Skanska head of procurement Dale Turner is more strident in his defence of going green in construction.
“It is a myth that green means more money,” he says. “For example, on our work on the M25 widening, green procurement might mean a different mix in the concrete or black top. You might look at the mix and develop a different one that achieves the performance criteria set out by the Highways Agency, but has less material in the product, so it may actually cost you less.
“To us [being green] is an efficiency that is driving costs down and value engineering throughout our processes.”
At last, a voice of reason...
It's a myth that protected species issues delay development projects. What causes delay is poor project management and a lack of understanding as to how biodiversity issues should be incorporated into the project. Savvy developers are able to use green construction standards as a competitive advantage to grow their business.
Perhaps Osborne should visit Skanska to learn a few things about the environment and business?