The 10 Tonne Challenge

Our initiative that inspires sustainable choices

The 10 Tonne Carbon Challenge

In 2021, Morgan Sindall Construction launched the first 10 Tonne Carbon Challenge; a means of collaborating with our innovative supply chain and consultants to find new ways to reduce carbon from the built environment.

Nationally, Morgan Sindall Construction have reduced carbon output by more than 14,000 tonnes through the 10 Tonne Challenge. This is equivalent to heating over 5,000 UK homes for a year!

What does the challenge involve?

The challenge is simple. Our teams must reduce the carbon footprint of the project(s) they work on by at least 10 tonnes, typically during a specific number of days or weeks. This can be done in a number of ways, such as (but not limited to) the following:

Buying lower carbon materials, such as steel made in an electric arc furnace
Reducing waste by over-ordering less, or buying bespoke sized plasterboard
Re-using existing materials
Having a grid electricity connection for the site set-up from day one

We strongly encourage our supply chain to get involved with ideas and solutions too!

What makes this initiative successful?

The challenge enables the Morgan Sindall Construction team to enact behavioural change on construction projects at grassroots level. This means that new practices and processes to reduce carbon are adopted and naturally become part of the construction process going forward.

How is the challenge measured?

CarboniCa plays a significant part in this challenge, as it's the tool we use to measure the carbon savings that can be achieved. It empowers our teams to take action in the early stages of a project, based on factual data, and enables accurate reporting throughout. See previous section for more info on CarboniCa.

We have several examples of our teams in the East taking on the 10 Tonne Challenge to date.

10 Tonnes of CO₂

is also equivalent to driving 25,000 miles in an average petrol-powered car

Or charging 1.2 million smartphones to 100%

Unity Campus Phase 2, Cambridge, £35.4m

Design and construction of three labs, enabled office buildings to be fitted out by science tenants as laboratories and office space.

CO₂ saved/removed: 1,059 tonnes

Equivalent to heating a total of 392 UK homes for a year

10 Tonne Challenge solution:

Replacement of steel framing system (SFS) with structural insulated panels (SIPS) to all three building envelopes. Reducing ratio of cement throughout the concrete frame and foundations by introducing a GGBS by-product (50%). Omission of raised access floors to core areas, by locally stepping/lifting the structures' concrete floor slabs.

Great Yarmouth Marina Centre, Norfolk, £23.4m

New build leisure centre containing a six-lane 25m pool, learner pool with movable floor, leisure pool with play structure and flumes, sports hall, clip 'n climb, cafe and gym with fitness studios.

CO₂ saved/removed: 266 tonnes

Equivalent to heating a total of 98 UK homes for a year

10 Tonne Challenge solution:

Review of the structure and ceiling void heights in conjunction with the MEPH design to reduce the overall height of the building, reducing the height of the steel members.

Sir Peter Hall (SEMH) School, Suffolk, £7.1m

A new SEMH education facility on a former airfield site. The school provides a space for 80 permanent students over two storeys.

CO₂ saved/removed: 261 tonnes

Equivalent to heating a total of 95 UK homes for a year

10 Tonne Challenge solution:

Use of Electric Arc Furnace steelwork manufacture saved 249 tonnes of carbon. Re-use and storage of sub-soil on site saved over 80 lorry journeys, equating to 6.9 tonnes of carbon saved. 18,030 electric miles to site reduced carbon by 3.3 tonnes in total. Connection of welfare units to mains electric for additional five weeks saved 750L of diesel (1.9 tonnes of carbon).

Ormiston Rivers Academy, Essex, £1.8m

Single storey building with five classrooms, unisex toilets and a staff group room.

CO₂ saved/removed: 97 tonnes

Equivalent to heating a total of 35 UK homes for a year

10 Tonne Challenge solution:

Changed design of concrete roof to SIPs timber structure. Reduced concrete foundation depths. Electric car charging points installed for both subcontractors and Morgan Sindall staff. Re-use and storage of sub-soil on site within landscaping scheme.