SUSTAINABILITY : WE ALL PLAY A PART
Designing and creating a brand new backyard is all the time totally different, every shopper, temporary and setting brings one thing distinctive and this variability is what excites us. Nevertheless there’s one factor that’s fixed all through and that’s our concentrate on sustainability in design and development. To us this implies a number of issues:
specializing in sustainable sourcing and moral manufacturing/processing of the supplies we use
contemplating the lifecycle of supplies we specify, working towards utilizing issues in a extra ‘round’ manner by re-using or re-cycling
minimising the enter of sources and output of waste in our schemes each at creation of the backyard and on an ongoing foundation of their upkeep. At Hampton Court docket Backyard Pageant we re-homed and re-cycled a whopping 90% of the present backyard. In fact the purpose is for 100% while managing the carbon footprint of the occasion.
We discover purchasers are more and more knowledgable and eager to grasp these points and the way we deal with them as a enterprise which is nice.
Sure, sustainable supplies might be costlier initially, however they provide compelling environmental and moral advantages, could cut back upkeep and utility (water) prices, can foster creativity! and utilizing them can solely drive suppliers and our business to innovate and focus additional on these points.
Sourcing supplies
We purpose to supply supplies responsibly and from native suppliers wherever potential. Once we construct relationships with our suppliers we need to perceive how they’re contemplating sustainability and ethics of their provide and manufacture chain. For instance:
London Stone are concerned with various initiatives to handle an moral provide chain together with: a challenge to create Baby Labour Free Zones (CLFZ) in Budhpura, a cobble producing area in Rajasthan; and the Forest Belief’s Accountable Stone Programme which helps present visibility on overseas provide chains all the way in which right down to quarry stage.
Millboard contemplate sustainability at every part of manufacturing. For instance: transportation, manufacturing is within the UK so for home initiatives this reduces carbon impression; packaging, the wrap used to cowl pallets for transportation is totally recyclable; and effectivity in use, the product has an extended lifespan and in contrast to a timber has no pure defects so doubtlessly decrease wastage.
TIMBER
Within the UK virtually all decking timber is imported so traceability and understanding provide chain and accountable sourcing is essential. Provides ought to be Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)® or Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) licensed. It’s essential to contemplate not simply the forestry of timber however the full materials lifecycle, together with manufacturing and transportation processes.
WATER
Water is a treasured useful resource and thru the usage of drought-tolerant planting which requires much less watering, by specifying permeable paving to scale back water run off to mains drains and sewers we may also help cut back our purchasers demand for mains water and add reduction to the strain positioned on mains sewers throughout heavy down falls. Our RHS Gold award profitable backyard at Hampton Court docket this yr demonstrated rain water harvesting, storage and holding extra water to create invaluable wildlife habitats.
PLANTING
In planting schemes we attempt to reinforce biodiversity, plant for posterity and the place potential, make finest use of current planting corresponding to established timber which offer an essential habitat for wildlife and add maturity and depth to an area. In an city setting the incorporation of inexperienced roofs and partitions could be a invaluable software.
