Environmental & Sustainability
Our ServicesAs a multi-service provider involved in many aspects of property maintenance and construction we are committed to implementing and improving our Environmental Management System.
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KSD Support Services are committed to ensuring continual improvement to the nature, scale, sustainability and environmental impact of our activities, products and services. KSD Support Services ensure the continual improvement of the company’s performance with regards to its environmental objectives and targets, and that these objectives are fully communicated throughout the whole company by way of an EMS and training of our staff.
Our approach to sustainability focuses on four key areas:
- ENERGY: To reduce energy consumption, being more efficient and using renewable energy and ‘alternative technologies’ wherever possible.
- MATERIALS: Selection, use, re-uses and recycling of materials during design, manufacture, construction and maintenance to reduce resource requirements.
- WASTE: Producing less waste and recycling more.
- POLLUTION: Producing less toxicity, water, noise and spatial pollution.
KSD Support Services have re-assessed best practice in each area. We discuss with our suppliers about where and how materials are sourced, to try and achieve a balance between benefits and cost.
We have implemented an EMS and have set Key Performance Indicators in line with CIRIA’s guide C563 ‘Sustainable Construction: Company Indicators’ published in 2001.
ENERGY
45% of energy generated is used to power and maintain buildings, and 5% to construct them. The heating, lighting and cooling of buildings directly through the burning of fossil fuels (gas, coal, oil) and indirectly through the use of electricity is the primary source of Carbon Dioxide and accounts for half of all global warming gas emissions. Energy is embodied in all material and this is something that must be considered when selecting the right materials for the job. KSD Support Services consider the energy embodied in transportation, manufacture of materials and workforce and wherever possible try to reduce these thus reducing our impact on the environment.
MATERIALS
Around 50% of all global resources go into the construction industry. This is why it is important to ensure that material selection is made with environmental impact in mind. Wherever possible we seek to use recycled material or re-use materials from existing structures which not only reduces our impact on the environment but can in most cases prove cost saving for our clients. Where this is not possible we try to consider incorporation of natural building materials and prefabrication of materials to reduce waste and dust on site. It is particularly important in the maintenance service sector to consider using materials that further reduce overall energy consumption of an existing building.
POLLUTION:
There are many different types of pollution in the construction industry. To ensure a more sustainable approach to pollution we at KSD Support Services strive to dispose of substances responsibly, use materials that do not emit harmful gases, radiation or dust, increase onsite management of storage in order to reduce spillage and leaks, increase recycling and practice more efficient purification of industrial waste, reduce transport, use local materials, using local manufacturing and labour whenever cost effective. Our sister company KSD Environmental assist with specialist knowledge and experience of hazardous materials and the correct disposal of these substances.
WASTE
The amount of waste Britain produces continues to increase year on year. Over recent years key environmental legislation has placed the onus of responsibility upon the waste producer. A large percentage (approx 19%) of all waste in the UK is from the Construction industry. Much of construction waste is due to over ordering of materials and selection of incorrect material. At KSD Support Services we ensure that all waste streams are considered when carrying out work and implement Site Waste Management Plans where appropriate to reduce waste of not only materials but also energy, water and fuel.
At KSD Support Services our workforce is pivotal in the management of our environmental performance and, therefore, a programme of training and communication allows the participation of everyone in the company.
This policy is promoted by senior management in the company and is communicated to all our employees, customers and suppliers.