Green machines

Energy efficiency may be construction’s key issue, but Martin Williams, environmental health and safety manager at equipment rental firm Hewden, feels the industry is still lacking when it comes to making simple advice available, writes Rory Olcayto.

Recent environmental impact studies carried out by Hewden have shown that huge savings could be made if site operatives on smaller projects simply knew where to start when it comes to implementing sustainable practice. Drawing on its findings Hewden has drawn up a list of tips, such as basic recycling ideas and how to reduce fuel consumption.

‘The big firms in the MCG may have got the message but what about the smaller firms? Awareness is still poor. That’s why we’ve drawn up “top tips” – to try to reach the SMEs,’ says Williams.

These are ‘small steps’, concedes Williams, but he hopes they will prove useful to SMEs looking to reduce their carbon footprints.

Hewden itself is changing the way it does business. It is moving over to bio-degradeable oil for all its equipment and has recently signed a deal with Caterpillar to supply it with hydraulic breaker packs that use bio-diesel.

For Balfour Beatty, it has created a universal spill kit that fits onto almost any product it supplies the contractor with. Williams explains: ‘There was always a problem when trying to refuel the smaller plant.

A normal spill kit is the size of a laptop bag so trying to attach that to a hydraulic breaker... you can imagine the difficulties. Balfour Beatty asked us to look at that, they keep ahead of the game.’

Williams is happy to take such advice. ‘We want to learn from our customers,’ he adds.

For another contractor, Wates, Hewden is looking at creating more energy-efficient accommodation. Williams says: ‘We’re looking at site offices, messes and canteens and considering the application of solar panels and wind veins for heating and electricity. Internally we’re specifying ceramic heating systems which are much more efficient than the typical blow fan variety most site accommodation uses.’

Williams says it’s a project still very much in the research stage, but confirms that Hewden is testing its ideas by comparing two sites – one using a traditional site accommodation unit, the other using a ‘green’ version.

But Williams thinks that a simple change of behaviour is probably the best way forward. He cites the lowly generator as a typical example of where savings can be made. ‘Often operatives will leave a generator running during tea breaks and they might have left two hoses attached to it, despite only one breaker being in use. Every time the set-up is re-pressurised, you’re using double the fuel and double the energy. You could save a gallon a day if this type of behaviour was highlighted as unacceptable.’

Williams, a self-confessed ‘green’ obsessive, is hopeful SMEs will heed Hewden’s advice. ‘The campaign is still fresh,’ he says. ‘We just want to raise the profile of environmental best practice.’