enjoy them for generations to come.

What are the 3 main principles of sustainability?

Sustainability is about meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The 3 main sustainability principles are;

– environmental sustainability which includes issues such as renewable energy, recycling, clean air and water etc.

– economic sustainability which focuses on ensuring that sustainability will not prevent growth or cause business decline, sustainability is advantageous to the growth of a profitable business.

– social sustainability which involves being considerate of people’s needs, ensuring that sustainability isn’t only about the environmental impact but also social sustainability.

How is a sustainability statement written?

A sustainability statement is a comprehensive statement that demonstrates how you have applied sustainability principles. There are many areas that should be covered within a sustainability report including energy, water, materials and construction stages to name but a few.

What should be included in the sustainability statement?

All materials and their carbon footprint are assessed, as well as the carbon footprint of any goods and services associated with your project. All water used should be included, as well as how you have treated and recycled all of your waste. The sustainability of the construction process itself is also considered including transport costs, resource use on site and a whole host of other issues.

What are the key elements of a sustainability statement?

When you commission a sustainability statement, it is important to know what areas are going to be covered. You should also consider how the sustainability statement will be reviewed and assessed.

All new constructions in places with strict planning regulations demand detailed sustainability statements. They cover all the information including; traffic counts, building material and environmental impact. A sustainability statement differs from SAP calculations and SBEM calculations in the sense that the sustainability statement does not only focus on energy. They focus on other features including; drainage strategy, ecological impact, water efficiency calculations, food risk analysis and community impact. The aim of the report is to highlight to a developer how local objectives can be addressed in relation to CO2 emissions, renewable energy targets as well as any environmental issues. A report is generally prepared during the pre-planning stage and is produced for the final application.

What types of sustainability statements are available?

There are a number of different sustainability statements that can be produced depending on your requirements:

A planning sustainability statement can be used to demonstrate sustainability in a simple and concise way for new developments. They provide a way of communicating sustainability information in the planning process and allows major developments to be both sustainable and more likely to get permission.

A design sustainability statement is for when sustainability features need to be included in your building planning application. This statement is for sustainability features to be included in your building plans. A sustainability statement does not need to be too complicated. For example, if you do not have space on your development’s plan for solar panels or wind turbines then just include the information within the sustainability statement instead.

What is an example of sustainability?

Sustainability is the degree to which a building’s construction or renovation encourages sustainability. This could be by using materials that have sustainability benefits, such as recycled timber, or it could include features that encourage sustainability, for instance having solar panels.

Why is understanding sustainability important?

Sustainability statements are now a requirement for all new developments with strict planning regulations. Whilst there is no set standard as to what should be included, they must now include factual information and an explanation of why sustainability features were included where applicable.

Get in touch with us at Complete Sustainability Solutions and find out more about our sustainability statement services. Call us on 0161 706 0298 or send an email to office@completesustainability.co.uk. Alternatively, fill the enquiry form below and we will get back in touch as soon as possible.