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MAP seeks optimal energy performance for commercial buildings with new Framework
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The Managing Agents Partnership (MAP) has launched a transformative Managing for Performance Framework to drive optimal in-use energy performance of commercial buildings.

The Framework recognises the pivotal role that the property management industry plays in championing energy performance and fostering collaboration among property owners, facilities managers, occupiers, and suppliers.

Focusing particularly on multi-let offices, the Managing for Performance Framework has been designed in three key stages, offering practical guidance on: (1) assessing a buildings current performance relative to industry benchmarks and its own specification, (2) enhancing the management and operational aspects of a building for optimal energy performance, and (3) maintaining and achieving peak in-use performance, with a focus on identifying areas for strategic focus and investment to enhance building efficiency.

Designed to increase professional understanding, the Framework links to other BBP guidance including the BBP Responsible Property Management Toolkit, which offers additional practical guidance on embedding sustainability within property management.

The Framework has been co-created by the industry, for the industry, via a working group made up of MAP, BBP Members and technical experts to drive optimal in-use performance and reduce associated emissions. The BBP invites commercial real estate professionals to explore this framework to unlock the in-use energy performance potential of buildings under their management.

Sarah Ratcliffe, CEO of the Better Buildings Partnership said: “One of our key aims at the BBP is to develop common approaches, stimulating the property industry to deliver buildings that perform better. We are therefore delighted to launch the Managing for Performance Framework to the industry. By providing a structured approach and actionable steps, we hope this Framework will empower property managers to narrow the divide between the expected and actual in-use energy performance of buildings they manage.”

Vicky Cotton, ESG Director at Workman, Chair of the BBP’s Managing Agents Partnership, and Co-Chair of the Managing for Performance Working Group said: “The launch of the Managing for Performance Framework marks a significant milestone for the Managing Agents Partnership. There has been a growing need for guidance that can credibly support property managers in closing the performance in-use gap, so we are thrilled to have launched a Framework designed to meet that demand.”

Carl Brooks, Global Head of ESG – Property Management at CBRE and Co-Chair of the Managing for Performance Working Group said: “Property owners are increasingly setting targets for the energy performance of their assets linked to wider ambitions toward net zero. We hope this Framework provides Property Managers with practical guidance on how to assess building performance today, and clarity around where investment is needed to drive energy reduction and efficiency aligned with those ambitions.”

Photo by Sean Pollock on Unsplash

COP 28 likely to be little more than a climate crisis ‘talking shop’ for big business
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This year’s Conference of the Parties (COP 28) may not match the positive momentum in the tech sector, a leader in fulfilling environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments. In fact, it is anticipated to be more of a talking shop, according to analysts GlobalData.

COP 28 is being held in Dubai from 30 November to 12 December, some 75,000 dignitaries, climate scientists, politicians, business leaders, and the world’s press will gather to discuss about addressing the growing climate crisis affecting the planet.

Since COP 27, the planet has grown hotter and climate-related disasters have become more prevalent around the globe, with countries across every continent suffering extreme floods, droughts, wildfires, and more. Recently, the UN stated that global warming is on track to increase by as much as 2.9C above pre-industrial levels.

While governments are tending to prevaricate and postpone, companies across the tech sector are accelerating the timing of their commitments to net zero.

Robert Pritchard, Principal Analyst at GlobalData, explained: “The tech sector has been a leader in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This has been driven by the power of customer, investor, and talent demand on the pull side. On the push side, great strides have been made from making equipment, services, and operations more efficient and environmentally friendly.”

In the broader market outside of tech, progress has been made with improvements in using renewable energy, as well as with advances in carbon capture. Recycling and a rise in the circular economy are also making great progress.

Pritchard concluded: “The tech sector is not only cleaning up its own act, but also actively contributing to resolving climate change. New ways of working facilitated by services like unified communications, multiple specific niche propositions such as optimizing water usage in agriculture with IoT and optimizing data center efficiency through hyperscaler economies of scale, mean that the tech sector can drive forward the digital economy while also making a substantial contribution to efforts to fight the climate crisis.”

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

RICS launches Whole Life Carbon Assessment second edition following public consultation
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The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) launched the second edition of its Whole Life Carbon Assessment for the Built Environment (WLCA) standard.

