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Over 50 participants attended best practice seminar "Resource Efficiencies: win business, save costs" at the South West College (SWC)'s Omagh Campus.
Designed to help support small construction firms with supply chain development through improved energy, environmental and waste management, it showed how good green credentials help win new business and reduce costs.
Business in the Community's ARENA Network (supported by NI Environment Agency) and its Connections programme (sponsored by Electric Ireland), joined forces with CITB-ConstructionSkills NI and the South West College to provide this informative event.
"The more contractors of all sizes that know about the standards now required for site waste and energy management, the more successful they will be in tendering for work," said Barry Neilson, Chief Executive of CITB-ConstructionSkills NI. "This seminar was an excellent opportunity for smaller contractors to get up to speed with what green credentials are essential if they want to stay in business in future."
Speakers included industry experts from leading construction firms Farrans Construction and the Patton Group.
Kevin McGarvey, Environmental Management Adviser, Farrans Construction, kicked off the evening by outlining how site waste management planning can help reduce sub-contractors costs and meet the increasingly high standards required to win construction tenders. Liam McEvoy, Group Environment and Waste Manager from The Patton Group then followed with best practice advice in how to improve profitability from better energy and transport management. Colin Smyth, Development Manager, the University of Ulster, finished off the evening with some practical hints and tips on what the assessors are looking for when scoring contract bids for construction work.
The construction industry has a major impact on the environment and with mounting international pressure to improve energy efficiency, the development of world-class green credentials across the whole industry is critical to keep Northern Ireland construction competitive and leading edge.
(CD/GK)
