Procurement Agencies’ Role in Sustainable Building Practices
Article: Sustainable building practices and materials in relation to New Zealand civil construction
Sustainable practices and materials building in New Zealand puts into consideration three main elements, which include economic effectiveness, social responsibility and environmental impacts. Practices of sustainability can be included into the processes of construction in several ways which include utilization of sustainable, low-impact materials of construction, minimization of wastes in construction and reapplication of existing construction assets, minimizing water and energy consumption, provision of employment opportunities, improving workers condition and offering support to regions and sectors of construction.
Agencies of procurement can have an influence on the improvements of sustainable building through the process of procurement by setting opportunities at early stages through the brief of the project, and making sure that these requirements are echoed in the service scope of the consultants and contractors ability in attaining these requirements during the process of tender selection, which will also boost the chances of attaining outcomes that are sustainable.
By collaborating with material manufacturers, contractors, building designers, engineers and architects, a range of materials, formulations and chemistries should be developed. These technologies can improve sustainability, aesthetics, durability and performance across the entire environment of building industry. From roofs to roads, from high-rises to homes, there are several solutions that minimize waste, enhance efficiency and finally attain the development goal that is environmental friendly as it is appealing visually and functionally and structurally robust. This can be done through application of proven silicones which ensure durability and designs that are of high performance through a huge provision of coatings and sealants for windows and door, weatherproofing, structural glazing, infrastructure and insulating glass. Polyurethane systems which ensure insulation, sealant, adhesive, coating and high performance solutions can be applied widely in the construction industry to ensure sustainability. Additionally, additives and acrylic binders that deliver durability in the usage that range from renders that is dispersion-based to cool roof coatings to membranes that are waterproof can be applied. Finally, cellulosic technology which improves retention of water, in tile adhesives that are cement based, adhesion and workability enhancement can be applied in ensuring sustainable buildings and materials in New Zealand.
The construction industry is an important element in the economy of New Zealand but also has got many impacts on the environment. Due to its size, the industry forms one of the largest energy user, terrible polluter, and largest user of water and material resources. As a result of these effects, there is an increased consensus among committed organizations whose commitment is towards achieving environmental performance objectives that are appropriate to actions and strategies required in making construction activities that are more sustainable. With respect to such important influence in the industry of building, the sustainable construction approach contains a high possibility of making significant contribution towards sustainable construction. Sustainability in construction covers a complex and broad concept, which has expanded to be one of the main issues in the construction industry. The sustainability idea includes improving the quality of life in New Zealand, therefore giving allowance to individuals in living under a healthy environment, with enhanced environmental, economic and social conditions. A building that is sustainable is constructed, operated, renovated or reused in a manner that is resource and ecological efficient. It should meet several particular objectives which include reduction of GHC and C02 emissions, energy and resource efficiency, prevention of pollution, noise mitigation, enhanced indoor quality of air and coordination with the environment. A perfect project should be not costly to construct, lasts forever and has got the modest maintenance.
Collaboration Among Building Industry Professionals to Develop Sustainable Technologies
It is approximated that by the year 2056, economic activities will have increased not only in New Zealand, but also globally. The population around the globe may be over 50 percent, global consumption of energy will have gone high and manufacturing activities will have gone very high. The construction industry is actually one of the fast growing energy users not only in New Zealand but also around the globe. In comparison to other sectors, the construction sector is growing very fast in energy usage and applying the finite resources of fossil fuel has raised eyebrows over difficulties in supply, exhausting of resources of energy and also changes in climate. Construction material production uses energy, the phase of building uses a lot of energy and operating a building that is already complete uses energy for ventilation, power, lighting and heating. Besides the consumption of energy, the construction industry is considered the main contributor towards environmental pollution, the main raw material consumption with 3 billion tons consumed yearly. The three principle issues related with the main sustainable themes in construction industry include environmental, economic and social sustainability (Mutis, 2018).
