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2. RESOURCE EFFICIENCY
"They always say time changes things, but you actually
have to change them yourself."
Andy Warhol
Improving productivity through smarter use of resources
- whether water, energy, solid waste or raw materials - can
help increase the competitiveness of Scottish businesses,
safeguarding jobs and providing a basis for further job
creation. One study for the United States National Academy
of Engineering
7 found that around 90 per cent of materials bought and
consumed never end up in saleable products. By reducing
such waste we can boost productivity levels in businesses
right across Scotland, and open up opportunities for
companies who offer sustainability advice or produce energy
saving equipment. There are already examples of good
practice within Scotland: for example, the amount of
construction and demolition waste being sent to landfill is
falling.
Resource
efficiency on construction sites
We have used over 283,000 tonnes of reusable and
recycled aggregates at Edinburgh and Glasgow Airports
and the Glasgow Fort retail park. By improving
logistical planning with our recyclers we have saved
1,200 truck movements (equivalent to £72,000 and 3,400
kg
CO2 savings) at Edinburgh Airport. Also, using
recycled rather than primary aggregates saved us
£45,000, and we achieved a further £515,000 savings by
recycling rather than sending waste to landfill.
We are now piloting Resource Efficiency Teams™ in
conjunction with Consol Scotland. These teams are
dedicated to preventing, reusing, recycling and
auditing waste on construction sites and, with support
from Scottish Enterprise, will be fully trained in
resource efficiency, waste management and logistics to
minimise resource use while addressing construction
industry skill gaps.
Dr Stephen Thomson, Resource
Strategist, Laing O'Rourke Scotland
Scotland has an enthusiastic business community and
businesses have generally welcomed the plans to develop a
green jobs strategy. Many of them already recognise the
need for altered patterns of consumption, want to make
better use of their resources, and can see the inherent
advantages in minimising waste and adopting more
sustainable practices. However, they need information and
support to enable them to do this.
Energy efficiency is crucial in supporting our climate
change objectives and improving business resource
efficiency. We are therefore consulting on an energy
efficiency strategy for Scotland, which we expect to
publish later this year.
Although the principles of resource efficiency are based
on good economics and common sense, the benefits are not
always immediately apparent to businesses. We are therefore
looking at ways both to increase awareness of benefits and
to put in place clearer drivers, making best use of the
existing support available for businesses wishing to
improve their resource productivity.
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