Construction, flooding, and the triple bottom line
Construction, flooding, and the triple bottom line
It might seem crazy to imagine talking about flooding right now when soaring temperatures show no sign of backing down. But we’re going to anyway.
Environmentalists have warned that the government’s plan to build one million new homes by 2020 will increase flooding in the UK. The government anticipates that there will be 20-30% more extreme rainfall than before, and it is likely that significant flood events will hit the UK every year. Why is this the case?
It is clear that the impacts of global warming will result in more extreme weather and changing weather patterns. But, flooding is also a result of the way we develop infrastructure in the UK. A lot of the severe flooding events in the UK, such as those in 2014, are a result of the drainage systems and rivers, and their inability to cope with the high volume of water reaching the systems in shorter amounts of time.
Decades of felling forests mean that leaves and mud no longer intercept rain. It no longer has to trickle down hills meandering through the roots of flora and replenishing groundwater. Instead, we have developed these green areas into concrete-filled housing estates, roads, and offices, providing rainwater with a fast, easy route to the rivers which quickly become overwhelmed. We dried up the wetlands and built on floodplains, and now people are suffering for it. The environment suffers too, with fatal mudslides and soil erosion releasing carbon into the atmosphere.
So how do we construct in an environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable way? People still need housing, and it is a delicate balance between creating affordable homes, or low-impact and low-carbon ones. The key is to focus on the business triple bottom line. John Elkington came up with this concept in 1994, which outlined a new way to consider sustainability. He suggested that is in the best interest of everyone for businesses to increase profits while minimising or trying to improve their impact on society and the environment. Flooding in the UK is an excellent example of how this can come into play.
Minimising the impact of construction projects on the environment can start with design. Low-carbon buildings reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. This, in turn, protects the health of society. But, smart design such as enforcing the use of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), rooftop gardens, permeable car parks, grass verges, and leaving as much land as natural as possible can have huge impacts on flooding and encourage biodiversity. In turn, this protects the local communities from losing their belongings, pets, homes, and getting high insurance quotes as a result of flooding risk.
While you are protecting the environment and the local communities, your projects are getting noticed by potential clients and the public as being beneficial. As more business flows your way from the environmentally conscious who want low-impact buildings, and you cut costs from the implementation of unnecessary concrete developments, your profits begin to increase.
This is just one example of how nurturing the triple bottom line can increase a construction project’s value to the local community, the environment, and to shareholders.
We provide the consultation and manufacturing services your business needs to complete projects that are valuable to your clients and that you can be proud of. We work with you from the beginning to the very end of a project, so you know we are always on hand to keep construction moving smoothly. Get in touch today on 0845 230 8565 for more information on how we will enhance your team.