Sustainable Development Strategy

and Action Plan for Civil Engineering

July 2007

The goal of sustainable

development is to enable
all people throughout the
world to satisfy their basic
needs and enjoy a better
quality of life, without
compromising the quality
of life of future generations
(Defra, 2005)

Statement from ICE, ACE, CECA, CIRIA

and the Construction Products Association
ICE, ACE, CECA, CIRIA and the Construction Products
Association are committed to the principles enshrined
in this strategy and to working together to undertake
the actions outlined in the accompanying action plan.

We will monitor our progress and review milestones,

priorities and actions as necessary to help ensure
continuous improvement in the sustainability
performance of the civil engineering sector.

Quentin Leiper,
President ICE

Nelson Ogunshakin,
Chief Executive ACE

Bill Healy,
Chief Executive CIRIA

Peter Andrews,
Chairman CECA

John Colley,
President, Construction
Products Association

Steering group
Ashley Bateson

Ian Nicholson

Member of the Association for Consultancy and

Engineerings Sustainability Sector Interest Group
and Principal Sustainability, Hoare Lea

Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers

Environment and Sustainability Board and
Managing Director, Responsible Solutions Ltd

Mark Broadhurst (Steering Group Chair)

Dr Tony Parry

Chair of the Institution of Civil Engineers Environment

and Sustainability Board and Managing Director, Power
of Cornwall

Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers

Environment and Sustainability Board and
Senior Lecturer, University of Nottingham

Owen Jenkins
Director, CIRIA

Rita Singh

Professor Quentin Leiper (Project Sponsor)

President of the Institution of Civil Engineers and Director
for Engineering and the Environment, Carillion Plc

John Newman (Observer)

Environment & Industry Performance Director,

Construction Products Association

John Wilson
Technical and Environmental Officer,
Civil Engineering Contractors Association

Department for Trade and Industry Construction

Sector Unit

Coordinating author:
Dr Chrissie Pepper
Senior Policy Executive, Institution of Civil Engineers, One Great George Street, London SW1P 3AA
Tel +44 (0)20 7665 2221; Email chrissie.pepper@ice.org.uk
Thanks also to:
Andrew Crudgington, Senior Policy Manager, Institution of Civil Engineers
Ruth Dennett, International Development Manager, Institution of Civil Engineers
Annie Hall, Member of Institution of Civil Engineers Environment and Sustainability Board and Director, GainPerspective
Ed Horton, Senior Marketing Communications Executive, Institution of Civil Engineers
Professor Paul Jowitt, Vice President, Institution of Civil Engineers and Professor of Civil Engineering Systems, Heriot-Watt University
Professor Roger Venables, Chief Executive, CEEQUAL Ltd


Foreword by Sir Neville Simms

Last year, the business-led Sustainable Procurement Task
Force (SPTF) challenged the UK Government to use its
immense buying power to make rapid progress towards
sustainable development. The SPTF National Action Plan
identified public sector construction, accounting for 40%
of all construction work each year, as the number one
priority area of Government spending through which
to embed sustainability.
There is clearly a real opportunity for the construction
sector to help the Government deliver its aspiration of
more sustainable procurement. As civil engineers and
construction professionals we possess the knowledge
and innovative skills to deliver the sustainable solutions
that represent real best value for clients and for society.
This sustainable development strategy aims to drive
real improvements in the performance of the civil
engineering sector by addressing key issues such as
leadership, embedding the principles of sustainability,
capacity building and creating a supportive policy

framework. The accompanying action plan is

challenging but appropriate and I am sure that
the strategy and action plan together will soon
make a positive impact.
As a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers I am
particularly pleased that the Institution has taken the
lead in this successful partnership across the construction
sector. The commitment made by the partners to
delivering the strategy and the associated action plan,
is significant. This cooperation between civil engineering
trade, professional and research bodies bodes well for the
holistic and joined-up approach which is so fundamental
to achieving more sustainable development.

Sir Neville Simms,

Chair, Sustainable Procurement Task Force

Foreword by Professor Quentin Leiper,

President of the Institution of Civil Engineers
This second sustainable development strategy
and action plan presents an opportunity to,

achieve a better balance between

social, environmental and economic
progress across the civil engineering
industry and profession.

Producing and implementing this strategy and action plan

is not an end in itself. It is part of our journey towards
sustainability. By its very nature, this will be a living
document. Our approach will be developed, tested and
improved over time. And very importantly, it will require
the active, continuous and meaningful engagement of
the engineering community and the wider construction
industry both in the UK and internationally.

It provides us with a framework for refocusing our efforts

on building sustainable communities, because, at its heart,
sustainability is about making improvements to our quality
of life both now and in the future.
I am greatly encouraged by and committed to the
partnership approach of this strategy and action plan
to addressing both the challenges and opportunities
presented by sustainable development.

