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Decarbonise your estate

Cut carbon in your buildings

Getting closer to net zero starts with your own ambition. If you have a local climate emergency strategy that sets a sustainability target, removing carbon emissions from your buildings and through your construction and civil engineering projects can make a significant impact.

Our framework delivery partners have developed the very latest in technology innovations and construction methods to help you cut carbon in your projects. From Passivhaus design and greener transport solutions to flood defences and retrofitting, our expertise in sustainable build is at your disposal.

G F Tomlinson Neighbourhood centre Blythe Valley Park

What is net zero?

With a climate crisis on our hands, the term net zero is used across the industry but what does it mean? Net zero refers to the balance between the amount of greenhouse gas created and emitted, and the amount taken away from the atmosphere.

We will achieve net zero when the amount we add to the atmosphere does not exceed the amount taken away. The UK was the first major economy to set a legally binding target to be net zero by 2050.

Deliver your net zero aims

Getting closer to net zero starts with your own ambition.

If you have a local climate emergency strategy that sets a sustainability target, removing carbon emissions from your buildings and through your construction and civil engineering projects can make a significant impact.

Our framework delivery partners have developed the very latest in technology innovations and construction methods to help you cut carbon in your projects. From Passivhaus design and greener transport solutions to flood defences and retrofitting, our expertise in sustainable build is at your disposal.

Find your framework partner

Discover our frameworks
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Procurement to reach your net zero aims

Deliver with your frameworks

We recognise the outstanding work done by LETI and RIBA in 2019 and 2020 in defining the standards needed to decarbonise UK building stock.

One of the main benefits of our consultancy, civil engineering, construction and utilities frameworks and our sustainable procurement approach is early contractor involvement. Early collaboration with contractors and throughout the supply chain can help to design out carbon wastage. With most of the embodied carbon in buildings in the foundation and structural elements, early consideration is crucial.

We’ve identified the four key capabilities that our frameworks must deliver for the public sector:

  • Enable new building designs that are carbon-neutral as early as 2021 and promote the adoption of this design approach towards all new-build projects by 2025
  • Enable construction of new buildings that are carbon-neutral in operation as early as 2022, and promote this standard for all new construction by 2030
  • Enable retrofit, refurbishment and adaptation of existing buildings that delivers the highest possible performance and minimises operational (or in-use) carbon emissions from buildings
  • Enable the lowest possible environmental impacts from all construction activity on every project - minimising embodied carbon.
Building Net Zero

SCAPE Life Cycle Performance

Discover our unique Life Cycle offer

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Sustainable procurement

Working collaboratively with clients, consultants and the supply chain from day one, means we ensure that sustainable social value is customised to your requirements. And, most importantly, that it is not just delivered throughout the construction period, but leaves a lasting legacy that serves the local community for years to come.

As members of the UK Green Building Council and the Good Homes Alliance, and the only procurement body with the Carbon Reduction Code CHAMPION status, we are using our industry influence to promote and enact industry and social change. Our recommended project standards are a great place to start in setting expected building performance outcomes and lifecycle carbon targets, and offer the guidance often needed by clients to establish net zero outcomes in their projects.

We're proud to be:

  • UK Green Building Council Members
  • Good Homes Alliance Members
  • CHAMPION level of compliance to the Carbon Reduction Code for the Built Environment
  • ISO-19650 (information management) requirements are embedded as standard within our frameworks

  • PPN 06/21 compliant (Carbon Reduction Plans)
  • Aligned with PAS 2080 (Carbon Management in Infrastructure Projects)
  • Ambition to be a net zero organisation by 2028
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Recommended Project Standards

Best practice standards for your projects