sustainable development strategy july 07(1)

Sustainable Development Strategyand Action Plan for Civil Engineering

July 2007

(Defra, 2005)

The goal of sustainable development is to enable all people throughout the world to satisfy their basic needs and enjoy a better quality of life, without compromising the quality of life of future generations

Statement from ICE, ACE, CECA, CIRIA and the Construction Products AssociationICE, ACE, CECA, CIRIA and the Construction Products Association are committed to the principles enshrined in this strategy and to working together to undertake the actions outlined in the accompanying action plan.

We will monitor our progress and review milestones, priorities and actions as necessary to help ensure continuous improvement in the sustainability performance of the civil engineering sector.

Coordinating author:

Dr Chrissie Pepper Senior Policy Executive, Institution of Civil Engineers, One Great George Street, London SW1P 3AA Tel +44 (0)20 7665 2221; Email [email protected]

Thanks also to:

Andrew Crudgington, Senior Policy Manager, Institution of Civil Engineers

Ruth Dennett, International Development Manager, Institution of Civil Engineers

Annie Hall, Member of Institution of Civil Engineers Environment and Sustainability Board and Director, GainPerspective

Ed Horton, Senior Marketing Communications Executive, Institution of Civil Engineers

Professor Paul Jowitt, Vice President, Institution of Civil Engineers and Professor of Civil Engineering Systems, Heriot-Watt University

Professor Roger Venables, Chief Executive, CEEQUAL Ltd

Quentin Leiper, President ICE

Nelson Ogunshakin, Chief Executive ACE

Peter Andrews, Chairman CECA

Bill Healy, Chief Executive CIRIA

John Colley, President, Construction

Products Association

Ashley Bateson Member of the Association for Consultancy and Engineerings Sustainability Sector Interest Group and Principal Sustainability, Hoare Lea

Mark Broadhurst (Steering Group Chair)Chair of the Institution of Civil Engineers Environment and Sustainability Board and Managing Director, Power of Cornwall

Owen JenkinsDirector, CIRIA

Professor Quentin Leiper (Project Sponsor)President of the Institution of Civil Engineers and Director for Engineering and the Environment, Carillion Plc

John Newman (Observer)Department for Trade and Industry Construction Sector Unit

Ian NicholsonMember of the Institution of Civil Engineers Environment and Sustainability Board and Managing Director, Responsible Solutions Ltd

Dr Tony ParryMember of the Institution of Civil Engineers Environment and Sustainability Board and Senior Lecturer, University of Nottingham

Rita Singh Environment & Industry Performance Director, Construction Products Association

John Wilson Technical and Environmental Officer, Civil Engineering Contractors Association

Steering group

Last year, the business-led Sustainable Procurement Task Force (SPTF) challenged the UK Government to use its immense buying power to make rapid progress towards sustainable development. The SPTF National Action Plan identified public sector construction, accounting for 40% of all construction work each year, as the number one priority area of Government spending through which to embed sustainability.

There is clearly a real opportunity for the construction sector to help the Government deliver its aspiration of more sustainable procurement. As civil engineers and construction professionals we possess the knowledge and innovative skills to deliver the sustainable solutions that represent real best value for clients and for society.

This sustainable development strategy aims to drive real improvements in the performance of the civil engineering sector by addressing key issues such as leadership, embedding the principles of sustainability, capacity building and creating a supportive policy

framework. The accompanying action plan is challenging but appropriate and I am sure that the strategy and action plan together will soon make a positive impact.

As a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers I am particularly pleased that the Institution has taken the lead in this successful partnership across the construction sector. The commitment made by the partners to delivering the strategy and the associated action plan, is significant. This cooperation between civil engineering trade, professional and research bodies bodes well for the holistic and joined-up approach which is so fundamental to achieving more sustainable development.

Foreword by Sir Neville Simms

Foreword by Professor Quentin Leiper, President of the Institution of Civil Engineers This second sustainable development strategy and action plan presents an opportunity to,

achieve a better balance between social, environmental and economic progress across the civil engineering industry and profession. It provides us with a framework for refocusing our efforts on building sustainable communities, because, at its heart, sustainability is about making improvements to our quality of life both now and in the future.

I am greatly encouraged by and committed to the partnership approach of this strategy and action plan to addressing both the challenges and opportunities presented by sustainable development.

Producing and implementing this strategy and action plan is not an end in itself. It is part of our journey towards sustainability. By its very nature, this will be a living document. Our approach will be developed, tested and improved over time. And very importantly, it will require the active, continuous and meaningful engagement of the engineering community and the wider construction industry both in the UK and internationally.

Sir Neville Simms, Chair, Sustainable Procurement Task Force

Quentin Leiper, President ICE

Executive summaryThis document contains our strategy and plans to build on past achievements in supporting civil engineerings contribution to sustainable development.

It has been prepared by a steering group comprising the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Association for Consulting and Engineering (ACE), the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA), CIRIA and the Construction Products Association. It brings up to date the first strategy and action plan Society, Sustainability and Civil Engineering, produced in 2002. Acting in a coordinated way, we will help to lead the civil engineering sector towards a more sustainable future and to enhance still further its contribution to a more sustainable built environment.

Our vision is for the civil engineering industry and profession to play its full role in the creation and maintenance of sustainable communities in harmony with their natural environment.

