Eddie Wighton

Sustainability in construction is not just about the choice of materials and all too often the way in which the business operates is ignored. To be truly sustainable, you must have a sustainable business model. This includes the way in which developments are financed and of course, a sustainable source of talented people. Only then, can a developer turn their focus to the delivery of Sustainable Housing. To achieve this, you need an intelligent design that takes consideration of all elements of the build such as constructability, material choices, and cost implications. Sourcing the desired materials to meet sustainability aspirations are challenging and will increase construction cost. The end value however, may not increase.

Be prepared for an answer you don't want to hear as not every request for a salary increase will, or can, be agreed. Requests for additional money in construction is a very common situation with trades people constantly seeking an enhanced income. Often, the rumour of someone else carrying out a similar position being paid a higher salary will encourage staff to seek a change to their package. Employee's however, need to appreciate that it is far more complex than an employer simply agreeing to increase the pay on offer for the individual. Consideration of all commercial factors such as profitability and future workload will influence the decision. As will your performance to date, and the impact on other employees.

In todays world of social media, personal branding is a vital component of any successful business. Whilst businesses will seek teamwork and a collaborative approach to achieve success, those working within that business should take steps to enhance their personal brand. A positive and upbeat aptitude will show your network who you are and create trust in you as an individual. It will give your network the confidence that the orginisation you work within has the values that attract the right kind of people. This may encourage them to open dialogue which may in turn lead to new business opportunities. People deal with people, and when we find those we can trust, we are more likely to embark on a business journey with them.

Innovation in new build housing is not something we read about often. National housebuilders continue to use the same methods of construction as the past 100 years. After my business partner and I established our SME development company over a decade ago, we decided the only way to compete with the large corporate developers, was to deliver a far superior product at a similar sales value. This required a very innovative approach to all aspects of construction to give us the edge. 1 of our solutions, was the creation of our Advanced Timber Frame System. This allows us to erect 2 superstructures from foundation to 'Wind & Watertight' in 1 single day leading to significantly reduced time and cost on our development projects.

As an SME housebuilder, it is extremely important to have a team of people with integrity and high standards. Having been in UK construction for over 35 years, I certainly subscribe to the merits of teamwork to achieve successful outcomes. I am lucky enough to have a small group of very gifted and passionate individuals in my management team who believe fully in our company ethos. For over 10 years we have worked collaboratively to deliver the highest quality homes for our customers. Our 'everyone is equal' approach to construction permits us to efficiently deliver A-rated EPC homes with A-rated environmental impact, all as standard. Sustainable construction creates a sustainable business and this is only possible with the right team.

As a 'full life cycle' SME Property Developer, establishing a vision for my next project is vitally important. Simply identifying an area of land to create new homes is not enough to ensure its viability. There are a significant number of factors such as utilities, land value, road construction consents and of course consumer demand to consider, long before reaching the ability to assess its commercial viability. The overarching vision for any new housing project must include sustainable methods of construction and high levels of energy efficiency. With consumers becoming ever more aware of environmental issues and climate change, delivery of new housing that can reduce or eliminate environmental impact is extremely important.