Sustainability award

Ibstock Brick
It's not just contractors that need to think about sustainability, you know. The first supplier to win this award in its four-year history, Ibstock Brick stood out with its environmental management programme. The firm has committed to 10% energy and CO₂ reduction by 2010, elimination of local environmental complaints, a reduction in transport and 40% water recycling. It is examining alternative energy sources such as wind and landfill gases and the recycling of waste products. But what really blew the judges away was its site restoration – instead of abandoning clay quarries when it is finished, Ibstock transforms the pits into nature reserves. In West Lothian, a 200 ha ex-quarry was replanted with 100,000 trees, lakes and wetlands were created and rare plants were reintroduced.

'The judges particularly admired its restoration of quarry sites'

RUNNERS-UP
Bellwinch Homes
"Waste not, want not" seems to be Bellwinch Homes' strategy. An old idea maybe, but this housebuilder has adopted it in a decidedly 21st-century way. Part of its extensive environmental strategy – which also includes 100% specification of sustainable timber and non-solvent paint, and staff car-use reduction – Bellwinch's material recycling practices made the judges' heads spin. Its Weymouth College redevelopment managed to reuse 80% of the waste from the demolished buildings on the site – and any other unusable materials were sent back to the manufacturer for recycling. Dizzying stuff.

'Bellwinch has gone to great lengths to find sustainable material and recycle waste'

Carillion
Ever-present on our shortlist since the Sustainability Award was introduced four years ago, Carillion makes the top three once more with its continued dedication to all things green. But it didn't get here on previous merits, oh no – the contractor's 2004 case convinced the panel all over again. Since last year's triumph, Carillion has increased its ISO 14001 accreditation from 83% of operations to 95%. And last July it completed the £350m PFI GCHQ scheme at Cheltenham, which recycled nearly half its waste, undertook rigorous water and noise pollution monitoring and regular community impact consultation. The building itself is a fine example of inbuilt sustainability, with local stone and prefabricated elements used where possible.

'Carillion comes up with some great solutions to environmental challenges'

Gusto Construction
Small firms have a big part to play in sustainable construction, and Lincolnshire-based Gusto has clearly recognised this. This £3m-turnover speculative housebuilder is only five years old, but has demonstrated where it gets its name from by setting demanding environmental targets. These include 50% of household water supply to be rainwater, 50% reduction in household energy use compared with a house built exactly to Building Regulations standards, and 100% of household energy supply from renewable sources. With Gusto's superinsulated, high-performance homes built from locally sourced or recycled materials, just watch that £3m figure rise.

Travis Perkins
This builders' merchant-par-excellence has abandoned the maximum-profit route for the path of righteousness – 15% delivery vehicle emission reduction, 10% waste reduction, recycled or recyclable packaging, 100% sustainable timber procurement and treatment and land management … We could go on. But for Travis Perkins, it is not just about sustainability now – this firm wants to make sustainability sustainable. That is why it has a thorough company training programme that ensures its staff will continue environmental best practice and pass it on to future generations. Travis Perkins' payback will come – and in the meantime it gets a pat on the back from us.