Quentin Leiper,
President ICE

Executive summary
This document contains our strategy and plans to build
on past achievements in supporting civil engineerings
contribution to sustainable development.
It has been prepared by a steering group comprising the
Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Association for
Consulting and Engineering (ACE), the Civil Engineering
Contractors Association (CECA), CIRIA and the Construction
Products Association. It brings up to date the first strategy
and action plan Society, Sustainability and Civil Engineering,
produced in 2002. Acting in a coordinated way, we will
help to lead the civil engineering sector towards a more
sustainable future and to enhance still further its
contribution to a more sustainable built environment.
Our vision is for the civil engineering industry and
profession to play its full role in the creation and
maintenance of sustainable communities in harmony
with their natural environment.
Underpinning this vision are four strategic
aims which will guide our approach to pursuing
sustainable development in civil engineering:

1 promote strong leadership within

civil engineering

A number of actions along with a timescale for delivery are

set within each of the above aims and related objectives and
include, inter alia:
 promotion of the Civil Engineering Environmental Quality
Assessment and Awards Scheme (CEEQUAL) to clients,
designers and contractors to encourage environmental
excellence in civil engineering projects

investigation of the challenges and opportunities to

achieve sustainability and their impact on civil engineering
organisation of a series of climate change workshops
and subsequent reports to identify priority actions for
the civil engineering sector in addressing the challenges
posed by climate change
production and dissemination of a rolling programme
of case studies to demonstrate good practice around
the social aspects of corporate responsibility
active participation in the formulation of relevant
government strategies, e.g. the Government/industry
Sustainable Construction Strategy
Members of the steering group and their organisations are
committed to working together to deliver on this strategy.
We will regularly monitor achievements against the action
plan and publish an annual progress report.

2 embed the principles of sustainable

development into everyday work
activities and decision making
3 build capacity for sustainable development
in the industry and profession
4 create and influence a policy framework
that demands more socially and
environmentally responsible behaviour

The case for recycling

The construction of the Plant Growth Facility at the University of
Cambridge utilised recycled tyres within a retaining wall structure.
The retaining wall was required to provide an acoustic and visual screen
to hide external mechanical plant. In total around 600 tyres were used,
replacing the need for 30m3 of concrete that would have otherwise
been required and finding a good use for used tyres. Each layer of tyres
were laid overlapping the previous layer and held together by steel pins
running down through the vertical spaces of the tyres. The tyres were
packed with loamy gravel from the foundations, retaining approximately
200m3 of soil that would have otherwise been transported off site.
In addition to the use of tyres, the project also specified:
the cement for the concrete foundations and floor slab to contain

40% blast furnace slag, making use of a waste product and helping
to reduce CO2 emissions associated with cement production
stainless steel was selected for the roof for its durability and ability

to be recycled at the end of the buildings life



Case study supplied by Willmott Dixon Construction Limited,

R H Partnership Architects Ltd and F J Samuely & Partners Ltd

Introduction
Despite some excellent improvements in the environmental
performance of civil engineering in recent years, and
progress towards improving the quality of many peoples
lives, the current approach to development adopted by most
organisations remains essentially unsustainable. Collectively,
we are consuming the earths natural resources beyond its
ability to regenerate them and creating waste at a rate that
cannot be sustained. In addition to the environmental impact
of our actions, the needs of societies around the world are
not being met.
Civil engineering delivers the infrastructure on which modern
life depends clean water, wastewater treatment, transport
systems etc. However, there is a strong sense of imbalance
in the delivery of civil engineering, the positive and adverse
impacts of what we do, and the social benefits that accrue
from our work.
As members of the built environment community, our goal
is to rectify this imbalance by the creation of sustainable
communities in harmony with their natural environment.

This strategy is for everybody working in and with the

civil engineering sector whose actions and decisions affect
sustainable development, whether locally, nationally or
internationally. It comprises a vision for civil engineerings
contribution to sustainable development and our approach
in pursuing this vision. The associated action plan sets out
a series of practical actions we propose to take within the
parameters set by the strategy.

With infrastructure and engineering

products and processes becoming

increasingly complex, engineers
need to integrate consideration
of whole-life environmental and
social impacts positive as well as
negative with the mainstream and
commercial aspects of their work

Lord Broers FREng FRS, Past President,

Royal Academy of Engineering

Quality of Life
To achieve this, we need to strengthen markedly how
we already in part address some of the most profound
problems facing humanity, for example climate change
and poverty, to name only two.
The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the
Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE),
the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA),
CIRIA and the Construction Products Association
have prepared this sustainable development strategy
and action plan to continue their drive for real and
continuous improvement in the performance of the
civil engineering sector with respect to sustainability.
It defines our commitment to help industry deliver
more sustainable civil engineering and the actions
that we will undertake in pursuing this goal.

There is a role for professional bodies and trade

associations to encourage and promote good practice
and a role for individuals and organisations working
within the civil engineering sector to take responsibility
for adopting and exceeding it.
This strategy and action plan will be updated and extended
over the coming months and years, the partners having
committed themselves to review it at least annually.

Background: building
on past achievements
This sustainable development strategy and action plan
is the second such coordinated plan. In 2002, ICE, ACE,
CECA, CIRIA and the Construction Products Association
published Society, Sustainability and Civil Engineering
a sustainability strategy for the civil engineering sector.
This cooperation between civil engineering professional,
trade and research bodies was a pioneering first for the
partners, and was successful in delivering a joined-up
approach to sustainable development.
Examples of its successes include:

development of the Civil Engineering Environmental

Quality Assessment & Awards scheme (CEEQUAL) 1,
which gives public recognition for civil engineering
projects with high environmental performance (further
details on CEEQUAL are included later in the strategy)

incorporation of sustainable development principles

into undergraduate degree courses accredited by ICE

incorporation of sustainable development into ICEs

qualifications process

the publication of Achieving Whole Life Value in

Infrastructure and Buildings in 2004 by the Building
Research Establishment (BRE) (BRE, 2004), which
was accompanied by a national road show
A full report on the delivery of the 2002 strategy and action
plan can be downloaded from the ICE website ice.org.uk
This new 2007 strategy and action plan recreates the
successful partnership working of 2002. Whereas the
2002 report made the case for sustainable development,
and successfully promoted its adoption by leading-edge
organisations, the focus of this new strategy and action plan
is on extending implementation and action throughout the
industry and profession. It identifies new key areas where we
need to take decisive action now and in the years to follow.
As well as a detailed action plan containing the actions
the partners had committed to carry out in order to
deliver more sustainable construction, the 2002 report also
listed actions and recommendations for civil engineering
organisations, individual civil engineers and clients. The key
recommendations, which are reproduced below, are still
relevant today and again their implementation is encouraged
by the partners in this 2007 sustainable development
strategy and action plan.

