Sustainable for today and tomorrow
What does it mean to be ‘sustainable’?
Construction professionals are responding to the climate and biodiversity emergencies, and now routinely factor the environmental impact of their choices into building designs and specifications.
Reduced environmental impact often means aiming for lower carbon emissions from the operation of the building. With lifespans typically assumed to be 60 years, and many buildings standing for longer than that, tackling operational emissions is undoubtedly important.
Now there is also a focus on reducing emissions associated with the sourcing of materials, the manufacturing of construction products, and their installation on site. It is necessary to sound a note of caution, however.
If, in the quest for better sustainability, we focus too narrowly, then there is a risk that any carbon savings we make now will lead to the unintended consequence of an overall increase in carbon emissions at the end of the building’s life. Taking a broader, long-term view is what we mean by ‘act today to protect tomorrow’, and it is what underpins Tata Steel’s commitment to being a responsible steel supplier.