Sustainability gains

Summary
• The Achievement in Sustainability Award is sponsored by Ecobuild.
• Last year’s winner was Wolseley’s Sustainable Building Center.
• The Award is open to companies demonstrating achievement in environmental certification or in the development of sustainable products, processes or services.
• The TTJ Awards take place at the Park Lane Hotel, London, on September 17 and will be hosted by John Prescott MP.

The success of the annual Ecobuild exhibition is ample proof of the construction industry’s thirst for sustainable and eco-friendly products and services – and the timber industry has continued to demonstrate that it is up to the challenge of slaking that thirst whether it’s by chain of custody certification, by reducing its energy consumption or by tackling waste.

The TTJ Achievement in Sustainability Award (formerly the Environmental Achievement Award) recognises and rewards these types of initiative, so it’s fitting that Ecobuild, "the world's biggest event dedicated to sustainable design, construction and the built environment", has come on board as the new sponsor.

David Wood, managing director of Ecobuild organiser International Business Events, said the award reflected the fact that sustainability was about more than the material, product, or even building. “We think it’s important to look at it holistically – it involves every aspect of the way an organisation operates and behaves. It’s a view that is gathering increasing weight across many facets of the built environment too. There is little point in striving for zero carbon buildings if there is no sensible transport plan, for instance,” he said.

Environmental policy

Having an environmental policy was very important for a company as it provided a focus and an assessment of its progress. “It could be said that we have the same at a national policy level,” said Mr Wood. “A set of aspirations for a zero carbon built environment, and a roadmap for building blocks, such as tightening Building Regulations, to help get there.”

The annual Ecobuild exhibition features a wide range of products and Mr Wood said that designers and specifiers were very savvy when choosing sustainable products. “The market is well informed, inquisitive, critical and exacting in its requirements. It’s not easy for a supplier to pretend to be ‘green’ in such an environment,” he said.

The Achievement in Sustainability Award also has a very broad reach, as demonstrated by previous winners and shortlisted entries.

Last year’s shortlist comprised SAM Mouldings for its “Energy from Waste” project, which reduces the company’s import of electricity and the volume of MDF sawdust going to landfill; Wolseley for its Sustainable Building Center (SBC); and Waugh Thistleton Architects for its use of cross-laminated timber in the nine-storey Stadthaus, the tallest timber residential building in the world.

The 2008 winner

It was a tough decision for the judges, but the eventual winner was Wolseley’s Sustainable Building Center in Leamington Spa. The SBC is an interactive centre for anyone involved in construction, allowing them to experience the latest technologies and sustainable building products. Opened last year, the glulam-framed building showcases some of the company’s 7,000-plus products with sustainable characteristics. “This is practical sustainability,” said Wolseley head of sustainability Tim Pollard, adding that all the products used are available in commercial quantities.

The judges felt the SBC demonstrated considerable commitment to reducing environmental impact and represented a significant investment of time and money. The end result, said the judges, was something that practised what it preached and that had already been “bought into” by many supply partners.

This year’s TTJ Awards will take place on September 17 at London’s Park Lane Hotel. Host and guest speaker John Prescott MP will make the presentations.

Entering the Award

• The TTJ Achievement in Sustainability Award is open to any company in the timber and associated industries that can demonstrate some form of improvement in environmental performance in the past 12 months.

• Entries can range from special achievement in environmental certification or management standards, to the development of products, processes or services with particular environmental benefit for the timber industry. This could range from environmental auditing and consultancy, to a finish or treatment, or technology that helps the industry reduce waste, or make more effective use of its raw material and co-products.

• Entries must be supported by documentation describing the achievement, product, service or process with a clear explanation of its environmental contribution and benefit. Background on the development of products and services and their industry take-up would also be helpful.

• The Award is open to UK companies and organisations and to overseas entrants serving the UK market.

• For an entry form, click on the link on the right or email sspencer@ttjonline.com.

• The closing date for entries is July 31. Entries should be sent to Mike Jeffree, editor, TTJ, Progressive Media Publishing, 2 Maidstone Road, Sidcup, DA14 5HZ.