ConstructCO2 currently measuring construction carbon emissions on over 50 projects, ranging in value from £100k to £23m, is indicating a CO2 benchmark of:

The split of this data, as below, indicated that the 'culprits' are travel and transportation, making the move to low carbon construction one of procurement and selection based on location, rather than costly technical and eco-bling solutions.

However, we have a very poor concept of what this level of emissions means and could look like. Fortunately, Willmott Dixons, in conjunction with Loughborugh University recently erected a temporary ONE TONNE CO2 cube

So for each small construction project of £100,000, the bread and butter of micro and SME contractors across the UK, we could be emitting:

And, (and this is where it starts to get a little scary) for each Million pound spend of construction we could be pumping this into the environment:

CO2 is colourless, and this may be a mixed blessing, for if it was (say) coloured purple then we would be living in a 60's imaged purple haze, or rather we wouldn't as we would have taken action long ago

So, time for action, for construction and contracting organisations to commence monitoring, understanding and reducing their carbon emissions. And really its a no brainer, for each kg or tonne saved, we save the equivalent energy costs. 

To explore ConstructCO2 use the login details of eyesonly@evolution-ip.com and pass word of eyesonly.