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Trainee brings planting initiative to Cambridge Street Collective and Elshaw House

As a key part of our strategy after the launch of the Net Zero Carbon Framework last year, Trainee Technician Harry Rodgers has created planters from water butts with sustainability in mind.

The planters contain both plans for the spring and winter and will reduce the amount of water used from the tap

Based on Cambridge Street Collective and Elshaw House – two of our projects within the Heart of the City masterplan – Harry and a few members of the team had the idea after being tasked to look at how to achieve the highest Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) score.

The innovative solution to create the planters touches on two sections for the CCS criteria – which is enhanced because of the project’s Ultra Site status - through the environmental and the innovation categories.

Senior Project Manager Darren Green was on hand to purchase the water butts, even managing to source two used examples, reducing the cost. All that was left to do was to fill the planters with timber, compost and the bulbs of choice.

To decide what to plant, Harry sought the expertise from keen gardener and gateperson on the project, Ondrie Mann. He suggested placing some winter plants like cyclamens in the top, and some bulbs underneath, which would blossom in the spring.

The planters were a way for us to kill two birds with one stone as they say. I think it’s a great idea that the butts can hold the water used for keeping the plants healthy so it can be re-used again, but also how it collects and stores rainwater for use on a later date, reducing the amount of water we use from the tap.

Harry Rodgers, Trainee Technician