Underpinning this vision are four strategic aims which will guide our approach to pursuing sustainable development in civil engineering:

1 promote strong leadership within civil engineering

2 embed the principles of sustainable development into everyday work activities and decision making

3 build capacity for sustainable development in the industry and profession

4 create and influence a policy framework that demands more socially and environmentally responsible behaviour

A number of actions along with a timescale for delivery are set within each of the above aims and related objectives and include, inter alia:

promotion of the Civil Engineering Environmental Quality Assessment and Awards Scheme (CEEQUAL) to clients, designers and contractors to encourage environmental excellence in civil engineering projects

investigation of the challenges and opportunities to achieve sustainability and their impact on civil engineering

organisation of a series of climate change workshops and subsequent reports to identify priority actions for the civil engineering sector in addressing the challenges posed by climate change

production and dissemination of a rolling programme of case studies to demonstrate good practice around the social aspects of corporate responsibility

active participation in the formulation of relevant government strategies, e.g. the Government/industry Sustainable Construction Strategy

Members of the steering group and their organisations are committed to working together to deliver on this strategy. We will regularly monitor achievements against the action plan and publish an annual progress report.

Case study supplied by Willmott Dixon Construction Limited, R H Partnership Architects Ltd and F J Samuely & Partners Ltd

The construction of the Plant Growth Facility at the University of Cambridge utilised recycled tyres within a retaining wall structure. The retaining wall was required to provide an acoustic and visual screen to hide external mechanical plant. In total around 600 tyres were used, replacing the need for 0m of concrete that would have otherwise been required and finding a good use for used tyres. Each layer of tyres were laid overlapping the previous layer and held together by steel pins running down through the vertical spaces of the tyres. The tyres were packed with loamy gravel from the foundations, retaining approximately 00m of soil that would have otherwise been transported off site.

In addition to the use of tyres, the project also specified:

the cement for the concrete foundations and floor slab to contain 40% blast furnace slag, making use of a waste product and helping to reduce CO emissions associated with cement production

stainless steel was selected for the roof for its durability and ability to be recycled at the end of the buildings life

The case for recycling

4

IntroductionDespite some excellent improvements in the environmental performance of civil engineering in recent years, and progress towards improving the quality of many peoples lives, the current approach to development adopted by most organisations remains essentially unsustainable. Collectively, we are consuming the earths natural resources beyond its ability to regenerate them and creating waste at a rate that cannot be sustained. In addition to the environmental impact of our actions, the needs of societies around the world are not being met.

Civil engineering delivers the infrastructure on which modern life depends clean water, wastewater treatment, transport systems etc. However, there is a strong sense of imbalance in the delivery of civil engineering, the positive and adverse impacts of what we do, and the social benefits that accrue from our work.

As members of the built environment community, our goal is to rectify this imbalance by the creation of sustainable communities in harmony with their natural environment.

To achieve this, we need to strengthen markedly how we already in part address some of the most profound problems facing humanity, for example climate change and poverty, to name only two.

The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE), the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA), CIRIA and the Construction Products Association have prepared this sustainable development strategy and action plan to continue their drive for real and continuous improvement in the performance of the civil engineering sector with respect to sustainability. It defines our commitment to help industry deliver more sustainable civil engineering and the actions that we will undertake in pursuing this goal.

This strategy is for everybody working in and with the civil engineering sector whose actions and decisions affect sustainable development, whether locally, nationally or internationally. It comprises a vision for civil engineerings contribution to sustainable development and our approach in pursuing this vision. The associated action plan sets out a series of practical actions we propose to take within the parameters set by the strategy.

There is a role for professional bodies and trade associations to encourage and promote good practice and a role for individuals and organisations working within the civil engineering sector to take responsibility for adopting and exceeding it.

This strategy and action plan will be updated and extended over the coming months and years, the partners having committed themselves to review it at least annually.

With infrastructure and engineering products and processes becoming increasingly complex, engineers need to integrate consideration of whole-life environmental and social impacts positive as well as negative with the mainstream and commercial aspects of their work

Lord Broers FREng FRS, Past President, Royal Academy of Engineering

Quality of Life

Background: building on past achievementsThis sustainable development strategy and action plan is the second such coordinated plan. In 2002, ICE, ACE, CECA, CIRIA and the Construction Products Association published Society, Sustainability and Civil Engineering a sustainability strategy for the civil engineering sector. This cooperation between civil engineering professional, trade and research bodies was a pioneering first for the partners, and was successful in delivering a joined-up approach to sustainable development.

Examples of its successes include:

development of the Civil Engineering Environmental Quality Assessment & Awards scheme (CEEQUAL)1, which gives public recognition for civil engineering projects with high environmental performance (further details on CEEQUAL are included later in the strategy)

incorporation of sustainable development principles into undergraduate degree courses accredited by ICE

incorporation of sustainable development into ICEs qualifications process

the publication of Achieving Whole Life Value in Infrastructure and Buildings in 2004 by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) (BRE, 2004), which was accompanied by a national road show

A full report on the delivery of the 2002 strategy and action plan can be downloaded from the ICE website ice.org.uk

This new 2007 strategy and action plan recreates the successful partnership working of 2002. Whereas the 2002 report made the case for sustainable development, and successfully promoted its adoption by leading-edge organisations, the focus of this new strategy and action plan is on extending implementation and action throughout the industry and profession. It identifies new key areas where we need to take decisive action now and in the years to follow.

