Facts and key issues
Constructing our homes
More than half of all resources consumed globally are used in construction.1
Natural forest is being lost at a rate of 30 hectares every minute. The UK uses around 37 million cubic metres of timber every year. Of this, more than 85 per cent is used by the construction industry, with 55 per cent going into our homes.2
In a typical year, we need around 205 million tonnes of aggregates in the UK, some four tonnes for every man, woman and child. Around 90 per cent of all aggregates are used by the construction industry, and the construction of a typical new house uses up to 50 tonnes of aggregates.3
The use of recycled and secondary materials currently accounts for about 17 per cent of the aggregates market.4
Our homes and lifestyleForty-five per cent of energy generated across the world is used to heat, light and ventilate our buildings, with a further five per cent arising from their construction.5
Around 27 per cent of the UK’s carbon emissions come from our homes.
In total, UK households produce more than 34 million tonnes of rubbish every year, most of which is buried in landfill sites.Only 12 per cent of the rubbish we produce each year is recycled.6
In the UK, the average person uses about 150 litres of water every day.7
References
1 Brian Edwards (2001), Rough Guide to Sustainability, RIBA publications, London
2 WWF figures
3 www.qpa.org/pro_agg.htm
4 www.citb.co.uk/futureskills/default.asp
5 Brian Edwards (2001), Rough Guide to Sustainability, RIBA publications, London
6 www.wrap.org.uk/.../WRAPRecyclingHomeGuide.pdf
7 WWF website - take action in the home
