How to Reduce CO2 for New Build Housing Projects

As with many countries across the world, in the UK, there is an ever-more pressing need for more houses to be built, to accommodate a rapidly growing population.

However, this demand needs to be balanced alongside sustainability concerns, and nationwide efforts to keep on track with the UK’s ambitious CO2 targets.

It’s a story that is consistent across all industries, but nowhere is it more evident than in the construction sector.

To delve deeper into this developing story, we’ve outlined the latest housing legislation from the new Labour government, and shared our experts’ insights into how construction projects can minimise their CO2 emissions.

Housing Targets for the UK

As part of the 2008 Climate Act, the UK was committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050.

Since then, the government has made these targets even more ambitious, with the goal of all UK emissions reaching net zero by 2050.

Since its implementation, the UK net zero target has been redefining the way countless sectors operate, giving them a clear countdown for upgrading their approaches.

However, for the construction sector, this challenge has just become even more difficult.

Under the new Labour government, a new mandatory housing target has just been announced. This will be key to addressing the current UK housing crisis, and improving the numbers of affordable housing that are available.

Now, a new target of building 370,000 new houses a year has been implemented by the government, which will see 1.5 million new homes built during the next 5 years.

Under the previous Conservative government, the mandatory housing target (which was previously 300,000 houses per year) was scrapped altogether. But now, Labour has not only reintroduced the target, but it has increased it.

According to Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, these reforms will bring about the “biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation”, and, although the plan has been called “radical”, she stresses that it is absolutely “urgent”.

Both are extremely important targets, and it is essential that both are met. But, how can construction businesses successfully balance these dual demands?

iMix Concrete’s Eco Concrete

At iMix Concrete, we are committed to helping our customers minimise the environmental impact of their projects. 

That is why all of the concrete varieties in our product range are available in low carbon alternatives. 

By switching to eco concrete, construction teams can dramatically reduce the CO2 emissions of their project, without having to make any compromises on the quality of their project, or the flexibility and convenience that traditional concrete offers.

In fact, our eco concrete boasts a CO2 reduction of over 50%. This is achieved while securing exactly the same performance and quality standards as conventional concrete. 

So much so, that some varieties of our eco concrete have even achieved greater strengths than their equivalent traditional CEM1 concrete mixes. 

With eco concrete, developers can meet their CO2 targets in a far more easy and cost-effective way, making a major positive impact on the entire development.

Ensuring Accurate Concrete Calculations  

Our online concrete calculator is another key part of our sustainability efforts. 

iMix Concrete is also helping our customers be more sustainable by ensuring their concrete orders are as accurate as possible. 

With our handy online concrete calculator, customers can get an instant calculation for the concrete volume that they will need. 

This is a great quick and easy measurement, which ensures they’re not over-ordering concrete (and so, being left with a lot of wasted material). 

Plus, it’s a great way to keep project costs down. Win-win! 

Other methods for minimising CO2 levels 

In the wake of these rising sustainability pressures, a wave of innovative and eco-conscious construction methods are being developed. 

In addition to using eco concrete and ensuring your concrete orders are accurately estimated, there are a number of other effective, affordable and impactful sustainability methods that you can implement onto your site. 

Construction companies can lower their CO2 levels by: 

• Use recycled materials wherever possible (such as recycled metals) 
• Source materials locally, wherever possible 
• Minimise the amount of time your equipment is left on standby
• Choose equipment that uses electrical power (rather than fossil fuels) 
• Recycle and reuse materials that have come from previous projects 
• Work to implement circular economy practices 
• Encourage your customers to opt for low-carbon building designs 
• Educate your team, and train them on eco-conscious methods 
• Keep at the forefront of industry developments, particularly regarding advancements in sustainable materials or machinery 

If you have any questions about our range of eco concrete, or if you’d like to speak to our experts about how you can make your project more environmentally friendly, contact our team today to place an order.