As well as a detailed action plan containing the actions the partners had committed to carry out in order to deliver more sustainable construction, the 2002 report also listed actions and recommendations for civil engineering organisations, individual civil engineers and clients. The key recommendations, which are reproduced below, are still relevant today and again their implementation is encouraged by the partners in this 2007 sustainable development strategy and action plan.

Actions for clients and end users: improve and develop knowledge on sustainability

and sustainable development, including training for procurement staff and the sharing of best practice within organisations

ensure earliest possible engagement with all parts of the supply chain so that sustainable development becomes embedded

improve management of impacts and resource productivity, including whole life-cycle assessments

Actions for all organisations in the civil engineering supply chain: improve management of impacts and resource

productivity, including whole life-cycle assessments

engage the supply chain at the earliest possible stages of a project to ensure sustainable development principles are embedded

promote the business case for sustainable development to clients and financial institutions

be accountable for performance with respect to sustainability

Actions for individuals: pursue continuing professional development

(CPD) and personal development programmes on sustainable development

ensure the principles of sustainable development are reflected in professional behaviour

share knowledge and expertise on sustainable development with others

1 CEEQUAL The Civil Engineering Environmental Quality Assessment and Award Scheme see www.ceequal.com for further details

Best Practice

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A sustainable development strategy for civil engineeringOur vision is for the civil engineering industry and profession to play its full role in the creation and maintenance of sustainable communities in harmony with their natural environment.

The purpose of this strategy is straightforward it aims to provide a framework for further improving the sustainability performance of the civil engineering industry and profession. The strategy sets out:

a shared understanding of sustainability and sustainable development

a commitment to take collective action to achieve a more sustainable future

a vision of what we are seeking to achieve and the tasks we will need to complete in order to achieve it

how we will monitor, evaluate and review progress

To help achieve the sustainable development aims, the associated action plan sets out objectives and specific activities together with a clear indication of how they will be achieved; by when; and who will be involved.

Developing the strategy and action planThis new strategy has been prepared by a steering group comprising the same partners as the 2002 strategy ICE, ACE, CECA, CIRIA and the Construction Products Association.

The steering group has drawn together the key priorities for this strategy and action plan in consultation with the civil engineering community. Initially, a consultation workshop comprising 40 industry representatives generated ideas about direction and content of the strategy and action plan. An online questionnaire was then formulated based on the workshop discussions to help further prioritise the topics to be covered within the strategy and action plan.

An early draft of the strategy was also distributed to interested individuals and groups for their comments. All in all, over 500 civil engineers and industry body representatives have fed their views into this strategy and its associated action plan.

The wider contextThis strategy aims to contribute to other sustainable development strategies, where appropriate, to avoid duplication and to ensure that the goals of sustainable development are pursued in an integrated way.

Accordingly, the main external policy initiatives that have been considered in the development of this strategy and action plan and will be reflected in its implementation are:

UK Government sustainable development strategy (Defra, 2005)

UK Climate Change Programme (Defra, 2006)

ConstructionSkills Strategic Action Plan Build to Last and Sustainability Skills Matrix for the Built Environment (ConstructionSkills, 2005)

2012 Construction Commitments (Strategic Forum for Construction, 2006)

Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) Review of Sustainable Construction (2006)

UK Government sustainable procurement policy, including the work of the Governments Sustainable Procurement Taskforce (SPTF, 2006)

Office of Government Commerce (OGC) and the work of the Public Sector Construction Clients Forum (PSCCF)

the work of the Sustainability Forum (a specialist sub-group of the Strategic Forum for Construction)

European Construction Industry Federation Principles for Sustainability (FIEC, 2006)

the Royal Academy of Engineerings Engineering for Sustainable Development: Guiding Principles (Dodds and Venables, 2005)

United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)2

The strategy and action plan partners continue to work closely with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform to ensure that this document influences and aligns with the Government /Industry Sustainable Construction Strategy, which is currently being developed.

2 An ICE International Development Policy Group has been established to help facilitate the civil engineers role in addressing the UN Millennium Development Goals

International actionThis strategy and action plan recognises the importance of common efforts, global action and collective responsibility for sustainable development, and for fulfilling the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

In July 2006, ICE signed a Protocol for Engineering a Sustainable Future for the Planet along with the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE). This articulated the organisations continuing commitment to sustainable development and recognised that civil engineers have the knowledge and skills to play a major role in helping to meet the MDGs. The Protocol also committed each of the signatories to produce a sustainability action plan to help articulate and deliver more sustainable development. This document contains ICEs UK action plan for sustainable development. An International Development Policy Group (IDPG) has been established to lead ICEs international development work and take responsibility for coordinating the international element of ICEs sustainable development strategy. ICE is also working to encourage other engineering institutions worldwide to sign up to the Protocol and produce their own sustainability action plans.

The IDPG will build on the work of the ICE Presidential Commission Engineers without Frontiers (EwF). The EwF Commission, which ran from 2003 to 2006, focused

on the role of influencing, advocacy and partnerships in delivering effective infrastructure to help meet the challenge of achieving the MDGs (Jowitt, 2006a). The Commission also produced a set of Principles of Engineering for Development and Poverty Reduction (EwF, 2005) to address the challenge of international development and set out the attributes required for successful development engineering projects to alleviate poverty.

Emanating from the EwF Presidential Commission, ICEs 6th Brunel International Lecture series, entitled Engineering Civilisation from the Shadows delivered by Professor Paul Jowitt, discussed the role of engineering in addressing the twin spectres of climate change and world poverty and further outlined the potential of civil engineering to continue its major contribution to international development (Jowitt, 2006b). By June 2007, the lecture had been heard in 29 venues in 12 different countries by over 2,902 people.

