SUSTAINABILITY
Wienerberger
BIODIVERSITY THE CHANGING SHAPE OF
Paul Hodgkinson, director of new business development at Wienerberger UK and Ireland, explores the role of eco-habitats in the drive for Biodiversity Net Gain.
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t’s more important than ever for merchants to broaden their knowledge of sustainability, understand the impact of their
customers’ decisions and how they can work to help drive the necessary improvements. Sustainable, considerate and habitat-rich construction, whether for new projects or renovations, can allow species to move quickly back into their environment and live alongside us with minimal interruption.
The 2019 State of Nature Report shows in the UK, we have seen a decline in native species over the last 200 year, for example 43% of bird species are considered threatened. Bats have fallen dramatically in numbers over the last 50 years and our most common bat, the common pipistrelle, has declined by almost 70%. House Sparrows have declined by around 50% in the same period and are now red listed as a species of high conservation concern. The number of swifts fell by 53% between 1995 and 2016, and starlings by 66% since the mid-1970s – also red-listed as a bird of high conservation concern.
In an increasingly environmentally conscious world, 85% of people have indicated that they have shifted their purchase behaviour to become more sustainable in the past five years, according to The Global Sustainability Study 2021. As a result, merchants have an opportunity to improve their understanding on sustainability and biodiversity offerings.
Changing biodiversity The most important point is that such measures no longer need to be costly or complex. Customers can now have access to a wide range of solutions to help achieve the necessary ecological enhancements and ensure Biodiversity Net Gain.
At Wienerberger, we are proud to have a robust sustainability strategy and roadmap
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which we are implementing which aims to tackle the issues of climate change, biodiversity loss and resource scarcity, all designed to help safeguard our planet for future generations. Central to this is our partnership with Ecosurv, specialist ecological consultants, who provide Habibat, which is our comprehensive range of Eco-habitats made available to customers.
The eco-habitat habit
Initially driven by architect demand for more discrete solutions, integrated wildlife boxes offer durable and discrete habitats for British birds, bats, bees, hedgehogs and other species. Adapting bricks to create homes for wildlife, Wienerberger’s range is produced in the UK and can be faced in any brick type or stone, regardless of manufacturer, stone finish or suitable for render - and roofing Eco- habitats are also available. All solutions can be made bespoke to suit individual requirements for each individual project.
Bird boxes are tailored to individual species such as swifts, starlings and sparrows, providing space for nesting and roosting which is safe from predators. They are usually constructed using insulating concrete block which provides an internal roost space, with access holes to suit different species, before cladded with a brick face to match the building fabric.
Bat boxes are also solid boxes made of
insulating concrete that provide an internal roost space and cladded appropriately. Suitable for most species commonly found in the UK, the single chambered unit features an integrated V system to increase the surface for bats to roost against, whilst allowing freedom of movement.
Other Eco-habitats include solitary bee bricks, produced to UK brick size format so they can be easily installed in place of a standard brick. These feature holes of varying sizes to provide resting space for different species of solitary bee. Solitary bees lay their eggs in these cavities before sealing the entrance with mud and chewed-up vegetation. The offspring then emerge in spring and the cycle repeats.
Eco-habitats can support the wellbeing of communities and promotes biodiversity, and all Wienerberger Habitat boxes provide durable and discrete habitats for British birds, bats, bees, bugs and hedgehogs.
What can merchants do? Our new specialist report, The Changing Shape of Biodiversity in the Built Environment, prepared by environmental specialists at Wienerberger, addresses the challenges faced by the construction industry as they seek to meet enhanced Biodiversity Net Gain requirements.
The specialist report introduces the benefits of Eco-habitats such as bird boxes, bat boxes and bee bricks, providing a range of fuss-free solutions for merchants to offer customers. Experts from Wienerberger also offer installation and placement tips to help maximise nesting opportunities which can be shared with consumers.
By planning for nature, merchants can support customers to reconnect with nature. But this relies on providing well-informed, knowledgeable information which will empower customers looking to invest. n
A supplement to builders merchants journal November 2022
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