First published in 2017 for the UK’s built environment sector, this 2023 edition is a global version of the standard that provides a considerably more developed understanding of the carbon costs and benefits of design choices in construction and infrastructure projects and assets.

The new standard was produced in partnership with the UK’s Department for Transport and Net Zero Waste Scotland.

Following a public consultation in March 2023, which received over 1,300 responses, RICS has now updated the standard to be used globally and to cover all built assets and infrastructure projects throughout the built environment lifecycle.

According to the United Nations, the Built Environment contributes around 40% of all global carbon output and 50% of extracted material, making the second edition crucial for meeting global emissions targets and achieving net zero. Carbon reporting and accounting is a priority across all sectors, and this Professional Standard is relevant not only to those undertaking carbon assessments, but also to clients, investors and property managers.

In the UK, a Net Zero Carbon Building Standard is being developed incorporating the RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment Professional Standard’s methodology to assess upfront, embodied, operational, user and whole-life carbon. It is hoped that the global focus of this new edition will lead to more nations incorporating its methodologies into their regulatory structures.

RICS will be promoting the new standard at the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, where the organisation is an accredited partner.

RICS Chief Executive, Justin Young, said: “The second edition of Whole Life Carbon Assessment for the Built Environment encapsulates RICS’s role as a global leader in the built environment and its duty to steer the industry towards decarbonisation.

“This second edition is a truly global standard for a global problem. I want to thank our members from every world region, our staff, partner specialists and the Department for Transport and Net Zero Waste Scotland for their hard work and crucial support, which made this a reality.

“At this year’s COP28, where RICS is a UN-accredited observer organisation, we will promote this standard and ensure it is at the heart of the built environment’s crucial response to climate change.”

RICS Director of Surveying Standards, Charlotte Neal, said: “The built environment has been crying out for tools to measure its impact on climate change, which is crucial for developing mitigating practices to significantly reduce the industry’s carbon output.

“By providing a consistent methodology to assess the carbon output of buildings throughout their entire lifecycle, the second edition of WLCA will significantly improve the industry’s ability to measure and manage its impact on climate. Thank you to RICS’ members, staff and partners for your unceasing support of our work in leading the built environment towards a sustainable, net-zero future.”

Minister of State for Decarbonisation, Jesse Norman, said: “The UK is a world leader in decarbonising transport. This new standard will help reduce the carbon footprint of not only transport projects, but also from projects across all buildings, as the UK works to grow its economy and reach its net zero goals.”

Stephen Boyle, Built Environment Manager at Zero Waste Scotland, said: “This landmark publication will be a key driver for circularity as it provides a vital standard for assessing carbon over the whole life of a building.  This whole life consideration prompts built environment professionals to confront the carbon impacts a building has before, during and after its use.  Circular economy principles can provide a solution to this problem by encouraging use of secondary materials to displace virgin ones, to use renewable low-carbon materials and to use digital tools, such as materials passports to create end-of-life value.”

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Rye Memorial Hospital becomes first carbon neutral community hospital
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Rye, Winchelsea & District Memorial Hospital has become the UK’s first community hospital to achieve carbon neutrality. The installation of its new renewable systems was followed by confirmation from its electricity supplier that all power now comes from fully renewable sources such as solar panels and wind power.

This means that the hospital has reduced its carbon footprint by 100 per cent.

By the end of 2024, it is estimated that the overall energy consumption at Rye Memorial Hospital will have reduced by approximately 240,000 Kilowatt hours, a drop of 40 per cent from 2020 figures. The outcome is a total reduction of approximately 260 tonnes of carbon per annum, the equivalent of planting approximately 4,300 trees.

The project, commissioned in September 2021, has been designed and delivered by property maintenance specialists DMA Group and fully funded by the Rye Winchelsea and District Memorial Hospital charity.

Rye Memorial Hospital has replaced gas boilers with new electric flow boilers and calorifiers and replaced the kitchen gas fired equipment, eliminating the use of gas completely. The installation of internal and external LED lighting with automatic controls means energy is not wasted by leaving lights on. It is estimated that its solar roof panels will generate more than 70,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per annum.

The hospital has also installed nine Tesla Powerwall solar batteries (3 per phase of electricity) with a total storage capacity of 120 KW to capture all surplus electricity generated by the solar panels, reducing the demand for electricity from the external supply grid.

