SEC Group: procurement is major factor in site waste

The Specialist Engineering Contractors’ (SEC) Group has identified current procurement practices as the main cause of waste across the UK construction industry.

Speaking on behalf of SEC Group, Cal Bailey of NG Bailey insisted that, if the industry persisted with its current procurement practices, it would continue to squander materials on a huge scale.

“We need an integrated delivery process in which design teams, comprising consulting engineers, contractors and manufacturers, buy into more efficient designs and methods of construction.

“By reducing waste, we will significantly reduce energy use and increase profitability throughout the supply chain,” said Bailey.

He added that inappropriate design solutions, often involving over-specification, were resulting in a phenomenal amount of waste and energy use over the lifetime of buildings.

Evidence was presented within SEC Group’s contribution to an enquiry being undertaken by the House of Lords Science and Technology sub-committee, under the chairmanship of Lord O’Neill of Clackmannan.

The Group is in the process of preparing a further written submission to the sub-committee, which is due to publish its report before the end of the current parliamentary session.