Actions for clients and end users:

improve and develop knowledge on sustainability
and sustainable development, including training for
procurement staff and the sharing of best practice
within organisations
ensure earliest possible engagement with all parts
of the supply chain so that sustainable development
becomes embedded
improve management of impacts and resource
productivity, including whole life-cycle assessments

Best
Practice
Actions for all organisations in
the civil engineering supply chain:
improve management of impacts and resource
productivity, including whole life-cycle assessments
engage the supply chain at the earliest possible stages
of a project to ensure sustainable development principles
are embedded
promote the business case for sustainable
development to clients and financial institutions
be accountable for performance with respect
to sustainability

Actions for individuals:

pursue continuing professional development
(CPD) and personal development programmes
on sustainable development
ensure the principles of sustainable development
are reflected in professional behaviour
share knowledge and expertise on sustainable
development with others

CEEQUAL The Civil Engineering Environmental Quality Assessment and Award Scheme see www.ceequal.com for further details

A sustainable development strategy

for civil engineering
Our vision is for the civil engineering industry and profession to play
its full role in the creation and maintenance of sustainable communities
in harmony with their natural environment.
The purpose of this strategy is straightforward it
aims to provide a framework for further improving
the sustainability performance of the civil engineering
industry and profession. The strategy sets out:

a shared understanding of sustainability

and sustainable development

a commitment to take collective action

to achieve a more sustainable future

Developing the strategy

and action plan
This new strategy has been prepared by a steering
group comprising the same partners as the 2002
strategy ICE, ACE, CECA, CIRIA and the Construction
Products Association.
The steering group has drawn together the key priorities for
this strategy and action plan in consultation with the civil
engineering community. Initially, a consultation workshop
comprising 40 industry representatives generated ideas
about direction and content of the strategy and action plan.
An online questionnaire was then formulated based on
the workshop discussions to help further prioritise the
topics to be covered within the strategy and action plan.
An early draft of the strategy was also distributed to
interested individuals and groups for their comments.
All in all, over 500 civil engineers and industry body
representatives have fed their views into this strategy
and its associated action plan.

The wider context

This strategy aims to contribute to other sustainable
development strategies, where appropriate, to avoid
duplication and to ensure that the goals of sustainable
development are pursued in an integrated way.
Accordingly, the main external policy initiatives that have
been considered in the development of this strategy and
action plan and will be reflected in its implementation are:

a vision of what we are seeking to achieve and the

tasks we will need to complete in order to achieve it

how we will monitor, evaluate and review progress

To help achieve the sustainable development aims, the
associated action plan sets out objectives and specific
activities together with a clear indication of how they
will be achieved; by when; and who will be involved.

UK Climate Change Programme (Defra, 2006)

ConstructionSkills Strategic Action Plan Build to Last
and Sustainability Skills Matrix for the Built Environment
(ConstructionSkills, 2005)

2012 Construction Commitments (Strategic Forum

for Construction, 2006)

Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) Review

of Sustainable Construction (2006)

UK Government sustainable procurement policy,

including the work of the Governments Sustainable
Procurement Taskforce (SPTF, 2006)

Office of Government Commerce (OGC) and the work

of the Public Sector Construction Clients Forum (PSCCF)

the work of the Sustainability Forum (a specialist

sub-group of the Strategic Forum for Construction)

European Construction Industry Federation Principles

for Sustainability (FIEC, 2006)

the Royal Academy of Engineerings Engineering for

Sustainable Development: Guiding Principles (Dodds
and Venables, 2005)

United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2

The strategy and action plan partners continue to work
closely with the Department for Business, Enterprise and
Regulatory Reform to ensure that this document influences
and aligns with the Government /Industry Sustainable
Construction Strategy, which is currently being developed.

UK Government sustainable development strategy

(Defra, 2005)

 n ICE International Development Policy Group has been established to help facilitate the civil engineers role
A
in addressing the UN Millennium Development Goals

International action
This strategy and action plan recognises the importance of
common efforts, global action and collective responsibility
for sustainable development, and for fulfilling the United
Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
In July 2006, ICE signed a Protocol for Engineering a
Sustainable Future for the Planet along with the American
Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the Canadian Society
for Civil Engineering (CSCE). This articulated the organisations
continuing commitment to sustainable development and
recognised that civil engineers have the knowledge and
skills to play a major role in helping to meet the MDGs. The
Protocol also committed each of the signatories to produce
a sustainability action plan to help articulate and deliver
more sustainable development. This document contains ICEs
UK action plan for sustainable development. An International
Development Policy Group (IDPG) has been established to lead
ICEs international development work and take responsibility
for coordinating the international element of ICEs sustainable
development strategy. ICE is also working to encourage
other engineering institutions worldwide to sign up to the
Protocol and produce their own sustainability action plans.
The IDPG will build on the work of the ICE Presidential
Commission Engineers without Frontiers (EwF). The EwF
Commission, which ran from 2003 to 2006, focused

