Property developers have a lot of responsibility to ensure that a project is carried out and fulfilled sustainably. Whether you are a small-time domestic developer renovating a personal property or a corporate commercial company mass developing a branch of buildings, biodiversity and carbon impact are as relevant in both contexts. Eco-friendly practices dominate the construction agenda, yet, across the world, construction itself remains resource intensive, heavily draining of the environment, and incredibly damaging in so many areas. Though it provides high rates of employment and is arguably an industry that needs to exist, there is room for improvement especially when it comes to considering the impact on biodiversity.
What is Biodiversity?
Biodiversity refers to all the living things in the environment whether they are plants or small animals. In the context of construction, the biodiversity net gain is typically the main topic of focus. This is a part of a wider plan known as a Biodiversity Net Gain Plan which is a professionally impactful survey to determine how a construction project may improve upon and nurture the nature around the zone of construction, ultimately improving upon it by the time of completion.
2021 Environment Act
In 2021 an act was pushed through parliament to focus on the biodiversity aspects of building zones and property development agendas. The highlights are as follows.
- Now, before any development can begin, it must undergo a biodiversity measurement routine to understand what the score is.
- This must be improved by at the bare minimum, 10% at the completion of the project.
- The aim is to make a space more nature friendly and focused than it was before work started.
This act serves to marginalise and rationalise the responsibility protocol for protecting the environment. It is achieving this through its implementation and delivery.
What Are the Benefits?
The benefits all but speak for themselves. When nature is allowed the opportunity to thrive and is actively encouraged to do so, the environment and wider earth are better protected. Supported growth is not only combative against negative repercussions, it is proactive in its approach to improvement. It combats climate change, extinction, and depletion rates of certain species, improves air quality, and supports healthier water sources to be able to thrive as well. These positive attributes are all hard to take issue with.
How to Impact Positive Measures in a Development Project
Understandably, the various areas of construction have a negative impact on biodiversity. The use of concrete alone is responsible for the degradation and depletion of natural resources and is a devastating force for habitats and nature. Aside from the choice of materials, the actual zones of a building site need to be taking the local nature into consideration too. How can this be done? There are several areas where any construction project is able to focus.
One: The Immediate Construction Zone
There are several key areas to consider in this context. It is not simply a case of asking workers to be more considerate, they have to also be well-versed and have a heightened awareness of what a wrong foot could do to the biodiversity surrounding the construction zones. Construction workers, regardless of their field of expertise, need to undertake comprehensive sustainability training to fully understand how to implement these expectations into their project management and team delegation.
Two: Habitats and Wildlife
Use the results of the biodiversity net gain plan to enable local habitats and therefore species to thrive. Encompass areas of protection into the framework for the development trajectory and ensure that if there are any protected living creatures in the area, all measures have been considered for their well-being. Consider adding in trees that may attract birds or squirrels, or a water feature to attract insects and other mammals to the source for a drink. There are lots of ways to improve in this area.
Three: Pollution
Are there areas where you can lessen the pollution from your project? The answer is probably yes. Pollution comes from machinery, noise, and emissions. It is marring the atmosphere and as a global institution, world leaders attempt to reduce carbon emissions every year with new agendas and strategies. A part of this focus has to be on construction. Use eco-friendly construction materials and methods such as recycled steel and be considerate of their practices.
Four: Factor it in at the Start
Don’t leave the chat about net gain plans until the end of the planning process. This needs to be a continuous and evolving conversation that is labeled and applied at various stages of the journey. It has to be a primary topic throughout the whole agenda in order to remain relevant and impactful. Set out a clear initiative as to how you will achieve the required 10% gain, and aim for more wherever it is an option.
Five: Considerate Working
Light and noise are two negative elements that drive away wildlife and therefore negatively affect biodiversity. It is a given that on a project that entails all construction, there will be noise and there will be light. So, how then to get around this problem? While it can never be fully resolved, workers can be considerate as to timings with particularly invasive job tasks. They can also conduct surveys before work begins to see what and where will be impacted. Other ways to be considerate include taking away all debris so as to not cause choking or other hazards for the local species, and not doing anything that would intentionally harm nature or animals.
Understanding biodiversity leads to a greater and more impactful intuition about positive environmental factors. Sustainable construction is a key focus that no one will be able to escape from. Practices are changing and a part of this is a wider rhetoric about the significance of biodiversity. There are practical measures to be put into place throughout the project and legislation to adhere to as well. So brush up, follow the rules and protect and deliver a meaningful net gain plan for your venture.