A full clean of the hospital’s heating system and the replacement of all radiator valves has ensured the heating system operates more efficiently. A Building Management System (BMS) used by the hospital’s inhouse FM team, and DMA Group ensures onsite and remote live operational monitoring of all plant and equipment, energy utilisation, building and water temperature.

This all ensures a better environment for patients and staff as each team can identify an issue before it becomes a problem.

Other projects have been completed as part of the Rye Memorial Hospital’s modernisation. These include:

  • The installation of solar blinds in the nurses’ station to help reduce glare and heat to create a more comfortable working environment
  • A new air-conditioning system in the nurses’ station
  • New air-conditioning units in the communications and medicine rooms reduce the risk of equipment failure and the overheating of medicines
  • Improvements to the hospital’s cold-water systems including the installation of a chemical dosing system and cold-water booster, increasing the water pressure in the hospital and reducing the risk of bacterial infections such as legionella

Barry Nealon, chairman at Rye, Winchelsea & District Memorial Hospital, said: “Our goal was always to become a fully functional net zero community hospital, but to have done it so quickly and as the UK’s first is beyond our expectations.  We had a mission to bring medical services closer to home for the benefit of our local community. To achieve this, we needed to reimagine our existing business models and aim for sustainable growth and a collaborative and experienced service partner like DMA Group to realise those goals, if we were to do our bit in curbing emissions and limiting global warming.”

The Project has been led by the Hospital’s former Chief Operating Officer (and now Trustee), Martyn Phillips, who has worked closely with DMA to ensure the best possible decarbonisation plan, and also to make sure that the replacement of life expired plant and equipment has ensured that the Hospital infrastructure will function effectively for the next 20 years.

Steve McGregor, managing director at DMA, said: “We are incredibly proud to have supported Barry and his team to help them achieve a national first — becoming a fully functional net zero community hospital. As has been the nature of this project in East Sussex, the net zero journey is one of continuous evolution and refinement and, equally, one that will lead to a more responsible and financially secure future.”

Airports of Tomorrow initiative aims to land Net zero by 2050
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More than 50 CEOs have come together to join the World Economic Forum’s new Airports of Tomorrow initiative, ranging from equipment manufacturers and fuel producers to engineering firms and airports. The initiative will focus on supporting airports to make the profound changes to their operations and infrastructure that will enable net-zero aviation.

Participants will be working together to:

  • Articulate the infrastructure requirements, through a series of blueprints, for airport ecosystems to transform their operations for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), electric and hydrogen-fuelled aircraft
  • Produce a geographical distribution map of the 300 SAF plants that will be needed to stay on track to achieve net zero by 2030, broken down by region to maximize the sustainable feedstock potential in each part of the world
  • Mobilise capital through innovative financing mechanisms; for example, through the co-design of a SAF fund and creative regulatory and policy instruments
  • Deliver a sustainable finance toolkit to mobilize the billions of dollars of investment needed to transform airports into clean energy hubs

Airports of Tomorrow members include: Airbus, Arup, Atkins, Boeing, Mott MacDonald, Neste, LanzaJet, Dufry, Menzies Aviation, Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), Mundys and its Aeroporti di Roma, London Heathrow, and many more. The full list of members can be found here.

Reaching net-zero emissions in the aviation industry will require an annual investment of approximately $175 billion, reaching $5 trillion by 2050, to enable the transition to emerging technologies and alternative propulsion methods like SAF and battery-electric/hydrogen powered flight. The Airports of Tomorrow initiative will bring together leading stakeholders in the aviation ecosystem to help mobilize this capital and forge a path towards net zero.

“We see airports as strategically located epicentres of activity, where leaders from across the aviation ecosystem can convene and work together to transform the industry,” said Lauren Uppink, Head, Climate Strategy, World Economic Forum. “If the right planning and investment decisions are made today, airports can play a pivotal role in shaping a sustainable future for aviation as well as other transport sectors. The Airports of Tomorrow initiative will help airports harness these opportunities, enabling them to fulfil their potential as clean energy hubs and standard-bearers for the net-zero economy.”

The shift will entail huge changes in infrastructure, both on and off airport sites. For example, it is estimated that airports could consume five times more electricity than they do today to power alternative propulsion methods, with global electricity demand for airports set to reach 600-1,700 TWh of clean energy by 2050, equivalent to the energy generated by a solar farm half the size of Belgium.

