Our ten-year journey and commitment to be carbon neutral
Federica Romeo Beattie, our Head of Sustainability reflects on our practice journey
Our ongoing commitment to environmental responsibility and proactive change begins with our own practice. In our tenth year of recording our carbon emissions and after four years of being carbon neutral, we set out our journey to date and future plans.
We're in a climate emergency, and as architects we have a crucial role to play in helping to mitigate its effects. The construction and operation of buildings account for a significant 49% of the UK's total carbon emissions. As a practice, we continually look to innovate and improve in how we operate and in how we design; our highly sustainable buildings help our clients meet their sustainable goals.
Our sustainability journey began in 2015, when we started meticulously recording our carbon emissions. This initial step allowed us to establish a crucial initial baseline, enabling us to measure and monitor our environmental footprint across various key areas. We rigorously evaluated our energy use, water consumption, waste production (including both recycled and non-recycled waste), and the impact of our team's travel and mobility. This comprehensive assessment formed the foundation for an ambitious five-year plan, designed to progressively lower our environmental impact year on year.
In 2019, we relocated to 5-6 Eccleston Yards. This move was far more than just a change of address; it was an opportunity to move to being fossil-free and completely upgrade and retrofit the office space to our own high standard design and specification. A core principle of the project brief was carbon reduction. Our strategy embraced a fabric-first approach, focusing on significantly reducing the building's energy demand as the primary way to minimise our operational carbon emissions.
The unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 led to a fundamental reshaping how we work and travel. While based primarily at home, our working habits altered, and we brought these habits to the office once it was safe to return. Many of the changes brought about by the pandemic have, in fact, positively impacted our environmental footprint. For example, we learned that efficient work doesn't always require extensive printing, and that technology can effectively reduce the need for constant travel. However, we also recognised new challenges, such as the increased energy consumption from servers and computers as our team log in remotely. This continues to be an area that we continue to actively investigate and address.
We took a significant step in our commitment in 2021 and commissioned our first third-party carbon footprint assessment from Carbon Footprint. The independent audit provided a clear and verified picture of our total current carbon emissions, resulting a figure of 29.55 tonnes of CO2e to offset. We decided to offset twice our calculated carbon footprint, offsetting 60 tonnes of CO2e. It was a conscious choice because we felt our measured emissions were modest and we were anticipating a future increase as more of our team returned to working in the office. To offset, we undertook a UK tree planting initiative at a primary school near our office in Bath.
We work with Carbon Footprint who assess us each year
Our dedication to sustainability continued and deepen in 2022 when we made a pivotal move to a renewable energy supplier. By this stage we were operating in the hybrid working pattern we operate under today. We therefore made this our new carbon baseline year as it allows us to more accurately measure the impact of our planned actions under normal working conditions. During this time, we achieved our first Carbon Reduced Organisation certificate.
This year we have renewed our commitment to being a carbon neutral organisation and have again been assessed by Carbon Footprint. We have now been recording data for ten years and are in our fourth year of being carbon neutral. The valuable information gained from this comprehensive and lengthy process is used to develop practical recommendations, enhance our sustainability program, reduce future emissions, and responsibly offset our current greenhouse gas emissions. Earlier this year, we offset 71 tonnes of CO2e by planting 71 trees with a dedicated scheme in Watford. The offset covers two years of carbon emissions, and we have committed to offsetting our 2024-2025 carbon emissions later in the year.
For us, achieving carbon neutrality is an ongoing commitment. We continue to rigorously monitor our environmental footprint and make improvements and plan to monitor our supply chain. We ensure that we are doing everything possible to minimise our long-term impact.
We are proud of our contribution to the collective efforts of our industry and believe we all need to work to safeguard our planet for our future generations.