Decarbonising the Construction Industry

Post COP27, the construction sector is under increasing scrutiny for its growing impact on the planet; an impact that requires immediate action.

As the UN Environment Programme's 2022 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction stated: “The buildings sector represents 40% of Europe’s energy demand; 80 per cent of this is generated by fossil fuels. This makes the sector an area for immediate action, investment and policies to promote short and long-term energy security.”

An Introduction

Morrisroe Group places sustainability commitments at the heart of the business and is leading the way to a decarbonised future for the construction industry. We are committed to making the required investment in research and development, skills and systems to achieve the carbon net zero emissions target by 2030.

In fact, the necessity for low carbon has already transformed the way we work. Our engineering-led teams are busy developing low carbon design and construction methods and are increasingly involved in carbon assessments during the tender stage of projects. Meanwhile, our demolition and structures businesses are gearing up to deliver innovative circular economy solutions and expand recycling capabilities.  

We are also in the process of researching several areas, including how to best use cement replacement materials in concrete structures and the specific environmental benefits of reinforced concrete and post-tensioned designs. Such low carbon solutions have been the focus of presentations our specialist staff have delivered to clients and the wider industry over the past year and will continue to deliver in the coming years.

Reducing Emissions

Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions are vital concepts when it comes to understanding the environmental impact of an organisation.

Scope 1 emissions refer to direct emissions from owned or controlled sources, such as fuel combustion in trucks or equipment. Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions from the consumption of purchased energy, while Scope 3 emissions are indirect emissions from sources not owned or controlled by the company, such as emissions from suppliers.

Our commitment to sustainable construction is further evidenced by a number of exciting initiatives that aim to reduce emissions across the board: from low carbon concrete and the switch to HVO fuel (Scope 1) to reductions in embodied carbon in structures through design (Scope 3).

A New System

To measure, monitor and report on sustainability performance and emissions data across our businesses, we have partnered with sustainability and ESG reporting software SustainIQ.

This collaboration marks a significant upgrade in how Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions are measured and managed. The data provided by the platform helps us identify areas where we can reduce our environmental impact even further. We are also now able to provide clients with the carbon data they need to assess and boost their own progress.

Our ultimate goal? To achieve carbon net zero in relation to Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030. This involves moving all of our transportation and haulage fleets over to alternative fuel sources and our energy tariffs over to 100% renewable sources by that date. Similarly, we aim to achieve 100% net zero concrete for Scope 3 emissions by 2050. Scope 3 emissions have already been reduced by optimising our ordering processes to reduce the number of deliveries to sites.

Find out more about the rest of our sustainable strategies below:

ConcreteZero: Our New Low Carbon Commitments

KDL Declares Climate Emergency

Reducing Carbon Emissions on Site

The Circular Economy: Reducing, Reusing, Recycling