The massive land footprint of airport sites also allows for new infrastructure that typically has not been associated with airport activity before, such as solar photovoltaic farms, blending facilities for liquid fuels, and storage for either liquid or gas hydrogen.

Most airports have space for hydrogen liquefaction and storage infrastructure but not enough land to generate all of the clean energy needed to power battery-electric and hydrogen aircraft. Airports will have to establish new supply networks and partnerships to develop and scale off-airport infrastructure in addition to their on-site infrastructure changes, primarily in power generation, electrolysis and liquefaction, as well as the supply of sustainable aviation fuels.

“As a leading player in transport infrastructure enabling the mobility of several million people across the world,” said Giampiero Massolo, Chairman, Mundys’, “We see the transformation of airports towards net-zero aviation as a building block of our strategy focusing on sustainable infrastructure and multi-modal, integrated mobility services to improve life for people on the move. We are keen to work with the leading stakeholders in the aviation ecosystem to help mobilize the huge investment needed to transform airports into clean energy hubs.”

“Airports serve as powerful cornerstones of the aviation ecosystem where we can unite, collaborate and facilitate the industry’s sustainability transformation,” said Sean Donohue, CEO, DFW Airport. “By making the right planning and investment decisions today, we have the unique opportunity to shape a sustainable future for aviation and set examples for other public and private sectors. Through initiatives like the Airports of Tomorrow, we are dedicated to harnessing these opportunities, unlocking our full potential as clean energy hubs, and setting the standard for the net-zero economy.”

“Any pathway to achieving net-zero aviation will require a fundamental transformation in energy provision – with implications across both airport infrastructure and wider energy networks,” said Graham Bolton, Global Practice Leader for Aviation, Mott MacDonald. “By considering the airport as part of a wider ecosystem we can develop new solutions that facilitate decarbonisation of aviation and deliver wider community benefits. As Mott MacDonald we are already integrating aviation, energy and climate expertise to help airports meet their environmental and social commitments; and we are excited to build on this as a champion for Airports of Tomorrow.”

IPCC climate report focuses on built environment solutions
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There are multiple, feasible and effective options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to human-caused climate change, and they are available now, say scientists in the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report.

“Mainstreaming effective and equitable climate action will not only reduce losses and damages for nature and people, it will also provide wider benefits,” said IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee. “This Synthesis Report underscores the urgency of taking more ambitious action and shows that, if we act now, we can still secure a liveable sustainable future for all.”

The report, approved during a week-long session in Interlaken, brings in to sharp focus the losses and damages we are already experiencing and will continue into the future, hitting the most vulnerable people and ecosystems especially hard. Taking the right action now could result in the transformational change essential for a sustainable, equitable world, says the report.

“Climate justice is crucial because those who have contributed least to climate change are being disproportionately affected,” said Aditi Mukherji, one of the 93 authors of this Synthesis Report, the closing chapter of the Panel’s sixth assessment.

“Almost half of the world’s population lives in regions that are highly vulnerable to climate change. In the last decade, deaths from floods, droughts and storms were 15 times higher in highly vulnerable regions,” she added.

Resilient development

This involves integrating measures to adapt to climate change with actions to reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions in ways that provide wider benefits.

For example: access to clean energy and technologies improves health, especially for women and children; low-carbon electrification, walking, cycling and public transport enhance air quality, improve health, employment opportunities and deliver equity. The economic benefits for people’s health from air quality improvements alone would be roughly the same, or possibly even larger than the costs of reducing or avoiding emissions.

Climate resilient development becomes progressively more challenging with every increment of warming. This is why the choices made in the next few years will play a critical role in deciding our future and that of generations to come.

To be effective, the report says, these choices need to be rooted in our diverse values, worldviews and knowledges, including scientific knowledge, Indigenous Knowledge and local knowledge. This approach will facilitate climate resilient development and allow locally appropriate, socially acceptable solutions.

“The greatest gains in wellbeing could come from prioritizing climate risk reduction for low-income and marginalised communities, including people living in informal settlements,” said Christopher Trisos, one of the report’s authors. “Accelerated climate action will only come about if there is a many-fold increase in finance. Insufficient and misaligned finance is holding back progress.”