on the role of influencing, advocacy and partnerships

in delivering effective infrastructure to help meet the
challenge of achieving the MDGs (Jowitt, 2006a).
The Commission also produced a set of Principles of
Engineering for Development and Poverty Reduction
(EwF, 2005) to address the challenge of international
development and set out the attributes required
for successful development engineering projects
to alleviate poverty.
Emanating from the EwF Presidential Commission, ICEs 6th
Brunel International Lecture series, entitled Engineering
Civilisation from the Shadows delivered by Professor Paul
Jowitt, discussed the role of engineering in addressing the
twin spectres of climate change and world poverty and
further outlined the potential of civil engineering to continue
its major contribution to international development (Jowitt,
2006b). By June 2007, the lecture had been heard in 29
venues in 12 different countries by over 2,902 people.
ICE will continue to work with others, such as the World
Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO), towards
the achievement of the MDGs. In particular, it will establish
a memorandum of understanding with WFEO in order to
deliver EwF outputs internationally. In addition, the IDPGs
work will focus on embedding international development
into mainstream ICE policy, in line with the Institutions
new international strategy.

The business case for environmental excellence

According to CEEQUAL Award recipients, using the CEEQUAL scheme
to promote high environmental performance of projects also delivers
a number of business and social benefits including:

e
 nhanced reputation with clients, stakeholders and the wider
community as socially and environmentally responsible organisations
enhanced team working, bringing project teams together to pursue
a positive and shared environmental agenda and motivating them
to perform well
c osts saving money as well as delivering improved environmental
performance through a wide range of actions such as whole-life
costing, reduced energy and water consumption, waste minimisation
as well as minimising the costs of environmental incidents and the
costs of dealing with protesters
One user has reported that actions prompted by the CEEQUAL scheme
resulted in savings of over three times the CEEQUAL fee just part-way
through the project.


Metronets Snaresbrook embankment stabilisation project was honoured by a CEEQUAL award for going the extra mile beyond the standard legal
and regulatory requirements to achieve distinctive environmental levels of performance a practice now adopted across their Civils programme

What is sustainability and

sustainable development?

More importantly, a sustainability-driven approach

to civil engineering leads to adoption of some key
objectives in practice:

Sustainability or sustainable living has been defined

as the goal of sustainable development. A widely-used
and internationally accepted definition of sustainable
development is development that meets the needs of
the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs (Brundtland, 1987).
In the UK, the Government offers the following
interpretation of sustainable development:

development is to enable all

people throughout the world to
satisfy their basic needs and enjoy
a better quality of life, without
compromising the quality of life
of future generations

(Defra, 2005)

Sustainable development is commonly conceptualised

as having three dimensions: environmental, social and
economic. These dimensions are often symbolised as
overlapping circles, and have been characterised by business
in particular as the triple bottom line (Figure 1). Other
sustainable development proponents have placed the social
and economic circles within a larger environmental circle,
to symbolise the extent to which environmental capacity
provides an overall constraint on development (Figure 2).
With over 200 definitions of sustainable development
in existence (Parkin et al, 2003) there is much debate as
to its precise definition. However, what is important is
that we have a common view of the main components
of sustainable development.
The partners as a whole agree that sustainable
development involves:

the integration of economic, environmental

and social elements

minimising the trade-offs that have to be made

between those elements

dramatically improve the environmental quality

of what we create

maximise the utilisation of materials and their reuse

maximise appropriate use of secondary and
recycled materials

minimise energy and water use

minimise pollution from all our activities
focus on increasing peoples quality of life through
good urban design

ensuring respect for people; that is, showing care

towards the workforce and the surrounding community.

This should be reflected in everything from health and
safety, to site and welfare conditions, providing training
opportunities, promoting equality and work-life balance
and in encouraging job satisfaction

Other concepts used throughout the document

are defined below.

Sustainable communities operate at different scales,

global, national, urban and rural. They are places where
people want to live and work, now and in the future. They
meet the diverse needs of existing and future residents,
are sensitive to their environment, and contribute to a high
quality of life. They are safe and inclusive, aesthetically
pleasing, well planned, built and run, and offer equality
of opportunity and good services for all (adapted from
Communities and Local Government, 2007).

Sustainable construction this subset of sustainable

development refers to the creation, maintenance and
operation of infrastructure and buildings that shape
communities in a way that sustains the environment,
generates long term wealth and enhances the quality
of life (adapted from ConstructionSkills, 2007).

Corporate responsibility is the ethical responsibility of

organisations to deliver sustainable development. Essentially
it is about how business takes account of its economic,
social and environmental impacts in the way it operates
maximising the benefits and minimising the downsides.
Corporate responsibility encompasses three general policy
areas: environmental, social and economic.
Figure 2

Figure 1
Equitable

Bearable

of our life and work

minimise waste in design, construction and use

T he goal of sustainable

Social

dramatically reduce the environmental impact

Economy

Sustainable

Environment

Viable

Economic

Society
Environment

Why is sustainable development

so important?

What is the role

of civil engineering?

Our current approach to development is unsustainable,

we are overexploiting resources and creating pollution,
changing habitats and driving species to extinction.

Civil engineering plays a crucial role in creating the

infrastructure needed for modern life around the
world. Practitioners in the civil engineering sector
apply knowledge and experience to create projects
that meet human needs and clean up environmental
problems. As a result, how the civil engineering sector
works has significant impact on progress toward
sustainable development.

