Plain English Guide to Sustainable Construction

Constructing Excellence

Note: While much of the content of this guide is still of excellent quality, a lot of the legislation in the area of sustainability has moved on since it was first written a number of years ago, so it should be used with caution.

Sustainable construction is a rapidly developing subject which encompasses a wide variety of interest groups. The Sustainability Team at Constructing Excellence recognised the need for a ‘Plain English Guide’ after numerous comments from our members about the lack of clear, concise information on the subject.

The guide is designed to appeal to a broad cross section of staff across the whole construction supply chain, and not necessarily those who are involved with sustainability issues on a day-to-day basis. After all, every single member of staff can influence overall sustainability and is capable of reducing their negative impacts. Sustainability benefits can only be maximised if all designers, planners, developers, suppliers, construction workers, building managers and individual occupants properly understand the systems and technologies they are working with.

We hope that the Guide will help with the following:

  • Understanding the language of sustainable construction
  • Demonstrating the impact of the construction industry on sustainability
  • Explaining how the construction industry can be more sustainable
  • Providing a starting point for thought and action on the subject

Plain English Guide