Sustainable development

There is sufficient global capital to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions if existing barriers are reduced. Increasing finance to climate investments is important to achieve global climate goals. Governments, through public funding and clear signals to investors, are key in reducing these barriers. Investors, central banks and financial regulators can also play their part.

There are tried and tested policy measures that can work to achieve deep emissions reductions and climate resilience if they are scaled up and applied more widely. Political commitment, coordinated policies, international cooperation, ecosystem stewardship and inclusive governance are all important for effective and equitable climate action.

If technology, know-how and suitable policy measures are shared, and adequate finance is made available now, every community can reduce or avoid carbon-intensive consumption. At the same time, with significant investment in adaptation, we can avert rising risks, especially for vulnerable groups and regions.

Climate, ecosystems and society are interconnected. Effective and equitable conservation of approximately 30-50% of the Earth’s land, freshwater and ocean will help ensure a healthy planet. Urban areas offer a global scale opportunity for ambitious climate action that contributes to sustainable development.

Changes in the food sector, electricity, transport, industry, buildings and land-use can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, they can make it easier for people to lead low-carbon lifestyles, which will also improve health and wellbeing. A better understanding of the consequences of overconsumption can help people make more informed choices.

“Transformational changes are more likely to succeed where there is trust, where everyone works together to prioritise risk reduction, and where benefits and burdens are shared equitably,” Lee said. “We live in a diverse world in which everyone has different responsibilities and different opportunities to bring about change. Some can do a lot while others will need support to help them manage the change.”

SEA: ‘Technology agnostic’ approach required to achieve Net Zero buildings
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The Sustainable Energy Association (SEA) and Partners’ latest report details the benefits of a technology-agnostic approach to decarbonising buildings.

The SEA and Partners welcome the Government’s drive towards low-carbon heating systems in buildings as part of the Net-Zero agenda. The Chancellor’s Autumn Statement reinforced these commitments through the announcement of the Energy Efficiency Taskforce, delivering overdue reductions in energy demand, and an ambition to reduce energy consumption by 15% by 2030.

The recently released ‘Mission Zero: Independent Review of Net-Zero’, by former Energy Minister, Chris Skidmore MP, also provided a clear assessment of how Net-Zero policy needs to go further and faster.

The SEA states it has long advocated for a ‘fabric-first’, holistic approach to decarbonising buildings. The report brings together expertise from across the industry to explain why incorporating a diverse range of low-carbon technologies into heat and buildings policy is crucial to delivering Net Zero.

It says Government policy should be shaped to deploy the best technologies, in the right circumstances, for the best results—an evidence-led, data-driven, bottom-up and technology-agnostic route to Net Zero. Conversely, it also assesses how the Government’s current approach could be improved, drawing on existing examples from the UK, and from international policies, to drive a more agnostic approach.

The report explores the following primary benefits:

• Accelerated Route to Net-Zero Buildings: How technology agnosticism will target and channel investments into a variety of low-carbon technologies for decarbonising buildings at an accelerated rate, whilst maximising the benefits of healthy and cost-effective buildings.
• Flexible and Smart Building Energy Systems: How a technology-agnostic approach puts more emphasis on the installation of smart and flexible technologies to reduce the costs associated with operating buildings and transitioning to Net Zero.
• Effective Consumer Education and Engagement: How an outcomes-based approach to heat decarbonisation is more appropriate to what, where, and how low-carbon technologies are put forward and installed in buildings, marrying up consumer desires with effective solutions.
• High Quality Skills and Clear Local and National Planning: How a more agnostic approach benefits the transition by deploying tailored solutions using
the most relevant skills at a local level; primarily driven by bottom-up, evidence-based, building-level decision making that target outcomes over a one-size-fits-all approach.
• Stimulating Manufacturing, Supply Chains and Innovation: How this approach will help to stimulate the market and grow capacity for transitioning to Net Zero. As the investment landscape takes on a more concrete form, with clear pathways for industry to supply demand, manufacturing capabilities, product investment, and supply chain diversity and resilience will grow, benefitting the UK’s low-carbon economy.

The SEA’s ask is that if the Government is truly driven to capitalise on the best outcomes from the transition to Net Zero and deliver solutions for the country that match these desires, then policies covering the built environment need to be more data driven, evidence led, outcomes focused and technology agnostic.

