Carillion contributes to a sustainable built environment
Carillion’s sustainable development programme is run by our board level Sustainability Committee. Two independent experts are on the committee to inform and guide Carillion’s strategy. The piece below has been written by Chris Baines, an independent environmentalist, writer and broadcaster, on the contribution Carillion is making to a sustainable built environment and the opportunities that will arise in the future.
Britain is a built environment
The vast majority of us live and work in towns and travel from place to place by road or rail. Therefore, it stands to reason that a company which designs, builds and manages large elements of the built environment must have a pivotal role to play in the environmental performance of the nation. Carillion is in the Sustainable Development Business.
An integrated and efficient transport system - now very high on everyone’s agendas – will need new built solutions. Rail and bus links need to interface with car commuters and provide for car-free shopping, medical care and housing. The smooth interlinking of the various forms of transport will demand the kind of sophisticated process management that Carillion can deliver.
Meeting more ambitious energy efficiency targets certainly means better insulated buildings, and the construction of new non-fossil fuel power generators, but it also needs imaginative use of smart communication technology and an approach to new development which leads to more energy efficient lifestyles. Again, Carillion is well placed to drive the agenda for planning and construction policies which help to minimise environmental impact whilst enhancing the quality of life.
The escalating impact of global climate change will present Carillion with a huge opportunity to contribute solutions. Annual extremes of flood and drought are already prompting a call for more porous cities, where roads and car-parks become part of the solution, storing water instead of simply shedding it downstream. Coastal defences are being reassessed to cope with rising sea levels and more dramatic storms. In some cases the remedy may still be heavy engineering – tidal barrages across more city centre estuaries, even bigger sea walls – but the softer alternative is also being pursued, with sea defences being dismantled to allow the sea to flood the land. Coastal fields are being converted from intensive agriculture to saltmarsh and other sea washed wildlife habitats, this in turn demands sophisticated low-key engineering and great skill in managing water, wildlife and people.
As we respond as a nation to the post industrial culture, recycle the legacy of derelict land and obsolete buildings and move forward in search of more sustainable solutions. There is a need for innovation and a strong commitment to creative change. The company has an almost unique combination of solid engineering experience, a commitment to the best of cutting-edge technology and great skill in integrated long-term management. Carillion is building a remarkable reputation as a pioneer, but this can be uncomfortable at times. It therefore makes good sense to work in partnership with others to develop new solutions. The company is well used to working in concert with its close competitors, but sustainable development demands much more ‘unholy alliances’ than that. To maximise environmental benefit from new development there is a need to combine all Carillion’s expertise with that of many others – health professionals, housing managers, transport providers, retailers, strategic planners, conservationists, community leaders and many more. This approach will challenge contractors and clients alike, but Carillion has already shown that when the client is willing, the company can play a catalytic role in forging partnerships where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
By definition, sustainable development means long-term commitment. From the point of view of the environment and the community that has to be particularly important – but it is a pretty appealing prospect for the corporate sector, too. Sustainable development – at least in Carillion’s case – undoubtedly means sustainable business.
