construction skills
Helping to build a more
sustainable future
Andy Walder, Director of the training and tools they need to environment, as well as helping Companies such as Wood
National Construction College, become skilled in modern and them to develop their own careers. Mitchell Building Group Plc and
Europe’s largest construction sustainable building techniques. The modules include Palmer Construction Ltd have also
training provider, looks at the In the current climate it is very ‘Environmental Management undertaken sustainability training
importance of businesses invest- easy for many of us to forget the Systems at Site Level’ for construction with us and have found it to be
ing in environmental best importance and impact our sustain- and project managers, ‘Sustainability beneficial, particularly with respect to
practice and sustainable building ability credentials can have not only for Management in Construction’, bringing them up to speed with cur-
solutions and how businesses on the environment but also on the which provides managers with an rent legislation and highlighting to
can improve their sustainability profitability of company books. insight into the business benefits them how incorporating some quite
credentials by undertaking spe- It goes without saying that an of construction, ‘Social Issues in straight forward practices to their
cialist construction training. improved approach to an organisa- Construction’ and ‘Sustainable business could add to their compa-
tion’s sustainability procedures can Procurement in Construction’, as well ny’s reputation, as well as improving
S
ustainability is increasingly have an immediate and substantial as courses concerning on-site man- the bottom line of the business.
becoming an issue of concern effect on reducing operational agement of waste, water and energy. In terms of reaching the
to us all, whether this is the costs, but it can also lead to an Each course has been designed and Government’s target, there is still
amount of waste we are producing, improved reputation which can developed individually to help ad- a long way to go, but by providing
the amount of energy we are using consequently have longer term dress different issues affecting the people with the training and
or the products we are choosing to profitability benefits to a business. built environment. knowledge they need, we can start
buy. The construction, mainte- At the National Construction Most recently we have launched to address these issues now to help
nance and use of buildings impacts College, we have been working the ‘Understanding the Code for us all build a sustainable future.
substantially on the environment with the Environmental Sustainable Homes’ course which The National Construction
and is currently contributing signifi- Consultancy of the University of has been developed for architects, College is the training arm of
cantly to irreversible changes to the Sheffield (ECUS) to develop a series designers, construction managers, ConstructionSkills and is the largest
world’s climate. of sustainability courses to help site managers and house builders provider of construction training in
Buildings are actually responsi- provide the knowledge and skills to find out more about what the the UK and Europe. The college
ble for almost half of the country’s needed to improve a company’s Code for Sustainable Homes is offers both young apprentices
carbon emissions, half of our wa- environmental credentials. and how it works. and adult students a wide range
ter consumption, about one third Our courses are continuously The courses have been attended of specialist courses. It has seven
of all UK landfill waste and one updated and include the latest in by a range of construction companies campuses around the UK, which
quarter of all raw materials used environmental legislation. We make who have found the different sustain- provide training for more than
in the economy. the courses as flexible as possible ability courses all very useful. The 30,000 people per year.
If the construction industry as working hard with employers to try National Federation of Builders (NFB)
a whole is to deliver the thousands and make sure that any training fits has been undertaking training cours- If you are interested in finding out
of projects currently underway or in around work schedules. es for its members through us for more information about courses
planned, whilst also helping to The series of half and one day a number of years. They chose to on offer at the College please visit
meet the government’s targets modules have been designed to undertake the Site Sustainability www.nationalconstructioncol-
of an 80% reduction of the 1990 address the different aspects of Simplified training course for its lege.co.uk or call the course
levels of emissions by 2050 and sustainability and offer trainees, members with us as it provides a booking line on 0344 994 4433.
a 50% reduction in construction site workers and managers the comprehensive introduction to sus-
waste to landfill by 2012, the work- tools and skills they need to enable tainable construction at site level
force must be provided with the them to make a difference to the which is suitable for all NFB members.
British Builder & Developer 11
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