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Builder Depot Sustainability

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At Builder Depot, we understand the importance of shifting to sustainable construction practices. So, we’re committed to reducing our environmental impact whilst offering high-quality products and services. By doing so, we aim to promote greener choices within our organisation and better help the communities we serve.

Why we care

We think caring for the environment and community isn’t just a responsibility but a necessity for future generations. As the construction industry changes our planet, we recognise the importance of implementing as many sustainable practices as possible. Our goal is to contribute positively towards the environment and society by promoting equal opportunities, eco-friendly products, charitable incentives, recycling, and helping our customers find energy-efficient solutions.

Sustainable suppliers

We love suppliers who strive to be more sustainable, whether through innovative product design, promoting equal opportunities, or switching to plastic-free packaging.

  • Packaging: Over the last few years, we’re delighted to have increased the number of our suppliers who choose biodegradable, minimal or plastic-free packaging. By removing product packaging destined for landfill from our shelves, we can offer more responsibly sourced items.
  • Innovative products: Smart, energy-saving and water-saving designs help curb resource waste, improving the long-term sustainability of finished builds. We stock sustainably designed building materials including LED lights, water-saving taps, low-VOC paints, recycled paving slabs and more.
  • Responsibly sourced timber: We’re proud to offer the largest timber selection in London, all sustainably sourced from Scandinavia. Our carcassing timber is slow grown, for at least 120 years before harvesting, giving forests and nature time to flourish.
  • Community supporters: We enjoy and encourage suppliers who get involved with good causes for their local communities. Whether they’re hosting a fundraising event, getting involved in a local project, or simply promoting positivity, we love to see it!

Our timber

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As London’s largest timber merchant, we proudly offer sustainably sourced wood from Scandinavia. We ensure our timber is harvested from carefully managed forests that are under strict regulations to guarantee long-term ecological balance. Additionally, the harvesting methods we’ve chosen have as little environmental impact as possible. This means we can promote biodiversity and preserve our forests, especially as we champion reforestation. On top of that, we select suppliers who share our care for woodlands, making sure our timber products are responsibly sourced.

Energy efficiency

Builder Depot is dedicated to improving the energy-efficiency of our operations and the products we provide. From lighting our shops with LEDs to educating our customers on reducing energy consumption in our buying guides, we’re all about taking practical steps to be more energy conscious.

Recycling and waste reduction

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We’ve implemented recycling for tins, plastic, cardboard and paper in our branches. Plus, we encourage our customers to recycle construction materials too. Some tips for recycling construction materials and reducing waste on jobs are:

  • Donate unused building materials like excess timber, doors, or paint to charitable organisations
  • Organise efficient logistics to reduce transport emissions
  • Build with sustainable materials when possible
  • Follow recycling regulations

We also use phs Wastekit balers to reduce the number of recycling collections at each of our branches. This helps to minimise carbon emissions. To learn more, see phs Wastekit’s Builder Depot case study.

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Charitable Donations Programme

To support the construction industry, we started our Charitable Donations Programme in 2023. This initiative helps construction related causes and fosters community within areas local to our branches. We assist causes by donating building supplies that go towards promoting the trade industry and improve the lives of construction workers. The programme has four donation request deadlines throughout the year, so be sure to apply as early as you can. To learn more about our charitable incentive and the eligibility criteria, please visit our Charitable Donations page.

Education

We know the next generation of builders and DIY enthusiasts will play a pivotal part in constructing sustainable and healthy homes. That’s why we’re publishing educative buying guides to help our readers make informed decisions. From energy saving tips to construction careers advice, we’re sharing our knowledge on the most important building and renovating topics. And, if you’re a customer with queries on your building supplies, you can always get advice from our friendly customer service team.

Offering equal opportunities

The success of our business starts with our people. That’s why we’ve cultivated a diverse group of kind and hard-working employees in all four of our branches. If you’re interested in developing skills, enjoy working with others and want to build a rewarding career, we want to hear from you! Head over to our careers page to see our current retail, driving and head office vacancies.

Continuous improvement

We appreciate the construction sector has a long way to go on the path to sustainability. So, we’re continually evaluating our practices and seeking new ways to reduce our environmental impact. We’d love it if you’d join us on our journey to building a sustainable future for the trade industry. By choosing Builder Depot as your local builders merchant, you’re not only supporting a business that cares about the environment, but one that champions surrounding communities too. Together, we can build a better tomorrow!