ICE will continue to work with others, such as the World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO), towards the achievement of the MDGs. In particular, it will establish a memorandum of understanding with WFEO in order to deliver EwF outputs internationally. In addition, the IDPGs work will focus on embedding international development into mainstream ICE policy, in line with the Institutions new international strategy.

According to CEEQUAL Award recipients, using the CEEQUAL scheme to promote high environmental performance of projects also delivers a number of business and social benefits including:

enhanced reputation with clients, stakeholders and the wider community as socially and environmentally responsible organisations

enhanced team working, bringing project teams together to pursue a positive and shared environmental agenda and motivating them to perform well

costs saving money as well as delivering improved environmental performance through a wide range of actions such as whole-life costing, reduced energy and water consumption, waste minimisation as well as minimising the costs of environmental incidents and the costs of dealing with protesters

One user has reported that actions prompted by the CEEQUAL scheme resulted in savings of over three times the CEEQUAL fee just part-way through the project.

The business case for environmental excellence

Metronets Snaresbrook embankment stabilisation project was honoured by a CEEQUAL award for going the extra mile beyond the standard legal and regulatory requirements to achieve distinctive environmental levels of performance a practice now adopted across their Civils programme

What is sustainability and sustainable development?Sustainability or sustainable living has been defined as the goal of sustainable development. A widely-used and internationally accepted definition of sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Brundtland, 1987). In the UK, the Government offers the following interpretation of sustainable development:

Sustainable development is commonly conceptualised as having three dimensions: environmental, social and economic. These dimensions are often symbolised as overlapping circles, and have been characterised by business in particular as the triple bottom line (Figure 1). Other sustainable development proponents have placed the social and economic circles within a larger environmental circle, to symbolise the extent to which environmental capacity provides an overall constraint on development (Figure 2).

With over 200 definitions of sustainable development in existence (Parkin et al, 2003) there is much debate as to its precise definition. However, what is important is that we have a common view of the main components of sustainable development.

The partners as a whole agree that sustainable development involves:

the integration of economic, environmental and social elements

minimising the trade-offs that have to be made between those elements

More importantly, a sustainability-driven approach to civil engineering leads to adoption of some key objectives in practice:

dramatically reduce the environmental impact of our life and work

dramatically improve the environmental quality of what we create

maximise the utilisation of materials and their reuse

maximise appropriate use of secondary and recycled materials

minimise waste in design, construction and use

minimise energy and water use

minimise pollution from all our activities

focus on increasing peoples quality of life through good urban design

ensuring respect for people; that is, showing care towards the workforce and the surrounding community. This should be reflected in everything from health and safety, to site and welfare conditions, providing training opportunities, promoting equality and work-life balance and in encouraging job satisfaction

Other concepts used throughout the document are defined below.

Sustainable communities operate at different scales, global, national, urban and rural. They are places where people want to live and work, now and in the future. They meet the diverse needs of existing and future residents, are sensitive to their environment, and contribute to a high quality of life. They are safe and inclusive, aesthetically pleasing, well planned, built and run, and offer equality of opportunity and good services for all (adapted from Communities and Local Government, 2007).

Sustainable construction this subset of sustainable development refers to the creation, maintenance and operation of infrastructure and buildings that shape communities in a way that sustains the environment, generates long term wealth and enhances the quality of life (adapted from ConstructionSkills, 2007).

Corporate responsibility is the ethical responsibility of organisations to deliver sustainable development. Essentially it is about how business takes account of its economic, social and environmental impacts in the way it operates maximising the benefits and minimising the downsides. Corporate responsibility encompasses three general policy areas: environmental, social and economic.

Environment

Social

Sustainable

Figure 1

Economy

Society

Environment

Figure 2

The goal of sustainable development is to enable all people throughout the world to satisfy their basic needs and enjoy a better quality of life, without compromising the quality of life of future generations

(Defra, 2005)

Equitable

EconomicViable

Bearable

Why is sustainable development so important?Our current approach to development is unsustainable, we are overexploiting resources and creating pollution, changing habitats and driving species to extinction.

Research has highlighted that if everyone in the world lived the way we do in Europe we would need three planets to support us. Unsustainable development also creates social problems which are exacerbated by the inequalities in health, wealth, education and employment which accompany it.It is now almost universally accepted that global climate change is a reality and that human emissions of greenhouse gases are a contributory factor. The Stern Review (Stern, 2006), on the economics of climate change, outlined the costs of inaction in addressing the problem of climate change. It forecast that spending one per cent of global gross domestic product (GDP) now on tackling climate change would help preclude a loss of up to 20% global GDP and avoid almost certain global economic disaster. The report also outlined the human cost of massive social upheaval caused by climate change, and the environmental legacy for future generations.

Benefits of sustainable development

At a business level there are sound reasons for pursuing sustainable development. There are already examples where a sustainable development approach makes the industry more competitive, more resilient to shocks, more flexible in a fast-changing world, more unified in purpose, more likely to attract and hold customers and the best employees, and more at ease with regulators, banks, insurers, and financial markets. Whilst it is important not to overstate the potential of these benefits accruing across the whole industry, or to understate the task ahead, we believe their value is likely to increase as we enter a period of heightened competition. The case studies in this document serve to highlight some elements of the business case for sustainable development.

