A new CIRIA guide being launched this week is aiming to tackle environmental issues within the fit-out sector.
The new publication, Fit-out environmental good practice on site guide (C757) aims to be a more practical guide than has been released before and also address the challenges in fit-out across a range of sectors such as commercial, retail, education, leisure, health.
It prompts users with a number of key questions to consider at the various project stages and highlights opportunities for delivering sustainable fit-out projects, which are often carried out over very rapid timescales and on sites of very limited space.
This guide is focused on the contractor and specifically the site manager, but encourages co- operation between all parts of the supply chain to achieve good environmental practice.
Joe Croft, head of environmental and sustainability at Overbury and Morgan Lovell told Construction Manager that as well as the guide being unique in its wide range of collaborators, he also saw it as more practical for everyday use compared to previous documents.
“I would say it’s a good practice guide rather then a best practice guide. Some of the best practice guide books, such as the new Construction Environmental Manual, are sometimes too detailed and represent too many challenges to incorporate into everyday work. With this guide it’s in more bite-sized chunks and covers many different areas and everyday scenarios.”
“In the past the fit-out sector may have been seen as environmentally less significant than the new build-sector, this guide is aiming to change that.”
Simon Tranter, principal sustainability manager, Willmott Dixon Interiors, said the new guide demonstrates that environmental considerations are integral to all aspects of the project lifecycle – from planning, to design, the fit-out, and then handover.
He added that having all the essential information in one place would be vital and make it an essential document for anyone involved in fit-out and refurbishments.
Those involved with funding and supporting the guide include Brookfield Multiplex Construction Europe, Canary Wharf Contractors Ltd, CIRIA Core member programme, Hoare Lea, Interface, Overbury and Morgan Lovell, The Crown Estate and Willmott Dixon Interiors.