Bim Afolami, MP, said: “The Sustainable Energy Association’s latest report emphasises the need for flexible, low carbon and smart technologies to be at the centre of home heat solutions. Our built environment is historically complex and diverse, so a range of interventions are needed across the domestic heat market. This report sets out the need for a variety of data-driven, market-led and bottom-up approaches to decarbonise construction, diversify supply, promote cost-efficiency and support delivery. The contributors to this report have done the legwork to demonstrate how this can be achieved in line with our mission to reach Net Zero by 2050.“

Jade Lewis, Chief Executive of the SEA, said: “The SEA is steadfast in its commitments to deliver living and working space fit for future generations. To help us realise this vision, government policy for heat and buildings needs to be long term and joined-up, taking a fabric-first, holistic and technology-agnostic approach. This report lays the foundations as to why these policies should take into consideration a wider range of technologies, so that we can provide homes and buildings with the best solutions for Net Zero.”

“At ABC, since 2019, we’ve been all about energy systems integration, whether that be in new build, retrofit, social housing to business parks. What is clear is that there is no one size fits all. To achieve better outcomes, we have learnt that it is vital there is an evidence-based approach to policy, regulation, and funding, and this report highlights this need too.”

Dan Cook, Chief Executive Officer, Active Building Centre, said: “The REA is delighted to support this report and a technology-agnostic approach to heat and buildings policy. The adoption of the most appropriate and effective low-carbon technologies will be accelerated by a technology-agnostic strategy, which will also produce the best results for building occupants without stifling innovation.”

Dr Nina Skorupska CBE FEI, Chief Executive Officer, Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technologies, said: “With 2050 fast approaching, the UK must use every tool and technology in its armoury to bring down our emissions. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ and a technologically agnostic approach will enable a wider, more suitably skilled, and better-qualified workforce to deliver the solutions we urgently need for decarbonisation.”

BPF calls for data-sharing to accelerate the decarbonisation of property industry
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The British Property Federation (BPF), in partnership with JLL, has released a report that identifies the key challenges the property sector faces as it decarbonises and provides a series of policy recommendations.

Access to data is a major challenge the research identifies, with property owners and occupiers referencing it as one of the top three challenges to decarbonising. A lack of quality data makes it difficult to calculate accurate operational carbon and set realistic carbon reduction targets.

Policy and regulatory uncertainty and a lack of financial incentives to support the retrofitting of buildings are hindering progress. Transitioning to net zero comes at considerable cost, and without robust evidence of a return on investment, many property owners lack the confidence to invest in major energy efficiency upgrades.

The report reveals that 9 in 10 senior leaders surveyed by the BPF and JLL do not believe current Government policy will deliver a net zero property sector by 2050.

To ensure the property sector can meet net zero targets the BPF has set out several essential policies. These include:

  1. Mandate the sharing of energy consumption data between property owners and occupiers of large commercial buildings, and set up a Task Force to explore the particular data challenges faced by owners of residential buildings
  2. Confirm urgently the detail of the planned changes to the MEES regulations for both the domestic and non-domestic private rented sectors, and the details of the proposed new performance-based energy rating system
  3. Zero rate VAT on residential repairs and maintenance and reform capital allowances to incentivise investment to decarbonise
  4. Move towards the mandatory installation of PV and/or green roofs on large residential, commercial and public buildings
  5. Strengthen the criteria for a green tariff label
  6. Allow Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) to invest in off-site renewables
  7. Align, and resource, the planning system to enable the net zero transition
  8. Mandate the use and disclosure of Life Cycle Assessments, and set embodied carbon reduction targets

Melanie Leech, Chief Executive, British Property Federation, said:” “The property sector is fully committed to decarbonisation but there are huge barriers and costs to overcome. We need clear long-term policies, regulation and incentives to support the industry’s efforts.  We urge the Government to adopt the policy recommendations in this report and to work with us to make sure we can deliver a net zero built environment by 2050.”

Guy Grainger, President of BPF and Global Head of Sustainability Services & ESG at JLL, added: “There is no denying that the real estate industry is committed to net zero, with pledges being made at a global, national and local level, but these pledges need to be turned into credible action. Without clear incentives and regulation from Government we will continue to fall short of targets. The report highlights the insight we can garner when we collaborate and this collaboration, along with Government support is critical.”

