We are committed to reducing our environmental impact and continually improving our environmental performance is an integral part of our business strategy and operating methods.
It is our priority to encourage our clients and suppliers to do the same. Not only is this sound commercial sense but it ensures we deliver on our duty of care towards future generations. NZ Strong has held a long standing commitment to robust environmental practices having been ISO 14001 accredited since 2012 and is responsible for achieving good environmental practice and operating in a sustainable manner.
Head Office Initiatives
Sustainability Team
The Goal – to encourage and work towards being the most environmentally sustainable construction company in NZ, while also considering corporate social responsibility towards our community and the planet.
Stationery
An analysis of our stationery use has been undertaken and for high use products eco-friendly alternatives have been sourced, i.e. carbon neutral paper, metal or bamboo pens with refills, etc.
Cleaning Products
All cleaning products purchased are environmentally friendly.
Print Media
All printed stationery is purchased through Soar Print, who has the strongest sustainability credentials of any NZ printing company. They are compliant with ISO14001, carboNZero(CertTM) certified and offer both FSC and PEFC paper stocks.
In House Printing
Printers are leased through Canon, who with more than 50 years’ experience in managing sustainability issues, go above and beyond standard compliance to ensure their products are among the most environmentally friendly and energy efficient available.
E – Waste Recycling
All our electronic wastes such as laptops, monitors, phones, batteries, and other IT devices are safely disposed at Computer Recycling centre. We also have an E-Waste bin at the office so we can get rid of electronic waste items conveniently.
Office Carbon Rating
Pending consultation.
Partnerships
Staff volunteer their time to help with multiple local and regional bodies (Friends of Mangawhau, LegaSea, Seacleaners) and partake in activities such as tree planting, bank stabilisation, track maintenance, ocean and beach cleans.
Site Environmental Management
NZ Strong is committed to the protection and enhancement of the environment and full compliance with environmental protection legislation.
It is the objective of NZ Strong to continually strive for improvement in the environmental performance of its activities and to exceed industry benchmarks wherever possible.
Construction Environmental Management Training
All operational staff are required to attend Construction Environmental Management training facilitated by Simon Gaines of Entire Consultants. Topics covered include: Background to the requirements of a Construction Environment Management Plan (CEMP), Roles and Responsibilities, Construction Activities and Environmental Effects, Implementation of a CEMP & Operation, Monitoring & Review and Controlling Risk.
Environmental Management Plan (EMP)
Contract specific Environmental Management Plans are developed, these include a site specific risk matrix to identify the likelihood and scale of the potential impact of our activities in the construction works. The main environmental risks involved with construction works that we must be mindful of include;
- Silt and Sedimentation
- Noise, Dust, Fumes and Vibration
- Spills
- Waste
Waste Management
In 2015 we committed to reducing our waste going to landfill on all projects. We set it at the Green Star requirement of a 70% diversion rate. At the end of 2018 our consistent diversion rate was 78% across all sites.
Future Targets
The next decade is critical. The recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned of severe consequences of a failure to prevent global warming exceeding 1.5°C.
To limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C, emissions need to halve by 2030, and drop to net-zero by the middle of the century for the best chance of avoiding the worst impacts of climate change. In line with this urgent need, we have recently made a commitment to reduce our carbon emissions and are currently in discussions with a number of providers of carbon programmes and certifiers to see which best aligns with our business. Once we have engaged a provider and have undertaken carbon measurement, we will be able to set tangible science based benchmarks and commit to future measurable reduction goals.