Naylor Love has made a genuine and profound commitment to be the leader in sustainable construction practices and the champion of sustainable construction products in New Zealand.

Sustainability and carbon emission reduction

Sustainability in business has three key aspects: commercial, social and environmental.

We’ve spent the past couple of years focusing on commercial sustainability in the challenging New Zealand construction sector by developing our risk management processes and social sustainability by reinforcing our health, safety, training and wellbeing programmes. We now have a central role in leading national industry change in both areas through Construction Health and Safety New Zealand (CHASNZ), the Vertical Construction Leaders Group (VCLG) and MATES in Construction NZ.

In the third key aspect, environmental sustainability, Naylor Love is recognised as a leader in engineered timber construction and as a champion of this exciting renewable product. We are also members of the Climate Leaders Coalition, signing the 2019 pledge and committing to reducing our carbon footprint in line with the aim of keeping global warming to less than 1.5 degrees. To achieve this, we will reduce our emissions 25% by 2025/26 from a base year footprint of 1932 tCO2e, and 46% by 2030/31. We are further committed to becoming carbon net zero by 2050.

Our carbon footprint

Here’s our progress to date against our base year result:

Base Year 2018/19 Result
2019/20 Result: 21% reduction
2020/21 Result: 22% reduction
2021/22 Result: 32% reduction
2022/23 Result: 8% reduction
2025/26 Target: 25% reduction
2030/31 Target: 46% reduction

Another way of looking at our carbon footprint, especially as we’re growing, is in greenhouse gas emissions per staff member:

Base Year 2018/19 Result: 2.96 tCO2e per FTE
2019/20 Result: 2.27 tCO2e per FTE
2020/21 Result: 1.98 tCO2e per FTE
2021/22 Result: 1.51 tCO2e per FTE
2022/23 Result: 1.84 tCO2e per FTE

Due to considerable company growth and the easing of Covid restrictions, our 2022/23 results have fallen short of previous years. We have a solid plan in place and are confident that we’re still on track to meet our ambitious 2030/31 target.

Our footprint is externally audited and assured through Toitū carbonreduce (formerly known as the Carbon Emissions Management and Reduction Scheme – CEMARS). View our Summary of Toitū carbonreduce Certification 2022/23.

Finally in the environmental sustainability space, we have also received ISO 14001 Environment certification.

Response to climate change

Naylor Love is proactively assessing the potential risks and opportunities to our business from climate related changes. Our work to date shows that there could be disruptions to our supply chain and materials, which we consistently keep abreast of and forecast into our services. We will continue to develop our knowledge in this space and plan to adapt accordingly.

Over the next 12 months, we will use the TCFD framework to quantify and understand the financial risks of climate change on Naylor Love which will be disclosed on our website and in our Annual Report.

Sustainability pillars:

1. Design management, including sustainable buildings

With our design management team involved right from the outset, we bring our specialist knowledge of sustainable construction methods and materials to build in the most efficient, sustainable way possible.

2. Championing environmentally sustainable construction practices and products, particularly engineered timber

Engineered timber products such as Cross Laminated Timber (CLT), Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) and Glue Laminated Timber (Glulam) are some of the most exciting building materials we’ve seen in over a century of commercial construction.

They’re beautiful, sustainable, perform brilliantly, and naturally lend themselves to efficient off-site manufacture and modular construction methods which reduce waste and save time.

We can also help you to assess whether an existing building can be renovated and re-used.

3. Supply of warm, dry, sustainable and affordable social housing

Naylor Love has been involved in large-scale housing projects for almost 100 years, with Love Construction winning a contract to build 70 dwellings for railways staff in Otira and Arthurs Pass in 1922. Our first social housing project was in 1937, when we built 38 state houses in Dunedin. We did some pioneering work with modular dwellings in the 1950’s, building prefabricated houses around Otago for rabbit boards and as farm cottages.

We think that our expertise and experience in commercial construction has a lot to offer to the social housing sphere, and we’re actively pursuing opportunities in this area.

4. Innovation through investment in research and the search for new ideas, products and methodologies

We work closely with suppliers and consultants to identify and assess new building technologies, systems, methodologies and products, and invest in testing and developing them where we see a real opportunity for progress. Our building carbon calculator is an excellent example of this.

Over 100 years in commercial construction have taught us to never stop looking forward!

5. Focussing on our people; their personal development, wellbeing and work-life balance

We’ve got a great team of over 900 hard-working professionals with an incredible range of experience and expertise. They all have opportunities for on-going professional development, access to a generous company health scheme and wellbeing programmes, and numerous chances to contribute their ideas and give feedback.

Our people are passionate about construction, and we’re dedicated to ensuring their health, safety and wellbeing.

6. Developing the best teams and innovative supply chain models to transform both Naylor Love and our industry

We’ve built strong relationships with our clients, consultants, suppliers and subcontractors, and we’re committed to fostering their sustainability as well as our own. Our leadership roles in the Construction Health and Safety New Zealand (CHASNZ) and the Vertical Construction Leaders Group (VCLG) are a cornerstone to this.

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