Off-site specialist receives the internationally recognised green standard

Off-site construction specialist Yorkon has achieved ISO 14001 accreditation, the internationally recognised standard for reducing impact on the environment.

Parent company Portakabin Group received the certification following a rigorous independent assessment of the company’s environmental policy, compliance with legislation, control systems and procedures, and targets for further improving environmental performance.

Yorkon's green innitiatives

David Johnson, director and general manager at Yorkon, said: “This accreditation is a powerful tool that allows organisations to focus their environmental efforts on internationally-accepted criteria and promote best practice.

“It is a proactive solution to improving both environmental performance and enhancing business efficiency.”

Johnson said his business is working to continually improve sustainability.

He explained: “Initiatives include reducing waste in the construction process through off-site manufacturing; increasing the recyclability of waste by employing intelligent design and production methods; the manufacture of buildings which are highly thermally efficient, and the use of new technologies and innovations for ‘greener’ modular buildings.”

As part of the Portakabin Group, Yorkon was the first off-site specialist to commit to working towards the Sustainability Charter introduced by the Major Contractors Group and, the Group has worked with the Carbon Trust to reduce the amount of energy used in the manufacturing process.

The firm recently launched a series of new design options for ‘greener’ modular buildings, which offer significant environmental benefits, including the use of renewable sources of energy, reduced energy consumption and carbon emissions, and recyclability.

The optional features include solar thermal heating, solar photovoltaics, passive ventilation, combined heat and power systems, ground and air source heat pumps, wind power, green roofs, biomass boilers, and rainwater harvesting. Some of these options have already been used in buildings provided by Yorkon, such as a recent project at Bewdley High School in Worcestershire – believed to be the UK’s most sustainable modular school building.