Let’s build it right together
SUSTAINABILITY:
Crucial to the Construction Industry Sustainability is very important for the future of our environment, but sometimes the cost can be a deterrent for clients. On a whole, the construction industry needs to find a better way to demonstrate that we can implement a more ecological design for the same price. Josée Atkinson President & CEO | Blueprint Management
Today the concept of sustainability is considered the cornerstone of the construction industry. Questions such as, what is the impact on the immediate environment, the community, and the world; all play an important role as we continuously seek to build and develop our countries. Sustainability therefore, takes into account the efficient use of resources as well as the means by which materials are sourced and the overall process used to complete the job. To further discuss the idea of ‘Green Construction’ we dive into the mind of Josée Atkinson, President & CEO of Blueprint Management.
17 | www.constructioncaribbean.com
What challenges does green construction present across the Caribbean? The biggest challenge is the cost. With several economies continuing to unfold, many individuals have become increasingly conscious of how they spend. We believe that construction and maintenance should be fully integrated in order to give the client the best product once completed, in addition to the long-term maintenance. We encourage our clients to see the benefit of investing in a better, healthier, “green” building which will cost them less in maintenance in the long run. Having spent over 21 years in the construction industry, Josée believes that as a region we
are, slowly but surely, moving towards a more sustainable way of life given the incredible increase in awareness pertaining to sustainability and sustainable design practices. With almost everything now readily accessible online, many companies are adapting by now carrying out daily processes and routines electronically. “Everything has changed over the last ten years! When it comes to drawings, robotics have greatly improved and given us better software. I began using pencils, everything was hand drawn! A couple years later, a software was introduced and suddenly you can see a rendering that matches the quality of a picture! As more and more software has become available for