Uploaded on 2016-07-14 by Samantha Suppiah
Use of construction materials in the UK are reported on in the annual Construction Building Materials Bulletin (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/426120/15-313e-R1_Construction_Building_Materials_-_Bulletin_April_2015.pdf). The Bulletin shows the UK is a net importer of steel and aluminium structural units, plasters and plasterboard, glass, and a net exporter of concrete and mineral insulating materials. The listed products above form the bulk of building materials used in the UK. In my photograph of the final construction phase of the Fountain Park Student Halls (a.k.a. Springside) development, concrete, steel and glass are prominently featured. The building has been designed in a similar style to that of the building in the left background, cladded in insulated panelling. Though the concrete used on site is probably manufactured locally from gravel mined locally, the steel and glass featured in the photograph has most likely been imported from manufacturers in Europe. Most of the concrete used in the UK is manufactured in the UK -- mined from local quarries (most significantly in South East England, where marine dredging accounts for most mining and quarrying operations) and processed by local plants. The manufacture of concrete is reported annually within the Concrete Industry Sustainability Performance Report. This covers sustainable consumption and production, responsible sourcing, natural resource protection, and climate change and energy targets. Many improvements have been made over the years to help the industry achieve greater sustainbility. For instance, carbon emissions from cement production have dropped by 27% since 1990, and the average transport distance from ready-mixed concrete plants to the construction site is now just 8km. Steel production within the UK has dropped dramatically since the 1970's. In 2014, the UK produced 4.3m tonnes of steel, topping this with 6.2m tonnes of imported steel to meet the 10.4m tonne demand. Most of the steel used for building construction in the UK is sourced from Europe, where manufacturers operate under European environmental and responsible sourcing laws. Steel is the most recovered and recycled waste product in the UK, with a large percentage re-used locally in building construction, further enhancing building material sustainability. European glass is most typically used in UK building construction, with a significant proportion manufactured in Italy, covered by European laws. Glass is well-known for being infinitely recyclable, however end-of-life building glass is mostly sent to landfills. Recycling glazing could represent an immediate sustainability concern for the building construction industry in Europe; it is hoped that this is addressed in the near future.