Research has highlighted that if

everyone in the world lived the
way we do in Europe we would
need three planets to support us.
Unsustainable development also creates social problems
which are exacerbated by the inequalities in health,
wealth, education and employment which accompany it.
It is now almost universally accepted that global climate
change is a reality and that human emissions of greenhouse
gases are a contributory factor. The Stern Review (Stern,
2006), on the economics of climate change, outlined the
costs of inaction in addressing the problem of climate
change. It forecast that spending one per cent of global
gross domestic product (GDP) now on tackling climate
change would help preclude a loss of up to 20% global
GDP and avoid almost certain global economic disaster.
The report also outlined the human cost of massive social
upheaval caused by climate change, and the environmental
legacy for future generations.

Civil engineering already contributes but must contribute

much more to sustainable development along the entire
chain of modern production and consumption, including
the following:

extracting and developing natural resources

processing and modifying resources
designing and building infrastructure
meeting the needs of consumers
recovering and reusing resources
producing and distributing energy (WFEO, 2002)

Triple Bottom Line

Benefits of sustainable
development
At a business level there are sound reasons for pursuing
sustainable development. There are already examples where
a sustainable development approach makes the industry
more competitive, more resilient to shocks, more flexible in
a fast-changing world, more unified in purpose, more likely
to attract and hold customers and the best employees, and
more at ease with regulators, banks, insurers, and financial
markets. Whilst it is important not to overstate the potential
of these benefits accruing across the whole industry, or to
understate the task ahead, we believe their value is likely
to increase as we enter a period of heightened competition.
The case studies in this document serve to highlight some
elements of the business case for sustainable development.

10

At a time of rapid urbanisation, population growth,

climate change and environmental degradation, there
is ever increasing pressure on the engineering and
construction sector to adapt and rethink what it
understands to be appropriate and sustainable.
Engineering is central to both climate change adaptation
and mitigation, for example in delivering engineering
solutions to accommodate changes in sea levels and
storm surges and in developing and rolling out renewable
energies such as wind power and tidal barrages. Clearly,
the engineering and construction sector has a significant
role to play in helping the Government to reach its target
of a 20% reduction in carbon emissions by the end of the
decade and 60% by the year 2050.

The role of ICE, ACE, CECA,

CIRIA and the Construction
Products Association
We are committed to using our influence to encourage
and support the civil engineering sector to deliver
sustainable development. We have made a commitment
that, as representative bodies of the industry, individual
professionals and the industry owned research body
we will specifically provide:

leadership
education and training
knowledge transfer
a voice of the industry and profession
to Government and the public

support for research and innovation

Acting in a coordinated way, we will use our influence to
continue to lead the civil engineering sector into a more
sustainable future.

What is the role of CEEQUAL?

CEEQUAL is the ICE-led scheme for assessing the
environmental quality of civil engineering projects and
delivering to project teams awards that recognise how
well they have dealt with the environmental issues they
faced. Its objective is to encourage the attainment of
environmental excellence in civil engineering projects,
and thus to deliver improved environmental performance
in project specification, design and construction.

CEEQUAL assesses performance in 12 areas of environmental

concern, including, inter alia the use of water, energy and
land, ecology, landscape, archaeology, waste management,
and community amenity. The assessment framework provides
a checklist of appropriate actions for project teams to embed
into their projects development.
To date (July 2007) sixteen awards have been made, the
most recent ones being Norton Fitzwarren Dam, M60
widening, Rushall Canal improvement and Carran Hill Water
Treatment Works in Northern Ireland. Details of projects that
have achieved an award can be viewed on the CEEQUAL
website, www.ceequal.com. Currently, a further 83 projects
are being assessed and the total value of projects that
have been or are being assessed has exceeded 2.5billion.
Scheme development is a major element of the
work programme for CEEQUALs Scheme Managers
alongside day-to-day operation of the scheme. The
present Manual (Version 3.1) is now called the Projects
Version and has recently been updated. Recent progress
in industry practice will be reflected alongside new
assessment questions in later versions. A Term Contracts
version is under development, thus allowing the CEEQUAL
ethos, approach and methodology to be applied to the
substantial proportion of civil engineering undertaken
through long-term, geographically-based contracts,
rather than discreet individual projects. The website
www.ceequal.com provides further details.
Clearly CEEQUAL provides a valuable mechanism for
delivering this strategy. The partners in this strategy and
action plan thus remain committed to supporting the further
development of CEEQUAL and to encouraging and promoting
its greater uptake by the civil engineering sector.

Water Supply Terminal 5 Heathrow

Installing separate potable and non-potable water supply systems at
Heathrow Terminal 5 has achieved a 70% reduction in potable water
consumption system resulting in financial and environmental benefits.
Potable water is now used for activities such as catering and showers
with non-potable water being used for toilet flushing, vehicle washing
and fire-fighting on aircraft stands.
The non-potable water is sourced from groundwater abstraction,
rainwater harvesting and recycled water. Requiring minimum treatment
prior to use, this has proved extremely sustainable in terms of cost,
energy use and resource efficiency, when compared to potable sources.
Although the construction costs of a separate potable and non-potable
system exceed that of a single potable system, the operational cost is
approximately halved, meaning the dual system pays for itself in a little
over two years and makes a substantial saving over the design life of
the project.
Case study and photo provided by BAA

