Laing O’Rourke Halves Carbon Emissions Over Seven Years

Over the past seven years the UK business has reduced its total greenhouse gas emissions by 52 per cent, exceeding its target of 50 per cent by 2020. This has been achieved through a combination of initiatives – including a sustained investment in fuel-efficient plant, equipment and vehicles, improved delivery methods, increased application of offsite manufacture, enhanced temporary electrics solutions for projects and the promotion of waste-aware behaviours (such as the use of video-conferencing wherever possible).

Eddy Taylor, head of sustainability, said: “We have been working with CEMARS since 2008/9, when we established our emissions baseline. The service they provide us is essential to our overall strategy for reducing our carbon footprint – and our commitment to absolute transparency.

“By interrogating our data sources – and verifying our calculations – we can be sure we are working with meaningful information that will allow us to identify opportunities for continued improvement. The reduction achieved to date is testament to the benefits of this approach.”

Tom Grand, regional director for Achilles (which holds the licence for CEMARS in the UK) said: “At a time when climate change is hitting the headlines across the world with the entry into force of the Paris Agreement taking place on 6 November, Laing O’Rourke has shown itself to be a global role model, by achieving systematic and long-term reductions in emissions.”

(left to right) Jay Katzen, chief executive of Achilles Information Ltd; Eddy Taylor, head of sustainability, Laing O’Rourke; Sir Alexander Lockwood Smith, New Zealand High Commissioner to UK