LOOKING AHEAD: THE FUTURE OF DEMOLITION
Many areas of the demolition industry look to benefit from advances in technology, from pre-tender and planning stages to project execution. Working to reduce the environmental impact of projects, and adapting and updating the ways we price and deliver our services and projects, benefits our clients, our employees, and the communities we work in.
At Hughes and Salvidge, we strive to keep up with these developments to ensure we remain at the forefront of the industry. In recent years we have embraced a range of new practices to enhance our environmental approach, reduce our carbon footprint, and make the most of the latest technology advances.
ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS
Reducing our carbon footprint
The Hughes and Salvidge management team have electric or hybrid company vehicles. These staff members are often required to travel during the working day, to various sites or client meetings, so our aim is that cutting down on the amount of fossil fuel used for this regular travel will have a positive environmental impact.
We have electric charging points at our Head Office in Fareham for staff to utilise. We aim to increase the use of electric/hybrid vehicles across our wider fleet, and to use solar-powered welfare and office units where possible and available.
HVO fuel
HVO fuel can reduce emissions by up to 90% compared to diesel, offering significant environmental advantages. While usage across the demolition industry is increasing, HVO fuel costs are still high in comparison to diesel.
Our confidential site in Berkshire uses HVO fuel exclusively for all projects on the site and we encourage all our clients and teams to incorporate the use of HVO fuel where possible on future projects.
Asbestos recycling
Burying large amounts of asbestos is becoming an environmental concern. Introducing asbestos waste recycling will reduce landfill waste. The technology exists to recycle asbestos but is currently only used at a small plant in the West Midlands. It is anticipated that this technology will be utilised increasingly across the UK to ensure that asbestos recycling becomes a viable option in the coming years.
Reuse of steel
Reusing steel is better for the environment than recycling it as the recycling process generates carbon whereas reuse does not. We aim to reuse as much of the steel generated on our projects as possible and have stringent checks in place to ensure that all the steel we handle is safe for reuse.
Green Hands
Our Green Hands Initiative is our internal environmental strategy and includes seven key performance categories. These are: COSHH, Waste, Sustainability, Procurement, Environment, Health and Wellbeing, and Community.
Each category covers one of the main targets identified in our Environmental Management System, and is made up of a series of action points that allow us to see what we are doing well and areas that may require improvement and development.
UTILISING TECHNOLOGY
We are utilising different technologies to enhance our work in various areas including Bid Writing, Estimating, Project Management, and CAD Sequencing. Technological developments in software, drone usage, and scanning, etc., allow us to provide an even better service to our clients. On-site technology is advancing too, making our projects more efficient, allowing for cost savings that can be passed onto our clients.
The use, and potential, of AI is of interest to many industries, demolition and construction included. At present, we are excited to be able to trial new AI technologies and see how they can work for us; this includes experimenting with software for 3D modelling and with supporting our wider business.
