As a global leader in sustainable building materials, Heidelberg Materials is committed to minimising its environmental impact.
With operations across more than 50 countries and over 51,000 employees, the company is working toward a series of ambitious 2030 sustainability commitments. A key pillar of this strategy is reducing freshwater consumption by 10% from a 2020 baseline, an essential step in promoting resource efficiency and resilience across its sites.
Achieving this target, however, requires expert insight, robust data analysis, and proactive water management and this is where Waterscan has supported Heidelberg Materials.
Joshua Saunders, Water and Land Use Advisor within Heidelberg Materials’ UK sustainability team, explains:
“We operate across more than 300 sites, and by working with Waterscan, we have developed a deep understanding of our water usage patterns. Their familiarity with our operations means they can act with a degree of autonomy, taking initiative where needed and reducing the administrative burden on our team. That level of independent, expert support is incredibly valuable.”
One of the main benefits of the partnership is Waterscan’s ability to provide Heidelberg Materials UK with high-quality, actionable data. Without dedicated internal resources to analyse water use in granular detail across all locations, the company relies on Waterscan’s advanced data analysis and insight to drive informed decision-making.
“The analytics we receive from the team at Waterscan are beyond what we’re currently capable of managing in-house.
Waterscan’s expertise allows us to gain a much clearer picture of where inefficiencies exist, helping us to target interventions where they’ll have the most impact.”
Joshua Saunders, Water and Land Use Advisor, Heidelberg Materials’ UK
Leak detection is a prime example of this. Unnoticed leaks can typically lead to excessive water wastage, inflated costs, and potential compliance risks—issues that Waterscan proactively mitigates.
Waterscan’s ability to rapidly identify and resolve leaks has already played a critical role in helping Heidelberg Materials work toward its water reduction goals.
Beyond leak detection, Joshua works with Waterscan to conduct regular water audits across Heidelberg Materials’ sites in the UK, which enables him to offer the business tailored recommendations to improve efficiency. From identifying opportunities for rainwater harvesting to optimising recycling systems, these insights directly contribute to the company’s wider sustainability objectives. Last year alone, Heidelberg Materials UK achieved an annual water cost and consumption reduction of around 4%.
“One of our key targets is to reduce our reliance on mains water by 10% by 2030.
Waterscan’s expertise helps us not only track progress but also implement practical solutions that drive real reductions in consumption.”
Joshua Saunders, Water and Land Use Advisor, Heidelberg Materials’ UK
The partnership is continuing to deliver substantial operational and environmental benefits, proving that external expertise can be instrumental in achieving ambitious sustainability goals.
Heidelberg Materials – www.heidelbergmaterials.co.uk
Download Heidelberg Materials: Working together to drive sustainable water management