- Environmental sustainability
- Utilization of materials of construction that is sustainable with low impact
Application of materials that are sustainable means presenting levels of consumption that will not compromise the materials availability in future, and as a result harm over the environment will not take place. When materials are being selected, the materials should be sourced from other sites of buildings, from replaceable or renewable sources; the materials should be recycled, naturally available and have low environmental effects throughout their life (Fragomeni, 2020).
- Minimizing building waste and re-usage of existing built assets
Materials of building make up a significant material proportion that is used not only in New Zealand but globally. Demolition and construction waste also accounts for one third of all solid waste that is generated. Therefore, there is a need of reducing the construction waste amount in the industry through reducing, reusing or recycling.
A waste management plan can offer incentives and targets of minimizing waste to landfill through coming up with objectives for minimization of wastes and measures that must be followed by each staff who is working on the construction project. Contractors, designers and agencies should incorporate the circular economy principles, apply durable materials that can be applied, reused and continually be recycled, reuse and repurpose built assets that are existing, wherever possible, instead of demolishing buildings, design the same for construction, and identify possible sources and types of waste, storage methods and disposal means. On the same note, the parties should agree on the best measures of reducing waste, involving objectives of recycling, reusing and limiting the waste percentage that should be sent to the landfill. Finally, the parties should give a framework over on and off site duties for waste management, and plan and identify training about waste management education (Gupta, 2015).
Resource Efficiency in the Building and Related Industries, known as REBRI from BRANZ offers a number of guidelines, tools and case studies with the focus of minimizing the amount of construction material waste which results from demolition and construction sites that would have been otherwise deposited in the landfill.
- Economic sustainability
- Minimizing water and energy consumption
Negative Environmental Impacts of the Construction Industry
One of the best ways of achieving sustainable construction is through minimization of water and energy consumption.
All energy consumption has got negative impacts on the environment. Sustainable energy application means designing buildings in order to ensure conservation of energy from sources which have got the most minimum harm on the environment in the long-run, i.e. renewable energy and applying it effectively. Energy efficiency can be attained through several measures, which include the application of proper thermal insulation, reduced carbon building materials that need less manufacturing energy, improved features of passive design such as application of natural sunlight in heating and lighting. Contractors, designers and agencies can work together in employing strategies which minimize the consumption of power, identification of opportunities to maximize the application of sources of renewable energy, creating designs that apply passive lighting and heating and regularly adjusting systems of building for maximum effectiveness (Addis, 2017).
Efficient water usage without having an effect on the levels of service assists in lowering costs and minimizes both health and pollution risks. Both outdoor and indoor design must involve features of management and water saving for both consumption of freshwater and discharge of wastewater. Water conservation and efficient usage equally applies when construction is taking place, for instance, when the concrete is being mixed, wetting surfaces that are dry and washing of equipment. Contractors, designers and agencies can work together in providing education on conservation of water to the working staff, conducting continuous checks for leaks on installations, giving a priority to the installation of reduced flow bathrooms and toilets fittings and fixtures and incorporating effective recycle and water treatment systems (SAIKIA, 2016).
- Social sustainability
- Provision of opportunities for up-skilling and employment
There are particular groups of population in New Zealand that have got vital barriers to training, education and employment pathways and whose rates of employment are unequal to the 4.3 percent rates of employment of the general population. The outlined approach in the guide of Construction Skills and Training can be applied in incorporating targets, requirements and objectives to assist in improving social outcomes, and increase the ability and capacity of the building workforce. The government of New Zealand has committed itself in ensuring the environments of employment are fair through strengthening the environment, by using Supplier Code of Conduct which sets the supplier’s expectations from the government, including the sub-contractors, as related to labor and human rights, environmental sustainability, prompt payment, security, health and safety , corporate responsibility and also ethical behavior. It is vital that practices undertaken by the government can assist in improving workers condition through support. This may involve cooperating with suppliers in addressing forced labor and other types of modern initiatives and slavery which aims at increasing the workers living standards together with their families (Gossling, 2019).
