With the subject of sustainability hitting the news on a daily basis, it is good that Jennie Price offered some practical advice on how to go about achieving it.

I agree that reducing waste is a headline issue that can be quite easily addressed, thanks to better access to recycling facilities. I hope that in time, these small steps will lead to the industry taking waste reduction to the core of everything it does.

We must look at waste not merely in terms of scrap generated, but as activity that doesn’t add value to your business. This means attacking waste everywhere it exists. Off-site construction lends itself well to this – we can invest in tools and processes that not only assure quality, but reduce and measure waste. In the event of a problem, factory conditions help us to find the source and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Another method is to use site-specific kits, with just enough components for the structure.

This attitude to waste must permeate processes and people. There’s no point having effective policies in place if your employees don’t appreciate what they can achieve.

Adam Newton, managing director, Framing Solutions

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