11

Vision and aims

Our vision is for the civil engineering industry and profession to play its full
role in the creation and maintenance of sustainable communities in harmony
with their natural environment.
However, we cannot create sustainable communities by
acting alone. To achieve our vision, we recognise the need
to work collaboratively with other disciplines so that issues
surrounding the building of sustainable communities are
considered holistically.
Underpinning our vision we have identified our sustainable
development aims for action. These have been drawn up
in consultation with the civil engineering community. Their
purpose is to guide our approach to pursuing sustainable
development in civil engineering (beginning with the first
action plan); and to provide some qualitative measures to
help us evaluate the strategy itself:

Aim 1 Promote strong leadership for sustainable

development within civil engineering
There is a need for strong commitment and leadership at all
levels, including clients, to tap into the enormous potential
of civil engineering to protect the environment and promote
sustainable development.
In particular, clients need to be made aware that embedding
sustainable development during the concept and development
stages of a project is fundamental to achieving sustainable
outcomes. There is also a huge opportunity for industry to
demonstrate leadership in helping clients achieve greater
value for money through more sustainable options.

Aim 2 Embed the principles of sustainable

development within civil engineering
To be effective and stand the test of time, sustainable
development needs to be built into everyday work activities
and decision making and not just bolted on at the end.
This approach aims to change organisational cultures
so that sustainable development becomes an integral
part of the way they work. It is embedded in a small
minority of organisations in and serving the civil
engineering industry but now needs to be spread
throughout the industry and profession.

Aim 3 Build capacity for sustainable

development in civil engineering
Building capacity for sustainable development is
about equipping organisations and individuals with
the understanding, skills and access to independent
information, knowledge and training that enables
them to perform effectively.

12

If we are to enhance even further the viability and

sustainability of the civil engineering industry, we
need to create a business climate that supports the
development of a committed, skilled, diverse and
adaptable workforce. Without properly trained and
competent people contributing at every level, it is
unlikely that the overarching aims of this strategy
will be achieved. Accordingly, this strategy embraces
corporate responsibility including skills and training,
safety, equality and diversity as key elements of a
sustainable civil engineering industry.

Aim 4 Create and influence a policy framework

that demands more socially and environmentally
responsible behaviour
Creating the right policy and regulatory framework
to support and reward sustainable development will
be challenging and will require a variety of actions at
all levels. The strategy partners will work collaboratively
to identify these and promote consistency in policy
making to Government.

Monitoring and strategy review

Members of the steering group individuals and
organisations have committed to working together
to deliver on this strategy and action plan. They
will monitor and review progress and make annual
public reports.
This strategy and action plan is a living document and part
of a process in which all those involved have committed to
working together for a common vision. We will continue
to seek a broader range of perspectives in our approach,
including those who can bring broader global views, to help
strengthen the process and increase our capacity to achieve
sustainable development.

Action plan for sustainable development

in civil engineering
This action plan sets out concisely and comprehensively
a series of practical actions ICE, ACE, CECA, CIRIA and
the Construction Products Association propose to take
within the parameters outlined in the strategy. In most
cases these actions are just more, early steps on a long
journey and not an end in themselves. Nevertheless, we
believe that implementing these commitments now will
bring lasting benefits.
Although the plan is UK focused, we recognise that
many of the actions will have international implications.

Engineering is at the heart of the

answer (to global sustainability

challenges), because engineering
is the link the absolutely essential
link between science and
business... If you want to change
the world, be an engineer

Lord Browne, FREng, President, Royal Academy

of Engineering

Leadership
Accordingly, ICE will circulate the document to its Country
Representatives worldwide so that they may consider its
relevance for promoting more sustainable development
where they live and work. Similarly, the document will
also be circulated by the other partners in this project
to their international counterparts.
This plan is organised around the four sustainable
development aims identified in the strategy.

Where champions have been identified in the table

below, this does not preclude other partners from actively
contributing to the delivery of the actions as well as the
aims and objectives more broadly. Indeed, the partners
have committed to working together to fully implement
the strategy and action plan and will seek to involve other
construction bodies and organisations where appropriate.

The case for deconstruction

The project was the deconstruction of a Georgian-style hotel
constructed in fine Bath Ashlar limestone with wide early Victorian
pine floorboards throughout.
Conventional mechanical reduction would have taken six weeks at an
estimated cost to the developer of 29,000. However, having identified
a buyer, the developer was paid 16,000 for the building which was
carefully deconstructed, transported to a new site and reconstructed.
The 12 week deconstruction programme was carried out on schedule
and saved over 800 tonnes being sent to landfill together with
significant embodied energy and carbon savings.
Case study and photo provided by Minchinhampton Architectural
Salvage Company (MASCo) with the help of BioRegional Reclaimed

13

Action plan for sustainable development

in civil engineering
Aim 1 Promote strong leadership for sustainable development within civil engineering
There is a need for strong commitment and leadership at all levels including clients, to tap the enormous potential
of civil engineering to protect the environment and promote sustainable development.
Objective

1. To encourage clients,

particularly government
and major clients, to
take a lead in driving
forward sustainable
development

2. To encourage
civil engineering
organisations to
take ownership
of sustainable
development

3. To take the lead in

promoting the role
of civil engineering
in addressing
climate change

14

Actions and deliverables

Champion

Timescale

1.1 Develop projects to take forward ideas

on how sustainability can best be embraced
in procurement as discussed during the
ICE Presidential Forum on sustainable
procurement in December 2006