What is the role of civil engineering?Civil engineering plays a crucial role in creating the infrastructure needed for modern life around the world. Practitioners in the civil engineering sector apply knowledge and experience to create projects that meet human needs and clean up environmental problems. As a result, how the civil engineering sector works has significant impact on progress toward sustainable development.

Civil engineering already contributes but must contribute much more to sustainable development along the entire chain of modern production and consumption, including the following:

extracting and developing natural resources

processing and modifying resources

designing and building infrastructure

meeting the needs of consumers

recovering and reusing resources

producing and distributing energy (WFEO, 2002)

At a time of rapid urbanisation, population growth, climate change and environmental degradation, there is ever increasing pressure on the engineering and construction sector to adapt and rethink what it understands to be appropriate and sustainable.

Engineering is central to both climate change adaptation and mitigation, for example in delivering engineering solutions to accommodate changes in sea levels and storm surges and in developing and rolling out renewable energies such as wind power and tidal barrages. Clearly, the engineering and construction sector has a significant role to play in helping the Government to reach its target of a 20% reduction in carbon emissions by the end of the decade and 60% by the year 2050.

Triple Bottom Line

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The role of ICE, ACE, CECA, CIRIA and the Construction Products AssociationWe are committed to using our influence to encourage and support the civil engineering sector to deliver sustainable development. We have made a commitment that, as representative bodies of the industry, individual professionals and the industry owned research body we will specifically provide:

leadership

education and training

knowledge transfer

a voice of the industry and profession to Government and the public

support for research and innovation

Acting in a coordinated way, we will use our influence to continue to lead the civil engineering sector into a more sustainable future.

What is the role of CEEQUAL?CEEQUAL is the ICE-led scheme for assessing the environmental quality of civil engineering projects and delivering to project teams awards that recognise how well they have dealt with the environmental issues they faced. Its objective is to encourage the attainment of environmental excellence in civil engineering projects, and thus to deliver improved environmental performance in project specification, design and construction.

CEEQUAL assesses performance in 12 areas of environmental concern, including, inter alia the use of water, energy and land, ecology, landscape, archaeology, waste management, and community amenity. The assessment framework provides a checklist of appropriate actions for project teams to embed into their projects development.

To date (July 2007) sixteen awards have been made, the most recent ones being Norton Fitzwarren Dam, M60 widening, Rushall Canal improvement and Carran Hill Water Treatment Works in Northern Ireland. Details of projects that have achieved an award can be viewed on the CEEQUAL website, www.ceequal.com. Currently, a further 83 projects are being assessed and the total value of projects that have been or are being assessed has exceeded 2.5billion.

Scheme development is a major element of the work programme for CEEQUALs Scheme Managers alongside day-to-day operation of the scheme. The present Manual (Version 3.1) is now called the Projects Version and has recently been updated. Recent progress in industry practice will be reflected alongside new assessment questions in later versions. A Term Contracts version is under development, thus allowing the CEEQUAL ethos, approach and methodology to be applied to the substantial proportion of civil engineering undertaken through long-term, geographically-based contracts, rather than discreet individual projects. The website www.ceequal.com provides further details.

Clearly CEEQUAL provides a valuable mechanism for delivering this strategy. The partners in this strategy and action plan thus remain committed to supporting the further development of CEEQUAL and to encouraging and promoting its greater uptake by the civil engineering sector.

Installing separate potable and non-potable water supply systems at Heathrow Terminal has achieved a 0% reduction in potable water consumption system resulting in financial and environmental benefits. Potable water is now used for activities such as catering and showers with non-potable water being used for toilet flushing, vehicle washing and fire-fighting on aircraft stands.

The non-potable water is sourced from groundwater abstraction, rainwater harvesting and recycled water. Requiring minimum treatment prior to use, this has proved extremely sustainable in terms of cost, energy use and resource efficiency, when compared to potable sources.

Although the construction costs of a separate potable and non-potable system exceed that of a single potable system, the operational cost is approximately halved, meaning the dual system pays for itself in a little over two years and makes a substantial saving over the design life of the project.

Water Supply Terminal 5 Heathrow

Case study and photo provided by BAA 11

However, we cannot create sustainable communities by acting alone. To achieve our vision, we recognise the need to work collaboratively with other disciplines so that issues surrounding the building of sustainable communities are considered holistically.

Underpinning our vision we have identified our sustainable development aims for action. These have been drawn up in consultation with the civil engineering community. Their purpose is to guide our approach to pursuing sustainable development in civil engineering (beginning with the first action plan); and to provide some qualitative measures to help us evaluate the strategy itself:

Aim 1 Promote strong leadership for sustainable development within civil engineering

There is a need for strong commitment and leadership at all levels, including clients, to tap into the enormous potential of civil engineering to protect the environment and promote sustainable development.

In particular, clients need to be made aware that embedding sustainable development during the concept and development stages of a project is fundamental to achieving sustainable outcomes. There is also a huge opportunity for industry to demonstrate leadership in helping clients achieve greater value for money through more sustainable options.

Aim 2 Embed the principles of sustainable development within civil engineering

To be effective and stand the test of time, sustainable development needs to be built into everyday work activities and decision making and not just bolted on at the end.

This approach aims to change organisational cultures so that sustainable development becomes an integral part of the way they work. It is embedded in a small minority of organisations in and serving the civil engineering industry but now needs to be spread throughout the industry and profession.

Aim 3 Build capacity for sustainable development in civil engineering

Building capacity for sustainable development is about equipping organisations and individuals with the understanding, skills and access to independent information, knowledge and training that enables them to perform effectively.

