Kier is trialling the use of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuels in machines on hire from Sunbelt.
The HVO, supplied by Crown Oil, is being used on four Kier sites in the north of the UK: Newmarket Approach, Leeds; NHS Golden Jubilee Surgical Centre, Glasgow; Durham History Centre & Archives; and Shakespeare North, Prescott.
Kier’s motive is to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and particulate matter – HVO is recognised as cleaner burning than regular diesel and so emits less pollution.
Hannah Aston, environmental manager at Kier Regional Building North & Scotland, said: “Across the sites there are a number of vehicles and generators running on HVO fuel and we’re in discussions with the rest of the supply chain to extend the trial to other vehicles. So far, the feedback has been excellent and we look forward to seeing the results.”
Kier has also signed the Plant Commitment Charter, developed by the Supply Chain Sustainability School’s Plant Group, to demonstrate an intent to reduce emissions from the plant and equipment its uses.
Cheetham Hill Construction, based in Bury, is another recent signatory to the charter, bringing to 21 the number of companies that signed.
Jade Hunt, Kier’s group environment manager, said “Kier have been active for a long time in reducing the impacts of its business, across all sustainability issues. Signing the school’s Plant Commitment Charter is an outward confirmation of our determined intent, and we want our suppliers and subcontractors to match our ambition.”
Howard Chamberlain, managing director and owner of Cheetham Hill Construction, said: “CHC has signed the school’s Plant Commitment Charter as a clear statement that we take the impacts of our business seriously, taking action to reduce them where possible, as far as possible.”
Flannery Plant Hire was the first charter signatory, back in June 2020. Other supporters include Costain, Morgan Sindall, L Lynch, GAP Group, Hercules Site Services and O’Brien Group.
Flannery strategic manager Chris Matthew said: “Flannery signed the charter in June 2020, the first to do so, because we saw value in making a public declaration of our strategy to reduce emissions across our fleet and the service we provide to our clients. We are glad to see others joining the same declaration.”
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