![#](https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=148&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=210&s=0f19e72f3d08c7b28f1b5f6309d648bc 210w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=297&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=420&s=13cf4db7037a90d0e8a179cdcae386ba 420w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=543&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=768&s=af4889e3531b6b4bb4d540d5f37c0505 768w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=724&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1024&s=4fb531b537877e75cadcb1526b2753b3 1024w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=990&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1400&s=fb2c8ba61a2166c7368e4a00e740b7eb 1400w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=1131&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1600&s=d9a1972709b2539b05719d74150a5dc2 1600w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=1357&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1920&s=eaae8cc678d1bacdec42ad2760e06737 1920w)
The materials used in The Gateway Building’s cladding reflect the campus’s agriculture heritage by bringing together three sustainable materials: wood, straw and render. Local sourcing was key in procuring the materials with the aim of not only reducing embodied carbon through transportation but also bringing employment to the local community.
![#](https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-2.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=148&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=210&s=9543de4de319f92adadcffee3d9ee22d 210w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-2.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=297&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=420&s=c26345d2bc8b88dd7fc5ceaf2bf02cfb 420w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-2.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=543&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=768&s=0f93994898370f362327dc0d175894b9 768w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-2.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=724&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1024&s=45809419e6dc2a07094b41790abd796f 1024w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-2.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=990&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1400&s=0544fa453252174d8b8ccb61d7979499 1400w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-2.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=1131&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1600&s=69ee3381f649e175839dbc2a0be91d40 1600w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-2.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=1357&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1920&s=df5b25c77d6a2c1dfd57a4299ec07eb5 1920w)
Being an agricultural campus the straw was locally produced by the university on their neighbouring fields. A pop-up factory was then set up in a barn less than five miles from the site where the timber, straw and render were prefabricated into 14m long cassettes. This meant the materials were assembled in a controlled environment that was extremely close to both the source of the materials and the construction site. The windows were also sourced and fabricated down the road less than 10 miles from the site.
5 Broadgate on the other hand is a large office block in the heart of the City of London. High sustainability targets have been set for the project by both the occupier, UBS and the developers, British Land.
![#](https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-3.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=148&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=210&s=c648361645ab78e868e0f44577afc6df 210w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-3.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=297&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=420&s=ec93c40d06621d1b3ec9206b36b6399e 420w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-3.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=543&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=768&s=9159a39f03406f7e6f51b9d08903dbcf 768w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-3.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=724&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1024&s=61371e0f28209b7246784e7242994e3a 1024w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-3.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=990&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1400&s=b1b6aa4b0e2e0af7b7813b69751d24ba 1400w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-3.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=1131&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1600&s=45dc0f0d1bebdc60bd1ab4b727c9740c 1600w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-3.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=1357&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1920&s=ab03e45393351277833b628c76ff4b5c 1920w)
Supply chain interrogation helped us make informed design decisions early on and assisted in the sustainable procurement of materials. We looked at every component specified within the building, comparing the sustainability criteria for different options including their embodied energy and recycled content. For example, these decisions meant we were able to mitigate 360 tons in CO2 equivalents on the façade alone.
![#](https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-4.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=148&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=210&s=8cea20495d510807542234917a2a19ee 210w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-4.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=297&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=420&s=cdc2f548b8fcfd382fff66c46dd6005a 420w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-4.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=543&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=768&s=378f75afda8e6af7afd6d5cccbc2fbd5 768w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-4.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=724&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1024&s=3fec12aca955bacab05de13205d1df1d 1024w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-4.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=990&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1400&s=0713299936293afcf178daa43f80f3a2 1400w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-4.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=1131&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1600&s=1f4429cc73b54ab715a4f1f161afcf16 1600w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2FResponsibleSourcing-Make-4.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=1357&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1920&s=79e85d7e01782662ce393158ac0f7d5c 1920w)
We further defined our sustainability requirements during the tender process by producing specific sustainability requirements for all potential contractors. They were required to confirm and demonstrate compliance at tender stage and offer improvements where possible. We’ve found that it is easier to get data from suppliers at tender stage while they are keen for the job rather than after they are appointed!
Once appointed we continue to work with the supply chain to maximise material optimisation and minimise wastage as the design develops. We also work with the contractors to find further ways to minimise transportation and carbon emissions during production and this is being monitored on a project wide basis.
Summary
Two very different projects with different briefs and different opportunities. But by placing sustainability at the heart of the decision-making process and putting a strong focus on material research and supply chain interrogation, we made informed decisions that ensured the buildings were responsibly sourced.
As Derek Hughes, responsible sourcing scheme manager at BRE Global so aptly put it: “We’re all used to seeing fair trade in our coffee, but why not fair trade in our concrete?”
Notes
James Goodfellow recently presented ‘Responsible sourcing – the design process’ at Ecobuild 2013. You can download James’s presentation from the Ecobuild website or follow him on Twitter: @jamesgoodfellow
Sarah Cary works with British Land’s project teams to drive sustainable design, responsible construction and ethical procurement. Read Sarah’s blog or follow her on Twitter: @sarahcary