Environmental Policy - Updated February 2012
BACKGROUND
An environmental policy is an agreed documented statement of a business's stance towards the environment in which it operates.
The policy is the corner stone of its intent to reduce its carbon footprint, improve recycling, reduce reliance on packaging, minimise waste and improve efficiencies on finite natural resources in all of the business's operations and products.
All environmental commitments should be an integral part of the day to day activities, clearly communicated to all employees and may form part of an application for ISO 14001 certification.
WHAT DOES THIS ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY CONTAIN?
Although there is no legal requirement or standard structure for an environmental policy, there are key issues that such a policy should address. It should identify the key objectives that the business is following, who is accountable and how these are to be achieved and by whom.
This environmental policy commits to:
- an on-going process of improvement
- the principle of preventing pollution, as opposed to dealing with pollution once it has happened
- complying with environmental legislation and regulations, and other environmental requirements, e.g. voluntary agreements, which apply to its activities, products and/or services
- getting its employees involved in the system and resulting environmental improvement measures
Other formal requirements are that the policy:
- must fit with the nature, scale and environmental impacts of the organisation's activities, products or services
- must be documented, communicated and easily available for all employees
- must be made publicly available, whether in writing or on the internet should be reviewed on a regular basis at the highest management level and adapted where necessary, e.g. if there are major changes in the organisation
All current sustainability issues should be covered for both the business operation and its product. For architecture, in common with all design, this also must include the approach to the issues embodied through the implementation of the designs. In fact these are invariably the most important in terms of eventual global impact as design businesses tend to be quite small in themselves compared to the impact of the products resulting from their designs.
1.0 WORK PLACE:
Jonathan Braddick Chartered Architect, Devon, is committed to providing a quality Architects service in a manner that ensures a safe and healthy workplace for all employees/visitors and minimises the potential to impact on the environment. Jonathan will operate in compliance with all relevant environmental legislation and strive to use pollution prevention and environmental best practices.
Jonathan Braddick Chartered Architect Devon will:
- integrate the consideration of environmental concerns and impacts into all decision making and activities
- promote environmental awareness among all employees and encourage them to work in an environmentally responsible manner, such as by working electronically wherever it is safe and secure to do so while ensuring that all key information is fully and securely backed up
- reduce waste through re-use and recycling and by purchasing recycled, recyclable or refurbished equipment, products and materials where these alternatives are available, economical and suitable
- ensure responsible disposal of remaining unavoidable waste
- promote efficient use of space heating/lighting, equipment, materials and resources including water, electricity, raw materials and other resources, particularly those that are non-renewable
- purchase and use environmentally responsible products accordingly
- include energy efficiency as one of the selection criteria when purchasing new equipment
- avoid unnecessary use of hazardous materials and products, seek substitutions when feasible, and take all reasonable steps to protect human health and the environment when such materials must be used, stored and disposed of
- where required by legislation or where significant health, safety or environmental hazards exist, develop and maintain appropriate emergency response programmes
- communicate our environmental commitment to clients, customers and the public and encourage them to support it
- strive to continually improve our environmental performance and minimise the social impact and damage of activities by periodically reviewing our environmental policy in light of our current and planned future activities
- use public transport in preference to travel by car wherever it is possible and effective to do so.
2.0 DESIGNS:
Jonathan Braddick Chartered Architect Devon is committed to the principle of sustainable development and responsible environmental and ecological design with the aim of improving building quality for owners and users.
In environmental terms, it is considered the primary root of degradation ultimately results from un-sustainable energy usage. Jonathan Braddick Architect Devon’s main policies to act on this principle are to recognise that the products of our designs will have far more environmental impact than our own operations therefore Jonathan is further committed to exercising professional skills in such a way as to minimise environmental impact in so far as this is possible within the instructions received from clients.
Jonathan Braddick Chartered Architect Devon is committed to the following:
- to raise the awareness of clients about sustainability and environmental protection, and help the members of the design team to develop a shared vision of environmental aspirations
- to ensure as far as possible that building projects are supported by a travel plan that promotes sustainable travel choices through public transport and cycling provision
- to assess sites for their ecological value and microclimate, and ensure buildings make best use of the natural features of the site including sun, wind and landscape
- to ascertain the potential for local power generation from renewable energy sources locally or on site
- to ensure that biodiversity is protected or enhanced
- to make best use of orientation and shape to reduce the need for artificial forms of conditioning
- to operate a ‘right-first-time’ culture (through our QM system) for our production information in order to avoid wasteful site reworking.
- to minimise the use of high embodied energy or non recyclable construction materials and specify materials and components with the optimum balance between environmental impact and performance in use
- to ensure that building services are inherently efficient and controllable, and that metering encourages monitoring and management of resource use
- to ensure that buildings are commissioned fully before handover, and that full operating manuals are provided.
Jonathan Braddick Architect Devon initial policies to act on these principles are:
Minimise:
o Use of artificial light and ventilation to internal spaces
o Buildings and spaces with no capacity to accommodate alternative uses
o Unnecessary use of green field sites and construction of new buildings.
o Imposition of generic building solutions disregarding vernacular experience and local community input.
o Buildings in sensitive environmental areas and those buildings which reject the local environment.
o Use of mains water supply when not necessary.
Maximise:
o Use of controlled natural light and ventilation to internal spaces.
o Flexible buildings capable of adapting to new uses.
o Re-use of brown field sites and refurbishment of existing structures
o Liaison with end-users to form bespoke building solutions for the benefit of occupiers and local communities
o Consideration of preservation and incorporation of local flora and fauna in the design and operation of buildings
o Use of grey water recycling.
For examples of completed projects, both in Devon and the south-east, please visit the Projects page of this website.To discuss your project with Jonathan please visit the Contact page of the website or
Contact Jonathan on: 01752 786745 or email: jb@riba.co
Copyright 2023 Jonathan Braddick - RIBA Architect. 3 Southernhay West, Exeter, Devon, EX1 1JG tel: 01395 265768 web: www.architectdevon.com email: jb@riba.co