ICE

December 2007

1.2 Publish a suite of sustainable

procurement briefing notes in ICE
Proceedings journals, highlighting
the need for a broader procurement
definition to help deliver secondary
objectives (ie social and environmental)
within the procurement process 3

ICE

2008

1.3 Promote standard forms of contract and

specifications which most appropriately
deliver sustainable construction

ICE

Ongoing

1.4 Promote the Civil Engineering Environmental

Quality Assessment and Awards Scheme
(CEEQUAL) to clients, designers and
contractors to encourage environmental
excellence in civil engineering projects

All partners

Ongoing

1.5 Promote the ENGAGE-CONSTRUCT 4

website on social responsibility

CIRIA

October 2007

2.1 Explore with appropriate strategic partners

the possibility of producing sustainable
development charters for civil engineering
organisations to sign up to. This will require
companies to:

All partners

December 2008

ICE

Report delivered
by December
2007

demonstrate how they intend to

implement sustainable development

commit to developing the sustainable

development skills of their workforce
as necessary

publish details of their performance

3.1 Hold a series of climate change

workshops to identify priority actions
for the civil engineering sector in
addressing the challenges posed by
climate change. The final report will form
part of a united engineering response to
climate change in the context of the wider
partnership between the Royal Academy
of Engineering and other leading bodies
in the engineering profession

See Hawkins et al, 2006

T he ENGAGE-CONSTRUCT website contains practical guidance on how to be a socially responsible construction client,
for more information go to www.engageweb.org

Aim 2 Embed the principles of sustainable development within civil engineering

To be effective and stand the test of time sustainable development needs to be built into everyday work activities
and decision making and not just bolted on at the end. This approach aims to change organisational cultures
so that sustainable development becomes an integral part of the way they work.
Objective

4. To develop and/or

provide access to
tools and guidance
on incorporating
sustainable development
into all aspects of
civil engineering

Actions and deliverables

Champion

Timescale

4.1 Identify ways to contribute to the delivery

of ConstructionSkills Build to Last Strategic
Action Plan

All partners

Ongoing

4.2 Work with ConstructionSkills to produce

a Top 10 things for designers to do to
make their practices sustainable guide
as identified in ConstructionSkills Build
to Last Strategic Action Plan

ICE

October 2007

4.3 Raise awareness of social impact

assessment tools in measuring the
social effects of infrastructure projects
and other development interventions

ICE

Ongoing

4.4 Provide guidance and advice to clients,

consultants, contractors and others
on delivering sustainable transport
infrastructure. The first piece of guidance
will focus on building sustainable roads
and will include a definition of a sustainable
road, address issues around planning,
demolition/recycling, design, operation
and construction and provide practical
checklists and targets

ACE

January 2008

4.5 Provide guidance on sustainable

engineering methods for extending
the service life of infrastructure

CIRIA

April 2008

4.6 Provide guidance and training on a

range of site-focused sustainability topics
including good site environmental practice,
contaminated land, archaeology, control
of invasive plants

CIRIA

June 2008

4.7 Ensure the assessment of environmental

impacts of products is in line with the
European Union methodology being
developed through CEN Mandate TC 350

Construction
Products
Association

Ongoing

15

Aim 2 Embed the principles of sustainable development within civil engineering

To be effective and stand the test of time sustainable development needs to be built into everyday work activities
and decision making and not just bolted on at the end. This approach aims to change organisational cultures
so that sustainable development becomes an integral part of the way they work.
Objective

5. To encourage innovative

approaches and
continuing development
and application of good
practice in corporate
responsibility

6. To encourage and

stimulate the sharing
of, and learning from,
current and developing
experience of sustainable
development

7. To promote greater

material resource
efficiency across the
construction sector

16

Actions and deliverables

Champion

Timescale

5.1 Raise awareness of corporate responsibility

tools for use by designers and contractors
which are available and easily integrated
into business practices

CECA, ICE, ACE

Ongoing

5.2 Produce a corporate responsibility toolkit

for contractors

CECA

December 2007

5.3 Produce and disseminate a suite of case

studies annually which demonstrate good
examples of social outcomes delivered within
the broader corporate responsibility context

All partners

Annual

5.4 Lead by example in developing and

implementing an equality and diversity
strategy and action plan

ICE

December 2007

6.1 Work collaboratively to produce and

disseminate a suite of case studies on
mainstreaming and embedding sustainable
development into civil engineering projects.
These will include examples of how
barriers and impediments to sustainable
development have been reconciled

All partners

Annual

7.1 Promote the benefits of early involvement

of manufacturers and distributors from the
design stage to reduce waste arising on-site

Construction
Products
Association

Ongoing

7.2 Promote the value of all existing buildings

and structures (including those of historical
importance) and the merits of their reuse
rather than just demolishing and recycling
the materials

ICE

Ongoing

7.3 Annual bridge and infrastructure

conservation awards to encourage
best practice in conservation

ICE

Annual

Aim 3 Build capacity for sustainable development in civil engineering

Building capacity for sustainable development is about equipping organisations and individuals with the understanding,
skills and access to information, knowledge and training that enables them to perform effectively.
Objective

8. To increase the capacity

of current and future
civil engineers and
decision makers in the
field of civil engineering
to implement sustainable
development using
the Sustainability
Skills Matrix for the
Built Environment 5

Actions and deliverables

Champion

Timescale

8.1 When providing resources to school

teachers, include where appropriate
elements of sustainable development in
line with the Education for Sustainable
Development (ESD) requirements in the
National Curriculum for Science, Design
& Technology, Geography and Citizenship

