Businesses, government and society are all grappling with what the term ‘net zero’ will mean for them and how it can be achieved in practice.

Early engagement and detailed ground investigation can ensure clients avoid over specification in construction and support reuse of material on site with associated carbon savings.

LEAP provides cost effective and carbon efficient solutions to the design of new developments. We help client minimise unnecessary disposal of materials, maximise reuse of materials, minimise use of virgin soils and minimise construction materials used for building foundations.

It is estimated that the construction sector contributes up to 11% of global carbon emissions, and in the UK,  the built environment contributes 40% of total carbon emissions.  The carbon impact of the construction stage of a building is significant, in some cases accounting for half of a new building’s whole life total.  Much of the carbon associated with construction comes from the materials used for a building’s foundations.

The construction sector is the largest user of raw materials in the UK and produces the biggest waste stream in terms of tonnes of waste generated.  The Defra (2018) Resources and Waste Strategy states that the construction sector was responsible for the disposal to landfill of over 26 million tonnes of excavation arisings and of 5 million tonnes of construction and demolition waste.

LEAP has developed a Carbon Management module which is incorporated within our standard reporting or can be offered as a standalone consultancy service. This considers the carbon cost of recommendations given in the report. The Carbon Management module has been developed to recognise the critical part Soil Management presents in reducing carbon from construction projects, not only in the reduction of contaminated soil movement to landfill, but in value engineering design, and minimising use of carbon expensive materials, both in manufacture and transport.  At LEAP we believe our holistic approach, blending our team of geotechnical and environmental specialists for each project, results in better value engineering, reduced soil movement, and carbon and cost savings.

The DoW CoP is a code of  practice launched by Cl:aire in September 2008 which may be used, under certain circumstances, to enable the re-use of excavated soils on development sites without the need for an environmental agency exemption or environmental permit. It has significantly increased the sustainability of land remediation and development projects and has  become a common approach for the management of excavated materials on development sites. More specifically the  DoW CoP enables:

• the direct transfer and reuse of clean naturally occurring soil materials between sites
• the conditions to support the establishment/operation of fixed soil treatment facilities
• the reuse of both contaminated/uncontaminated materials on their site of origin and between sites within defined cluster projects

The code is designed to ensure that any re-use will not have an adverse impact on the environment, will not pose any unacceptable risks to human health or the environment and is not a sham waste disposal.  An integral part of the process is the development of a Materials Management Plan (MMP).

The Code requires that the re-use details be submitted to the Environment Agency by a registered person known as a “Qualified Person” or “QP”, who themselves has the training and competence to assess the process and the lines of evidence being  put forward to demonstrate compliance with the code.

LEAP is well versed in the DoWCoP process.  We regularly advise on the applicability of the code and whether or not a soil re-use may be treated within the scheme or should in fact be treated as a waste recovery (requiring an environmental permit).

LEAP regularly prepares MMPs and/or assist contractors in preparing their own MMPs.

LEAP has in-house QPs and any of the regional offices is able to provide further information and guidance.

Let us show you how you can develop more sustainably, re-use soils and dramatically reduce waste and landfill tax costs.

LEAP has been at the forefront of DoWCoP and is well placed to help you act within the law and avoid costly pitfalls.