If we are to enhance even further the viability and sustainability of the civil engineering industry, we need to create a business climate that supports the development of a committed, skilled, diverse and adaptable workforce. Without properly trained and competent people contributing at every level, it is unlikely that the overarching aims of this strategy will be achieved. Accordingly, this strategy embraces corporate responsibility including skills and training, safety, equality and diversity as key elements of a sustainable civil engineering industry.

Aim 4 Create and influence a policy framework that demands more socially and environmentally responsible behaviour

Creating the right policy and regulatory framework to support and reward sustainable development will be challenging and will require a variety of actions at all levels. The strategy partners will work collaboratively to identify these and promote consistency in policy making to Government.

Monitoring and strategy reviewMembers of the steering group individuals and organisations have committed to working together to deliver on this strategy and action plan. They will monitor and review progress and make annual public reports.

This strategy and action plan is a living document and part of a process in which all those involved have committed to working together for a common vision. We will continue to seek a broader range of perspectives in our approach, including those who can bring broader global views, to help strengthen the process and increase our capacity to achieve sustainable development.

Vision and aims Our vision is for the civil engineering industry and profession to play its full role in the creation and maintenance of sustainable communities in harmony with their natural environment.

1

This action plan sets out concisely and comprehensively a series of practical actions ICE, ACE, CECA, CIRIA and the Construction Products Association propose to take within the parameters outlined in the strategy. In most cases these actions are just more, early steps on a long journey and not an end in themselves. Nevertheless, we believe that implementing these commitments now will bring lasting benefits.

Although the plan is UK focused, we recognise that many of the actions will have international implications.

Accordingly, ICE will circulate the document to its CountryRepresentatives worldwide so that they may consider its relevance for promoting more sustainable development where they live and work. Similarly, the document will also be circulated by the other partners in this project to their international counterparts.

This plan is organised around the four sustainable development aims identified in the strategy.

Where champions have been identified in the table below, this does not preclude other partners from actively contributing to the delivery of the actions as well as the aims and objectives more broadly. Indeed, the partners have committed to working together to fully implement the strategy and action plan and will seek to involve other construction bodies and organisations where appropriate.

The project was the deconstruction of a Georgian-style hotel constructed in fine Bath Ashlar limestone with wide early Victorian pine floorboards throughout.

Conventional mechanical reduction would have taken six weeks at an estimated cost to the developer of ,000. However, having identified a buyer, the developer was paid 16,000 for the building which was carefully deconstructed, transported to a new site and reconstructed. The 1 week deconstruction programme was carried out on schedule and saved over 00 tonnes being sent to landfill together with significant embodied energy and carbon savings.

The case for deconstruction

Case study and photo provided by Minchinhampton Architectural Salvage Company (MASCo) with the help of BioRegional Reclaimed

Engineering is at the heart of the answer (to global sustainability challenges), because engineering is the link the absolutely essential link between science and business... If you want to change the world, be an engineer

Lord Browne, FREng, President, Royal Academy of Engineering

Action plan for sustainable development in civil engineering

Leadership

1

Aim 1 Promote strong leadership for sustainable development within civil engineering

There is a need for strong commitment and leadership at all levels including clients, to tap the enormous potential of civil engineering to protect the environment and promote sustainable development.

Objective Actions and deliverables Champion Timescale

1. To encourage clients, particularly government and major clients, to take a lead in driving forward sustainable development

1.1 Develop projects to take forward ideas on how sustainability can best be embraced in procurement as discussed during the ICE Presidential Forum on sustainable procurement in December 2006

ICE December 2007

1. Publish a suite of sustainable procurement briefing notes in ICE Proceedings journals, highlighting the need for a broader procurement definition to help deliver secondary objectives (ie social and environmental) within the procurement process3

ICE 2008

1. Promote standard forms of contract and specifications which most appropriately deliver sustainable construction

ICE Ongoing

1.4 Promote the Civil Engineering Environmental Quality Assessment and Awards Scheme (CEEQUAL) to clients, designers and contractors to encourage environmental excellence in civil engineering projects

All partners Ongoing

1. Promote the ENGAGE-CONSTRUCT4 website on social responsibility

CIRIA October 2007

. To encourage civil engineering organisations to take ownership of sustainable development

.1 Explore with appropriate strategic partners the possibility of producing sustainable development charters for civil engineering organisations to sign up to. This will require companies to:

demonstrate how they intend to implement sustainable development

commit to developing the sustainable development skills of their workforce as necessary

publish details of their performance

All partners December 2008

. To take the lead in promoting the role of civil engineering in addressing climate change

.1 Hold a series of climate change workshops to identify priority actions for the civil engineering sector in addressing the challenges posed by climate change. The final report will form part of a united engineering response to climate change in the context of the wider partnership between the Royal Academy of Engineering and other leading bodies in the engineering profession

ICE Report delivered by December 2007

Action plan for sustainable development in civil engineering

3 See Hawkins et al, 20064 The ENGAGE-CONSTRUCT website contains practical guidance on how to be a socially responsible construction client,

for more information go to www.engageweb.org14

Aim Embed the principles of sustainable development within civil engineering

To be effective and stand the test of time sustainable development needs to be built into everyday work activities and decision making and not just bolted on at the end. This approach aims to change organisational cultures so that sustainable development becomes an integral part of the way they work.