- Supporting construction sector and prosperous regions
The government of New Zealand encourages a health sector of construction and also prospering sustainable and thriving regions of New Zealand. Regional economic development is vital since a big percentage of New Zealanders, at least 49 percent stay outside the main urban areas of Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland, and since this areas make a vital contribution of about 40 percent of the Gross Domestic Product of New Zealand. The procurement rules of the government support offering opportunities for businesses regionally, which include Pasfika, Maori and social enterprises in participating in the processes of government procurement (Naganathan, 2021).
- Healthy building sector
The Need for Sustainable Material Selection and Waste Management
A successful building sector is vital to economic and social wellbeing of New Zealand. Every individual relies on the sector for the environment of building that they live in, play and work in and also the infrastructure that is depended on. A healthy building sector is resilient and sustainable, has the ability of maximizing productivity through a culture of high performance, has the ability of investing in the capability and capacity of its people, is profitable and successful with businesses with balance sheets that are strong, is based on certainty, confidence and trust and also focuses on the wellbeing of communities and people (Gali, 2020).
Issues that affect the healthy sector have got an impact on projects since consultants and contractors do changes on how to operate their businesses. Some of these issues have been highlighted in BDO’s construction sector report and they include issues like being more selective and careful about which customers to work with, favoring clients with a good reputation and those who ensure there is a maintenance of healthy margins, being extra selective on the opportunities that are tendered for, or moving away from the work of tender in favor of contracts that are negotiated, undertaking a contract review of conditions that is more detailed and favoring contract of standard forms. They can also limit the working scope within their particular specialty, being extra careful about undertaking risk analysis that is detailed, and pricing of risks into margins.
A healthy construction industry can be supported by allowing consultants and contractors to make margins that are fair, allocating risk appropriately, making payments promptly, and provision of pipeline visibility (Sayigh, 2019).
Conclusion
This paper has carried out research on limitations and drivers of sustainable building practices in the construction industry of the New Zealand. The focus has been given to limitations and strengths of all parties involved in the building sector in determining the slow uptake of sustainable construction in New Zealand. The basic building knowledge has been looked on against the academic literatures in promoting the validity of the research. The main limitations that mitigate sustainable building in New Zealand include inefficiencies in supply chain, untailored tools, unapproved commercial feasibility, and unavailability of short term benefits. Current drivers of contractors such as processes of waste management/waste segregation, efficiencies of basic resources, occupant comfort and increased awareness are some of the basic strengths of operation that have been identified in this paper. With the uptake of the GRS in infancy still, New Zealand has got the advantage of having an ability of learning from the issues of other nations that have been successful in their green built environment practices. Other researches in future will include a bigger sample size to incorporate the situation of main stakeholders in regard to sustainable construction in New Zealand.
References
Addis, B. (2017). Building with Reclaimed Components and Materials: A Design Handbook for Reuse and Recycling. Texas: Routledge.
Fragomeni, S. (2020). Incorporating Sustainable Practice in Mechanics and Structures of Materials. Texas: CRC Press.
Gali, M. L. (2020). Sustainable Practices and Innovations in Civil Engineering. Texas: Springer Nature.
Gossling, S. (2019). The Routledge Handbook Sustainability. London: Routledge.
Gupta, A. K. (2015). Advances in Construction Materials and Sustainable Environment. London: Springer Nature.
Mutis, I. (2018). Advances in Informatics and Computing in Civil and Construction Engineering. London: Springer.
Naganathan, S. (2021). Sustainable Practices and Innovations in Civil Engineering. London: Springer Nature.
Saikia, M. D. (2016). Elements Of Civil Engineering. Texas: Phi Learning Pvt. Ltd.
Sayigh, A. (2019). Renewable Energy and Sustainable Buildings. Texas: Springer Nature.
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