The British Property Federation launched its Net Zero Pledge, an industry-wide initiative to cut carbon emissions across the whole of the property sector, last year. The BPF pledge is designed to complement and support wider sector and industry net zero initiatives. Members can sign-up to the pledge here.

5 Minutes With… Scott MacIndeor, Head of Advanced Services at Water Plus
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Scott MacIndeor is Head of Advanced Services at Water Plus, the UK’s largest water retailer which has won seven awards, since September 2022, for its work with organisations.

The company is also shortlisted for two UK Customer Satisfaction Awards in 2023 and is a Finalist in the Sustainable Business category in the Business Champion Awards 2023.

FM Briefing chatted to Scott MacIndeor (pictured), who leads the Water Plus team providing Value Added Services including leak detection and repair, additional water tracking capability and other technical water efficiency measures and support…

  1. What’s the best thing about your role?

Every week is varied and different – and I find it great to work on new ideas and review what approaches will work best for a site, or organisation, around the water they use. The water industry continues to evolve, particularly for a water retailer like us, and it’s exciting all the things we’re working on currently for customers and for our business, for this year and the future. People may think water is a low priority and not interesting – though it’s an area where there are so many possibilities on what we can all do with it and an incredible resource. 

  1. How can saving water save energy and help a business?

Using less hot water means lower energy costs. Low-cost push taps and aerators can cut flow rates by 16 litres a minute, so you’re using less water. This can reduce showers to 6 litres a minute – making a big difference for workplaces, gyms, spas and leisure facilities. Heating less water helps the environment too, as less energy is needed overall – and less water needs to be transported to sites through the network.

For me, at home, it’s more about small steps each day – so I turn off the tap while brushing my teeth, for example, as I don’t need that water and it’d just go down the plughole.

  1. Why is it important to note down meter readings regularly, during a year?

It’s worth noting your water use to help your budget – and spot potential leaks from damaged pipes on your site, which can affect your supply. You’re billed for every 1,000 litres of water used, measured by water meters, so saving water and tackling drips and leaks promptly is important.

On water meters, the important digits are the black ones. It’s worth noting your meter serial number – along with taking a photo of the reading, just in case your water retailer asks for this.

Remember to only read your meter if it’s safe to access – though if accessing the meter is not easy, then data loggers that can feed information into an online area, can really help. In fact, data loggers have helped identify a number of opportunities – along with issues – early, helping facility managers and site teams to react quickly to prevent damage to sites and further additional water costs.

Providing meter reads to your water retailer reduces bills based on estimates too and organisations have told us it has helped them budget, as well as delivering wider benefits like saving them water and saving energy too.*

  1. What other services can Water Plus offer businesses?

We’ve got access to the tech – and years of experience and knowledge – to help organisations use water more effectively, reducing waste and running costs. Plus, we already help organisations towards green sustainability goals, including Net Zero – and help lower energy costs when less hot water is used.

Services we can provide range from water efficiency site reviews to bespoke and unique projects that can help overall efficiency. Basically, our Advanced Services team is happy to talk about how we can help organisations – whether they’re a single site manufacturer, or a multi-site across the UK.

  1. What actions are Water Plus taking to help reduce impacts on the environment?

We’re engaging with our employees – and organisations we work with – to help reduce impacts we can all have on the environment. We have a Cleaner Climate Promise, which involves additional action including an ongoing tree-planting site appeal in 2023 to boost green canopy in the UK – and we’ve supported renewable energy projects that prevent carbon emissions as well as supporting wildlife and biodiversity work in communities in the UK.

If you have a suggestion for a tree planting site in England or Scotland, then email hello@water-plus.co.uk with the email subject heading “Nominate For Trees” and include some brief details on how trees would help the area suggested. Water Plus will review all suggestions.

More on what we’re doing to help the environment, can be found at: www.water-plus.co.uk/about-us/corporate-social-responsibility-sustainability/ 

  1. How is Water Plus helping the UK towards Net Zero?

Amongst the additional action we’ve taken on reducing carbon emissions in 2022 and 2023, we’re big on water efficiency and finding ways to help organisations gain more benefits from looking closer at their water use. This has included, more recently, work with BAE Systems – with details here on how it’s helping their aims and an NHS Trust, which can be seen here.

