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Sustainability - at the heart of our business
Two new initiatives confirm that sustainability and environmental issues are at the heart of the way we are going about our business.
In the first, we are now using a carbon monitoring system developed by the Environment Agency (EA) to calculate the carbon footprint of individual projects/contracts. The EA has rolled out the system among its framework partners, including Team Van Oord (which includes May Gurney).
The system is being used on the Suffolk Bridges Framework that we hold with Suffolk County Council and the Environment Agency, and highways projects undertaken by the Norfolk Strategic Partnership between Norfolk County Council, Mott MacDonald and ourselves.
"We're making good progress in reducing our carbon footprint"
Malcolm Bear, May Gurney |
Malcolm Bear, General Manager Highway Services, says: "Internally, we're making good progress in reducing our carbon footprint through our Environment Champions project, which has reduced waste sent to landfill from head office by 28%. As a result of this success Environment Champions is being rolled out across the company during 2008.
"Now we are able to monitor the amount of carbon we are creating on site while carrying out work - and even calculate a project's carbon footprint at design stage.
"Having this information available at such an early stage means we can discuss with our customers ways to redesign a project to reduce its carbon footprint."
In the second initiative, we've successfully trialled a hand held wireless energy monitor - the OWL - that calculates electricity consumption at home (see pic).
The OWL helps people to identify ways in which they can be more energy efficient by highlighting the electrical usage of everyday appliances - literally showing the level of electricity being wasted. In doing so, it also shows the cost savings to be had as a direct result of being greener.
Employees involved in trialling the unit have calculated that, on average, they have reduced their personal carbon footprint by around 10% - and made similar savings on their electricity bills.
Malcolm Bear says: "As a result of the success of the pilot, we've purchased a substantial quantity of the monitoring devices, which we are loaning out to our 4,000 employees.
"We're also introducing them to our customers and suppliers for them to evaluate - in the hope that they will follow May Gurney's lead and purchase a quantity for their employees. We're trying to get as many organisations as possible to take up this initiative - the more people involved, the greater the impact we will make."
"The more people involved, the greater the impact we will make"
Malcolm Bear, May Gurney |
We've made dramatic strides in the past couple of years in improving safety at work through its MAD behavioural change programme. Raising awareness of safety at work among employees has had a knock on effect in their approach to safety at home.
Malcolm Bear concludes: "We hope that this initiative will work in reverse - that by showing people how much energy they can save at home, they will also take action to save energy at work."
For more information about the OWL click here .
Related stories:-
A sustainable approach
Environment Champions success shared
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A sustainable approach
May Gurney's stated goal of 'Being the best' construction and support services company is accelerating its progress in working with customers to develop more sustainable ways of doing business.
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Recycling & Waste Management 08 (RWM08)
16-18 September
NEC, Birmingham
Stand 952
Click here for more details |
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2007 - an award-winning year more >
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