ICE

Ongoing

8.2 Encourage the G15 6, to explore with the

Training & Development Agency for Schools
(TDA) and the national network of Science
Learning Centres, opportunities to embed
sustainable development principles in
Initial Teacher Training (ITT) and Continuing
Professional Development (CPD) for teachers

ICE

June 2008

8.3 Work collaboratively to support the

inclusion of sustainable development
into the Higher Education teaching
curriculum through:

ICE

June 2008

8.4 Work with academic departments and

SCOSS7 to develop suitable curriculum
material, to encourage and support
the teaching of engineering history
at undergraduate level

ICE

September 2008

8.5 Work with the Joint Board of

Moderators when reviewing university
degree accreditation guidelines on
sustainable development

ICE

Late 2008
onwards

8.6 Deliver a programme of regional seminars

on sustainability for ICE Reviewers on how
to assess the sustainability attributes at
Professional Reviews

ICE

September/
October 2007

8.7 Update ICE Membership Guidance Note

(MGN) on sustainable development and
make available on ICEs website

ICE

September 2007

8.8 Encourage and assist training providers

to develop sustainable development
courses and where appropriate including
mainstreaming sustainable development
into existing courses

ICE

Ongoing

8.9 To exploit all other opportunities for

knowledge transfer and training on
sustainable development as appropriate

All partners

Ongoing

assessing the value of existing

teaching resources

identifying gaps in the current provision

exploring how best to support academics

 eveloped by the Skills Working Group of the Sustainability Forum for Construction now owned
D
and promoted by ConstructionSkills, SummitSkills and AssetSkills for wider dissemination and use

The G15 are a group of major engineering institutions in the UK

SCOSS the Standing Committee on Structural Safety

17

Aim 3 Build capacity for sustainable development in civil engineering

Building capacity for sustainable development is about equipping organisations and individuals with the understanding,
skills and access to information, knowledge and training that enables them to perform effectively.
Objective

9. To engage with

stakeholders in
developing research
activity to address key
topics on sustainable
development

10. To promote information

exchange and
knowledge sharing on
sustainable development

18

Actions and deliverables

Champion

Timescale

9.1 Establish an engineering futures group to

explore the changes required to achieve
sustainability and analyse their impact on
the civil engineering industry and profession

ICE

2008/09

9.2 Hold regular consultations with members

to identify guidance requirements

All partners

Ongoing

9.3 Promote whole life costing and life

cycle assessment more effectively
and consistently across industry

ICE, CIRIA,
Construction
Products
Association

2008

9.4 Carry out research on the embodied carbon

of UK infrastructure and produce a formula
that will enable the calculation of the
carbon footprint of different infrastructure
sectors, starting with the water industry

ICE

December 2007

9.5 Initiate a research programme to broaden

understanding of how to effectively
promote more sustainable behaviour
within and by the civil engineering sector

ICE, CIRIA

2008

9.6 Develop methodologies for environmental

assessments to be undertaken at building
and infrastructure level based on an
ecopoints / m2 measure

Construction
Products
Association

2008/09

10.1 Establish task groups through which

civil engineering stakeholders can come
together to advance sustainability. The first
task group will provide civil engineering
expertise to key stakeholders on the
delivery of a sustainable London 2012
Olympic Games

All partners

Ongoing

10.2 Develop and maintain linkages with other

professional bodies, trade associations and
other stakeholders which are reviewing the
sustainability agenda to ensure joined up
thinking across the industry

All partners

Ongoing

10.3 Arrange annual sustainability lecture to

inform practitioners and stimulate action

CIRIA

Annual

10.4 Organise series of workshop on range of

sustainability topics via the Construction
Industry Environmental Forum (CIEF)

CIRIA

Ongoing

Aim 4 Create and influence a policy framework that demands more socially and
environmentally responsible behaviour
Creating the right policy and regulatory framework to support and reward sustainable development will be
challenging and will require a variety of actions at all levels. The strategy partners will work collaboratively
to identify these and promote consistency in policy making.
Objective

11. Influence the

development and
delivery of government
policy that reflects
the right balance of
legislative pressure
and commercial
advantage to positively
encourage sustainable
development

12. Engage more fully

with European Union
decision-making
processes regarding
sustainability

Actions and deliverables

Champion

Timescale

11.1 Active engagement and participation

in relevant Government strategies e.g.
Government/industry Sustainable
Construction Strategy, Defra National
Waste Strategy and DfT transport policies
and others, including provision of inputs
and dissemination mechanisms

All partners

December 2007

11.2 Work collaboratively across the sector to:

All partners

Ongoing

12.1 Identify opportunities to influence the

European Union to embed sustainability
in the policy making process

All partners

Ongoing

12.2 Scope out with European construction

bodies the possibility of developing a panEuropean action plan to complement this
plan for the UK civil engineering sector

All partners

December 2008

a dvise Government at all levels on the

creation of a more efficient and less
bureaucratic legislative environment
that promotes sustainable development

encourage Government to use

fiscal incentives to promote
sustainable development

promote consistency across Whitehall

policy on sustainable development

provide engineering knowledge and

expertise on sustainable development
to Government

References
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Crudgington, A., Mootanah, D., (2004), Achieving
whole life value in infrastructure and buildings,
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ConstructionSkills, (2005), Build to Last: Strategic
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All website addresses correct when published.

19

Published July 2007.

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