To request data loggers, or additional water efficiency services, contact the Water Plus team at: hello@water-plus.co.uk.

More information – and examples – of how Water Plus is helping organisations, is available at: www.water-plus.co.uk/about-us .

* Survey in February 2022 of customers contacted to encourage more water meter readings to track their use closer and submit more reads to Water Plus during a year. More than 43% of respondents to the survey had seen a benefit of reading their water meter more often out of 65 who completed the survey. Of those who saw a benefit, 41% said they had saved water (with the example on the question of saving water helping to spot a leak or a dripping tap), and 20% had saved energy (with the example on the question of using less hot water).

Key challenges for Net Zero offices laid out in BCO report
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Delivering Net Zero Carbon in the Workplace, produced by University College London Consultants (UCLC) for the British Council for Offices (BCO), identifies the barriers that businesses are facing as they strive to drastically reduce their workplace carbon footprint.

The report, informed by over 100 office occupiers and building professionals, outlines the measures that can be taken to overcome these barriers – at low or zero cost. These include:

  • Greener and longer leases, with office occupiers having more say over refurbishments
  • Greater collaboration and data sharing between building owners and occupiers
  • Submetering and the use of sensors to measure exactly where energy is used
  • Use of pre-fabricated, re-used and recycled materials and furniture

Clearly, achieving net zero carbon emissions is a major component of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies in the commercial real estate sector, driven by a growing expectation from businesses, their customers and ultimately the public, to respond to the effects of climate change. The current energy crisis that began in 2022 is also focusing minds and investment on improving energy efficiency.

Yet improving the energy performance of offices is challenging, particularly as 50% of the office building stock in the UK is tenanted – meaning there is little consistency even within single buildings as to how workspaces are designed and used. Only 12% of building professionals and office occupiers consulted for the BCO’s report believe that operational carbon targets are currently being achieved by those involved in designing and developing office buildings.

The reports says that for the office sector to move from ambition to tangible action, there is an urgent need for robust benchmarks and verifiable data, as well as government requirements and incentives to support businesses’ ESG objectives and facilitate the transition to net zero.

The relationship between building owner and occupier is an essential factor in energy management. Tailoring lease agreements to promote lower energy use and carbon emissions, known as ‘green leases’, would be a potential solution to reaching net zero targets collaboratively.

Currently, it is difficult for occupiers to measure their carbon emissions accurately because targets for energy use intensity do not differentiate between different types of office. In addition, dysfunctional metering strategies do not allow for a breakdown of energy use between communal and occupier areas.

Energy wasted through under-utilisation of office space since the COVID-19 pandemic, as shown in the BCO’s recent The Future of Office Densities report, remains a concern that can be alleviated through using smart sensors and responding to demand.

Retrofit is an increasingly popular approach among developers but the works involved make it highly disruptive to any existing occupiers of a building. Careful phasing and use of prefabricated components can mitigate disruption on site – and contribute to a circular economy if designed for disassembly in the future.

The report says it is vital to assess carbon emissions associated with the complete lifecycle of a building in order to strike the right balance between operational carbon[1] and embodied carbon[2] when refurbishing buildings. A clearly defined division of funding responsibility for net zero improvements is also needed to avoid any doubt, or dispute, between building owners and occupiers.

A key issue to address is ‘Category A’ interior fit-outs (which comprise lighting and basic finishes such as flooring) being installed by the building owner and then discarded by the incoming occupier, in favour of their own bespoke fit-out.

The BCO says most office spaces would benefit from ‘Cat A+’ (plug and play) fitouts for shorter and more flexible tenancies in light of the market trends seen since the COVID19 pandemic. Prioritising locally-sourced materials with lower embodied carbon and using recycled, reused and further recyclable furniture can also support more environmentally friendly fit-outs.

Richard Kauntze, Chief Executive of the BCO, said: “The office sector has a significant contribution to make to the UK’s net zero transition. There is a clear desire from those involved in creating and occupying workspace to hit ambitious targets, but we need to see evidence of innovation and improvement which demonstrate meaningful progress.”

Dr Esfandiar Burman, Associate Professor at UCL’s faculty of the Built Environment and author of the report, said: “This report shows that greater energy and carbon accountability and more effective ESG frameworks can be achieved through greater collaboration between building owners and occupiers, along with data sharing and greater transparency.”