Useful Organisations
There are many organisations that can provide information and supoort on all of the sustainable building themes. This page has been included as a form of directory for use by the construction sector. There are organisations listed unde the following headings:
- Waste
- Water
- Carbon
- Employment & Training
- Community
- Business (Local Economic Development)
- Transport
- Place Shaping
- Whole Life Value
Enworks - A unique business support programme co-ordinating environmental and health and safety advice, training and support to businesses throughout the Northwest of England. http://www.enworks.com/
- Environment Agency - The leading public body for protecting and improving the environment in England and Wales. It is the Agency’s job to make sure that air, land and water are looked after by everyone in today's society, so that tomorrow's generations inherit a cleaner, healthier world. http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/
- DEFRA - The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is a UK Government Department whose overarching challenge is to enable everyone to live within their environmental means .http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/index.htm
- NetRegs - Provides free environmental guidance for small businesses in the UK. NetRegs help you to understand what you need to do to comply with environmental legislation and protect the environment. http://www.netregs.gov.uk/
- WRAP -Works in partnership to encourage and enable businesses and consumers to be more efficient in their use of materials and recycle more things more often. This helps to minimise landfill, reduce carbon emissions and improve our environment http://www.wrap.org.uk/construction/index.html
- Envirolink North West - Formed and led by business leaders from the environmental sector in England's Northwest. Envirolink NWs aim is to support the development and growth of the environmental industry in England's Northwest. http://www.envirolinknorthwest.co.uk/
- Building Research Establishment (BRE) - A world leading research, consultancy, training, testing and certification organisation delivering sustainability and innovation across the built environment and beyond. http://www.bre.co.uk/
- Waste Aware Construction - Information about the National Colour Coding scheme for the source segregation of recycled materials on construction sites, links to other sources of information and ways construction companies are able to reduce, reuse and recycle their waste. http://www.wasteawareconstruction.org.uk/
Water
- Climate Change NW - Climate Change Northwest is the new regional website exploring the opportunities and challenges that a changing climate presents to England's Northwest. You can use the site to find out how you can help and assist your business , household or school to better understand and manage climate change. http://www.climatechangenorthwest.co.uk/
- Carbon Trust – Design Advice -This is the main national body dedicated to reducing the UK’s carbon footprint. The design advice section provides support for organisations to help assess their designed buildings and identify ways of reducing energy consumption. http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/energy/assessyourorganisation/design_advice.htm
- Envirolink North West - Envirolink North West offer a wide range of support and services with regards to sustainability issues generally. They have special programmes specifically dedicated to both energy efficiency and renewable energy. The also publish supply chain information to allow organisations to identify suppliers to support the engagement with energy efficiency and renewable energy.
http://www.envirolinknorthwest.co.uk/Envirolink/Main.nsf?OpenDatabase
- Energy Saving Trust - The Energy Saving Trust is a non-profit organisation, funded both by government and the private sector. They are one of the UK's leading organisations set up to address the damaging effects of climate change and we have offices in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Their aim is to cut emissions of carbon dioxide by promoting the sustainable and efficient use of energy. http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/
Train to Gain A service designed to help businesses get the training they need to succeed. http://www.traintogain.gov.uk/ & http://www.traintogain.gov.uk/Region/NorthWest/
· Business Links - http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/home?site=102
· ConstructionSkills and Supply chain readiness networks
These networks are a way of improving relationships between companies, clients, sub-contractors and business services by establishing and nurturing a network of local micro/SME construction-related businesses.
Clients link work opportunities to the training and business development activity carried out by the construction company. They will tell the firm what they need to do in order to win work now, and in the future.
http://www.citb.co.uk/supportingyou/supportingtheindustry/strategicinitiatives/supplychainreadinessnetworks.asp
Department of Transport – Travel Plans - A travel plan is a package of measures produced by employers to encourage staff to use alternatives to single-occupancy car-use. Such a plan for example, could include: car sharing schemes; a commitment to improve cycling facilities; a dedicated bus service or restricted car parking allocations. It might also promote flexible-working practices such as remote access and video conferencing. http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/sustainable/travelplans/
HM Revenue & Customs - A Fact Sheet for Employers setting up Green Travel Plans - This fact sheet explains how the tax and national insurance systems encourage employers to set up Travel Plans for their employees. A Travel Plan is a package of practical measures to reduce car use for journeys to and from work and for business travel. http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/green-transport/travel-plans.htm
- A travel plan is a package of measures produced by employers to encourage staff to use alternatives to single-occupancy car-use. Such a plan for example, could include: car sharing schemes; a commitment to improve cycling facilities; a dedicated bus service or restricted car parking allocations. It might also promote flexible-working practices such as remote access and video conferencing.
- CABE - The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment is the main body for design advice in England and Wales. They publish research and best practice guidance for a wide variety of different sectors and design approaches. http://www.cabe.org.uk/
- Places Matter - The RENEW Northwest Places Matter project is concerned supporting design excellence in the North West. It also is the body involved in supporting the Design Review process. http://www.renew.co.uk/PlacesMatter.aspx
- The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment is the main body for design advice in England and Wales. They publish research and best practice guidance for a wide variety of different sectors and design approaches.
- Office of Government Commerce - The Office of Government Commerce (OGC) is responsible for improving value for money by driving up standards and capability in procurement, from commodities buying to the delivery of major capital projects, maximising the effective use of 60% of Government spending and a £30 billion property estate. OGC is tasked with the transformation of government procurement and with driving up standards and procurement capability across central Government.The OGC will do this through: setting the right procurement standards and ensuring they are met; capitalising on the government's collective buying power to achieve value for money and playing a stronger role in the successful delivery of major projects http://www.ogc.gov.uk/about_OGC.asp