4. To develop and/or provide access to tools and guidance on incorporating sustainable development into all aspects of civil engineering

4.1 Identify ways to contribute to the delivery of ConstructionSkills Build to Last Strategic Action Plan


4. Work with ConstructionSkills to produce a Top 10 things for designers to do to make their practices sustainable guide as identified in ConstructionSkills Build to Last Strategic Action Plan

ICE October 2007

4. Raise awareness of social impact assessment tools in measuring the social effects of infrastructure projects and other development interventions

ICE Ongoing

4.4 Provide guidance and advice to clients, consultants, contractors and others on delivering sustainable transport infrastructure. The first piece of guidance will focus on building sustainable roads and will include a definition of a sustainable road, address issues around planning, demolition/recycling, design, operation and construction and provide practical checklists and targets

ACE January 2008

4. Provide guidance on sustainable engineering methods for extending the service life of infrastructure

CIRIA April 2008

4.6 Provide guidance and training on a range of site-focused sustainability topics including good site environmental practice, contaminated land, archaeology, control of invasive plants

CIRIA June 2008

4. Ensure the assessment of environmental impacts of products is in line with the European Union methodology being developed through CEN Mandate TC 350

Construction Products Association

Ongoing

1

Aim Embed the principles of sustainable development within civil engineering

To be effective and stand the test of time sustainable development needs to be built into everyday work activities and decision making and not just bolted on at the end. This approach aims to change organisational cultures so that sustainable development becomes an integral part of the way they work.


. To encourage innovative approaches and continuing development and application of good practice in corporate responsibility

.1 Raise awareness of corporate responsibility tools for use by designers and contractors which are available and easily integrated into business practices

CECA, ICE, ACE Ongoing

. Produce a corporate responsibility toolkit for contractors

CECA December 2007

. Produce and disseminate a suite of case studies annually which demonstrate good examples of social outcomes delivered within the broader corporate responsibility context

All partners Annual

.4 Lead by example in developing and implementing an equality and diversity strategy and action plan

ICE December 2007

6. To encourage and stimulate the sharing of, and learning from, current and developing experience of sustainable development

6.1 Work collaboratively to produce and disseminate a suite of case studies on mainstreaming and embedding sustainable development into civil engineering projects. These will include examples of how barriers and impediments to sustainable development have been reconciled

All partners Annual

. To promote greater material resource efficiency across the construction sector

.1 Promote the benefits of early involvement of manufacturers and distributors from the design stage to reduce waste arising on-site


Ongoing

. Promote the value of all existing buildings and structures (including those of historical importance) and the merits of their reuse rather than just demolishing and recycling the materials

ICE Ongoing

. Annual bridge and infrastructure conservation awards to encourage best practice in conservation

ICE Annual

16

Aim Build capacity for sustainable development in civil engineering

Building capacity for sustainable development is about equipping organisations and individuals with the understanding, skills and access to information, knowledge and training that enables them to perform effectively.


. To increase the capacity of current and future civil engineers and decision makers in the field of civil engineering to implement sustainable development using the Sustainability Skills Matrix for the Built Environment5

.1 When providing resources to school teachers, include where appropriate elements of sustainable development in line with the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) requirements in the National Curriculum for Science, Design & Technology, Geography and Citizenship

ICE Ongoing

. Encourage the G156, to explore with the Training & Development Agency for Schools (TDA) and the national network of Science Learning Centres, opportunities to embed sustainable development principles in Initial Teacher Training (ITT) and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for teachers

ICE June 2008

. Work collaboratively to support the inclusion of sustainable development into the Higher Education teaching curriculum through:

assessing the value of existing teaching resources

identifying gaps in the current provision

exploring how best to support academics

ICE June 2008

.4 Work with academic departments and SCOSS7 to develop suitable curriculum material, to encourage and support the teaching of engineering history at undergraduate level

ICE September 2008

. Work with the Joint Board of Moderators when reviewing university degree accreditation guidelines on sustainable development

ICE Late 2008 onwards

.6 Deliver a programme of regional seminars on sustainability for ICE Reviewers on how to assess the sustainability attributes at Professional Reviews

ICE September/October 2007

. Update ICE Membership Guidance Note (MGN) on sustainable development and make available on ICEs website

ICE September 2007

. Encourage and assist training providers to develop sustainable development courses and where appropriate including mainstreaming sustainable development into existing courses

ICE Ongoing

. To exploit all other opportunities for knowledge transfer and training on sustainable development as appropriate


5 Developed by the Skills Working Group of the Sustainability Forum for Construction now owned and promoted by ConstructionSkills, SummitSkills and AssetSkills for wider dissemination and use

6 The G15 are a group of major engineering institutions in the UK7 SCOSS the Standing Committee on Structural Safety 1

Aim Build capacity for sustainable development in civil engineering

Building capacity for sustainable development is about equipping organisations and individuals with the understanding, skills and access to information, knowledge and training that enables them to perform effectively.


