New video - Introduction to PAS 2030:2012 by David Inman MRICS CEnv @DIEMLtd #PAS2030 #greendeal

David Inman MRICS CEnv of @DIEMLtd gives a brief introduction to PAS 2030:2012 at the launch of the @LCBPC Green Deal Club. Link to video is below:

 

New video - Lancashire Green Deal Club Launch & Green Deal Refresher

New video of Martin Brown @fairsnape launching the @LCBPC Green Deal Club in Preston, February 2012. Link to video is below:

 

 

@DIEMLtd mentioned on @IndustryToday about @lcbpc #greendeal club

After attending yesterday's excellent Lancashire Construction Best Practice Club Green Deal Consortium Club launch in Preston, I'm delighted to see DIEM Ltd mentioned in Industry today.

A link to the article by Katie Brown of SMPR is at:

http://www.industrytoday.co.uk/green_deal_industry_today/green-deal-consortia-launch/10239

The event left me with a sence of optimism about the willingness of local firms to explore ways of working together.

#CSR - past volunteering, now social media

After reading an excellent article this morning about CSR, it's amazing how many people rely on volunteering staff time or donating money to try and deliver it.

Yes, giving up some time or supporting charities is fine, but when money and resources are tight look at different and FREE ways to deliver CSR.

One way I've done at giving something back is to publish webinars on Youtube at:

www.youtube.com/diemltdtv

It's free and easy to do, plus I can share environmental knowledge, plus support other organisations.

I've also done it for a Client, where using social media could spread a positive message on a topic, without relying on staff resources or costing a great deal of money (it cost them a couple of hours of my time).

We are not talking THX Dolby Surround HD either, I use a "normal" digital camera and software I got with my PC. The only think extra I use is a tripod, which I got free with a Leica Disto.

Relating to ISO 26000 (Guidance on social responsibility) social media can deliver:

• Understanding social responsibility
• Principles of social responsibility
• Engaging stakeholders
• Giving Guidance on social responsibility core subjects
• Giving guidance on integrating social responsibility throughout an organization

 

In a voluntary manner with social media being the tool for CSR

So, who not give social media for CSR a try.

Spinning plates on the dramatic tour of events

Isn’t it odd how unrelated things remind me of work.  Last night I went to see a Dream Theater concert in Manchester and on the drums was a spinning plates logo from the band’s latest album.  This reminded me how I’m spinning plates and not dropping any as I’m so busy.  

 

This is not meant as a brag as whilst I’m very busy at the moment, there have been periods in the last 6 years I’ve been in business that I haven’t.

 

My message to anyone struggling is keep on in there and be honest to yourself.

 

My advice to myself is to treat every job, even the smallest, as the most important and that if you look after you clients, they look after you.

 

Real environmental KPIs (and not massaging imaginary figures!)

Recently I’ve been doing quite a lot of work with clients to set and monitor environmental KPIs. The actual requirements of ISO 14001:2004 for this are driven by clauses 4.5.1 Monitoring and measurement and 4.3.3 Objectives, targets & programme(s) but it can deliver requirements for: 

 

• 4.3.2 Legal and other requirements eg by meeting client requirements and some legal requirements in implementing the waste hierarchy under the Waste (England & Wales) Regs 2011
• 4.4.4 Documentation/4.5.4 control of records eg KPI records can demonstrate effective planning and operation control
• 4.4.6 Operational control eg KPIs can deliver hard facts to demonstrate control such as waste being diverted from landfill or reduction in carbon
• 4.5.2 Evaluation of compliance eg any legal consents which have to be measured, such as noise or water sampling can have set KPIs set by the regulator
• 4.6 Management review eg KPIs for hard evidence to demonstrate problems or continual improvement.

 So, when setting KPIs think about the goal and what you can achieve, rather than doing it for the sake of it.

 

Common sense for construction carbon

This morning I attended a construction carbon supply chain meeting and presentation with the common sense involved being fantastic. It was run by a main contractor who were showing free (yes FREE!) tools available, namely the EA's construction carbon calculator. The presenter then showed how to use the calculator and someone who has used it gave a case study.

It was a simple as that. No sales, blind alleys or over complication. The session was aimed at subcontractors and I've never seen a room of construction professionals react so well to such a session. I've been to similar ones and they've been over long, over complicated and over sales orientated. Here, it was a main contractor engaging with its supply chain - simple as that. There was no ERDF funding, box ticking or self justification.

So, CSR in this case with the supply chain was to the correct level and I came away feeling as the local construction industry in the North West had been enlightened, not disheartened.

#Greendeal and the @LCBPC balanced view

The impending Green Deal is really whipping some people up into a frenzy, but I've been here before.  Without naming names and these people should have had some professional responsibility, many years ago I attended a Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) and Home Information Packs (HIPs) briefing where these persons were saying you could earn £150 per energy assessment and do up to 8 a day.

I knew at the time that these fees were way off the mark and qualified as a DEA expecting a sensible rate, in line with other work I do. Well, lots of people were whipped into a frenzy and bitterly disappointed when there was little work, which was down to the housing market's problems and the disgraceful management of and dithering with the scheme of the last government.  People got trained, then it was delayed by the politicians, but wages needed to be paid. In the meantime, until some more stringent quality approval arrangement were brought in, which actually penalises the ones who do things properly, there were people doing a DEA for as low as £30 (minus about £7 lodgement fee for the report, travel etc which doesn't leave much profit) and stories about people doing them over the telephone and Google maps.

That wasn't meant to be a rant, but set the scene to where we are today with Green Deal.  As someone thinking of applying to be a assessor, it's difficult to write a business plan as nobody knows how much certificaiton will cost, or will the market be swamped by people looking for a fast profit, or assessments being done as a loss leader, making the small firm or sole practictioner be cast adrift.

I was very pleased that RICS addressed some key problems of impartiality of assessors and other factors in their consultation response to DECC (available from www.rics.org and a very good read), but it is an unknown and people do feel slightly lost.

Yes there are Green Deal web domains registered, but the quality of content varies greatly and some could be deemed to lack transparancy on some websites in terms of ownership and professional standards. 

I'm most encouraged about an initiative launching locally to me in the North West by Lancashire Construction Best Practice Club who are looking at setting up a Green Deal Club which will bring interested parties together at UCLan in Preston on 22 February 2012. More details can be found at:

http://greendealclublcbpc.eventbrite.com

I'm very enthusiatic about this Green Deal Club as it's not suggesting any immediate answers, but are going to address the unknowns and the solutions as they happen in an open, balanced and honest environment.

The only certainty the club is offering is that Green Deal will happen and Construction organisations wanting to become involved in this, and maybe other eco refurbishment schemes, will need accredited certification to PAS 2030, which the club will be looking into giving support.

So, there are more questions than answers with Green Deal, but I'm convinced that we can seek the answers more effectively working together rathern than in isolation.