Helical tasks ‘carbon champions’ with helping drive sustainability agenda
Helical has committed to appointing a “carbon champion” for each new development it works on, to be tasked with driving the sustainability agenda at the scheme.
Each project’s carbon champion – an external consultant with expertise in carbon, energy and sustainability assessments – will help to set a carbon agenda and strategy for their scheme in the form of a Carbon Implementation Plan, and will then monitor and document the project’s carbon journey.
The launch of the new role comes alongside a guide Helical has produced for its design teams to help them further the company’s goal of becoming a low-carbon business. The company’s ‘Designing for Net Zero’ sets out a 10-step framework for the business, starting with a building’s design and then continuing through its construction, operation and occupation.
Helical has committed to appointing a “carbon champion” for each new development it works on, to be tasked with driving the sustainability agenda at the scheme.
Each project’s carbon champion – an external consultant with expertise in carbon, energy and sustainability assessments – will help to set a carbon agenda and strategy for their scheme in the form of a Carbon Implementation Plan, and will then monitor and document the project’s carbon journey.
The launch of the new role comes alongside a guide Helical has produced for its design teams to help them further the company’s goal of becoming a low-carbon business. The company’s ‘Designing for Net Zero’ sets out a 10-step framework for the business, starting with a building’s design and then continuing through its construction, operation and occupation.
Matthew Bonning-Snook, Helical’s property director and chair of its sustainability committee, said: “Sustainability is at the heart of what we do at Helical. It is our responsibility, as owners and creators of exciting design-led real estate, that we are developing properties that meet the needs of our occupiers, while minimising their impact on the environment. By introducing a carbon champion for all our new developments, we will ensure that carbon is considered at each stage of a project and undergoes a rigorous impact assessment.”
The company’s first carbon champion, Long and Partners, is working in Helical’s latest office development, at 33 Charterhouse Street. The development achieved the UK’s first BREEAM 2018 new construction “Outstanding” rating for its design. The scheme is set to achieve a 20% reduction in embodied carbon.
Bonning-Snook added: “While the property industry is responding to the climate change challenge, not all net zero pledges are equal and there is a lack of regulation in the market for carbon offsetting. By integrating our response at a granular level, we can ensure that our carbon philosophy is ingrained within our business, within our professional teams and within our supply chain, as we strive to meet our sustainability targets.”
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