. To engage with stakeholders in developing research activity to address key topics on sustainable development

.1 Establish an engineering futures group to explore the changes required to achieve sustainability and analyse their impact on the civil engineering industry and profession

ICE 2008/09

. Hold regular consultations with members to identify guidance requirements


. Promote whole life costing and life cycle assessment more effectively and consistently across industry

ICE, CIRIA, Construction Products Association

2008

.4 Carry out research on the embodied carbon of UK infrastructure and produce a formula that will enable the calculation of the carbon footprint of different infrastructure sectors, starting with the water industry

ICE December 2007

. Initiate a research programme to broaden understanding of how to effectively promote more sustainable behaviour within and by the civil engineering sector

ICE, CIRIA 2008

.6 Develop methodologies for environmental assessments to be undertaken at building and infrastructure level based on an ecopoints / m2 measure


2008/09

10. To promote information exchange and knowledge sharing on sustainable development

10.1 Establish task groups through which civil engineering stakeholders can come together to advance sustainability. The first task group will provide civil engineering expertise to key stakeholders on the delivery of a sustainable London 2012 Olympic Games


10. Develop and maintain linkages with other professional bodies, trade associations and other stakeholders which are reviewing the sustainability agenda to ensure joined up thinking across the industry


10. Arrange annual sustainability lecture to inform practitioners and stimulate action

CIRIA Annual

10.4 Organise series of workshop on range of sustainability topics via the Construction Industry Environmental Forum (CIEF)

CIRIA Ongoing

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Aim 4 Create and influence a policy framework that demands more socially and environmentally responsible behaviour

Creating the right policy and regulatory framework to support and reward sustainable development will be challenging and will require a variety of actions at all levels. The strategy partners will work collaboratively to identify these and promote consistency in policy making.


11. Influence the development and delivery of government policy that reflects the right balance of legislative pressure and commercial advantage to positively encourage sustainable development

11.1 Active engagement and participation in relevant Government strategies e.g. Government/industry Sustainable Construction Strategy, Defra National Waste Strategy and DfT transport policies and others, including provision of inputs and dissemination mechanisms


11. Work collaboratively across the sector to:

advise Government at all levels on the creation of a more efficient and less bureaucratic legislative environment that promotes sustainable development

encourage Government to use fiscal incentives to promote sustainable development

promote consistency across Whitehall policy on sustainable development

provide engineering knowledge and expertise on sustainable development to Government


1. Engage more fully with European Union decision-making processes regarding sustainability

1.1 Identify opportunities to influence the European Union to embed sustainability in the policy making process


1. Scope out with European construction bodies the possibility of developing a pan-European action plan to complement this plan for the UK civil engineering sector


References

Bourke, K., Ramdas, V., Singh, S., Green, A., Crudgington, A., Mootanah, D., (2004), Achieving whole life value in infrastructure and buildings, Building Research Establishment (BRE), Garston.

Brundtland, G. H., (ed.), (1987), Our Common Future: World Commission on Environment and Development, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

ConstructionSkills, (2005), Build to Last: Strategic Action Plan, Construction-skills, Bircham Newton.

ConstructionSkills, (2007), Sustainable Development, ConstructionSkills, Bircham Newton, 15/03/07, URL http://www.cskills.org/

Communities and Local Government, (2007), What is a sustainable community?, Communities and Local Government, London, 15/03/07, URL http://www.communities.gov.uk/

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), (2005), Securing the Future: delivering the UK sustainable development strategy, HMSO, London.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), (2006), Climate Change: The UK Programme 2006, HMSO, London.

Department for Trade and Industry (DTI), (2006), Review of Sustainable Construction, HMSO, London. URL http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file34979.pdf

Department for Trade and Industry (DTI), (2007), The UK government gateway to

Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR.gov.uk, 16/03/07, URL http://www.csr.gov.uk

Engineers without Frontiers (EwF), Institution of Civil Engineers Presidential Commission, (2005), The Principles of Engineering for Development and Poverty Reduction, Institution of Civil Engineers, London.

European Construction Industry Federation, (2006), The FIEC Principles for Sustainability, Fdration de lIndustrie Europenne de la Construction (FIEC), Brussels.

Hawkins, J., Herd, C., and Wells, J. (2006), Modifying infrastructure procurement to enhance social development, Institution of Civil Engineers and Engineers Against Poverty, London.

Institution of Civil Engineers, American Society of Civil Engineers, Canadian Society for Civil Engineering, (2006), Protocol for Engineering a Sustainable Future for the Plant, Institution of Civil Engineers, London, 15/03/07, URL http://www.ice.org.uk

Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Association for Consulting and Engineering (ACE), the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA), the Construction Products Association and CIRIA, (2002), Society, sustainability and civil engineering, Institution of Civil Engineers, London, 15/03/07, URL http://www.ice.org.uk

Jowitt, P. W., (2006a) Engineering without Frontiers, Final Report to Council, Institution

of Civil Engineers Council Paper, No. C69-2006, 18 July 2006, Institution of Civil Engineers, London.

Jowitt, P. W., (2006b) Engineering Civilisation from the Shadows, 6th Brunel International Lecture, Institution of Civil Engineers, London.

Parkin, S., Sommer, F. and Uren, S., (2003) Sustainable development: understanding the concept and practical challenge, Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Engineering Sustainability, 2003, 156, No. 1, 19-26, Thomas Telford, London.

Dodds, R. and Venables, R.K. (Eds) (2005) Engineering for Sustainable Development: Guiding Principles, The Royal Academy of Engineering, London.

Strategic Forum for Construction, (2006), 2012 Construction Commitments, Strategic Forum for Construction, London.

Sustainable Procurement Taskforce, (2006), Procuring the Future Sustainable Procurement National Action Plan: Recommendations from the Sustainable Procurement Task Force, Defra, HMSO, London.

World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO), 2002, Engineers and Sustainable Development, 26/04/07, URL http://www.ch2m.com/WFEO/index.htm

All website addresses correct when published.

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Published July 2007.

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