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Climate Leadership Model

The climate crisis requires all sectors of the economy to decarbonise rapidly and at scale.

The built environment sector represents 40% of the UK’s total emissions¹ and is highlighted in the Committee on Climate Change Progress Report as offering some of the most cost effective opportunities to reduce emissions.²

UKGBC’s Climate Commitment Platform is intended to represent the built environment’s response to the climate crisis by mapping the climate commitments and carbon reduction targets of UKGBC members.

The main objectives of the platform are to:

Enable UKGBC members to showcase their company’s climate commitment.
Galvanise further action and ambition across the sector.
Share knowledge to promote consistent outcomes to achieve net zero emissions.

The platform also provides companies with guidance on the different scopes of emissions they should target, using UKGBC’s Climate Leadership Model. In this way, the platform encourages companies to look beyond operations within their direct control and to catalyse action throughout their value chain and wider influence.

Learn more on the Climate Leadership Model

Key

The following key provides a snapshot of a company’s climate commitments based on scope and rigour:

1. Measure and publicly report on carbon

2. Public commitment to a carbon reduction target

3. Third-party verification of a carbon reduction target

Direct Control

Emissions from a company’s own operations (scope 1 and 2 emissions)

1. Measure and publicly report on carbon

2. Public commitment to a carbon reduction target

3. Third-party verification of a carbon reduction target

Value Chain

Emissions outside of a company’s direct control, however which it has the ability to influence (scope 3 emissions)

1. Measure and publicly report on carbon

2. Public commitment to a carbon reduction target

3. Third-party verification of a carbon reduction target

The three levels of rigour are:

1. Measure and publicly report on carbon – there is publicly available information on a company’s carbon footprint. This applies when a company has undertaken a full account of its activities within either its direct control and/or value chain.
2. Public commitment to a carbon reduction target – a commitment has been publicly made to reduce carbon from a company’s activities. This includes any target, irrespective of scale, and does not require a target across the entire scope (either direct control and/or value chain).
3. Third-party verification of a carbon reduction target – a target is verified through a third-party i.e. any of the supporting commitments below or any other third-party audit process. This only applies when the company’s performance against the target is verified on an annual basis.

Supporting Commitments

Third-party verification of a carbon reduction target currently demonstrates the highest level of rigour and is encouraged for the sector. This can be achieved either through direct third-party auditing or established third-party commitments.

There are six supporting commitments relevant to built environment organisations that are currently showcased.

WorldGBC Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment
Carbon Neutral Certification (Carbon Trust)
Science Based Target
EP100
RE100
EV100

The platform was launched on 20th September 2019 to coincide with UKGBC’s support for the Global Climate Strike. The platform is intended to grow over time as further UKGBC members add their own climate commitments. If you are a UKGBC member and would like to be included on the platform, please email ANZ@ukgbc.org.

Company Listing(23 in total)

Company Name

Headline Commitments

Key

Supporting Commitments

Reduce carbon intensity for scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by 2030 (from a 2015 baseline)

Measure, report and reduce scope 3 emissions by 20% by 2030 (from a 2017 baseline)

Procure 100% certified renewable energy by 2030

Supporting Commitments

Committed to announcing a science-based carbon reduction target for the Group by the end of 2019

Supporting Commitments

Reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 emissions by 26% by 2022 (from a 2016 baseline)

Reduce absolute scope 3 emissions from fuel and energy-related activities, upstream leased assets, and business travel by 26% by 2022 (from a 2016 baseline)

Supporting Commitments

Reduce operational carbon emissions intensity by 14% by 2020 (from a 2016 baseline)

Offset emissions annually to be carbon positive

Produce a transition plan for each new development which will enable homes to operate at net zero carbon by 2030

Supporting Commitments

Own and operate 100% net zero carbon office space by 2030

Advocate for the entire built environment to be net zero carbon by 2050

Supporting Commitments

Aim to be net zero carbon (scope 1 and 2 emissions for offices and scope 3 business travel) by the end of financial year 2020/21

Aim for all new build design projects to be net zero carbon in operation by 2030 and all projects (new and existing) by 2050

Reduce scope 1 and 2 emissions in line with climate science, and work towards a Science Based Target approach to scope 3 emissions reduction

Aspire to be net zero carbon across all scope 1 and 2 activities

Aspire to be net zero carbon by 2050 for all developments and work towards becoming net positive carbon

Supporting Commitments

Carbon neutral business by 2020 and positive by 2025

Reduce scope 1 and 2 emissions by 63% per FTE employee by 2025 (from a 2015 baseline)

Reduce scope 3 emissions by 57% per FTE for purchased goods and services, and business travel by 2025 (from a 2016 baseline)

Supporting Commitments

Commits to reduce scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 55% per square meter by 2027 from a 2013 base year.

Derwent London also commits to reduce scope 3 GHG emissions 20% per square meter by 2027 from a 2017 base year.

Supporting Commitments

Occupy only net zero carbon (scope 1 and 2) assets by 2030, with an accelerated target of 2020

Aspirational target for zero carbon emissions from operational waste, water, business flights and employee commute by 2030

Supporting Commitments

Achieve net zero carbon operational emissions from all directly managed buildings by 2030

Measure, report on and significantly reduce the carbon emissions embodied in the supply chain, development and tenant activity

Reduce absolute carbon emissions of standing portfolio by 2020 compared to 2006

5% reduction in emissions intensity of standing portfolio per year

5% reduction in absolute emission per year on a like-for-like basis

Achieve net zero carbon operational emissions from all directly managed buildings by 2025

2020 commitments to achieve 10% reduction in carbon emissions per FTE from travel (2016 baseline), 35% reduction in energy consumption (2012 baseline) and 100% renewables across UK workplaces

2030 commitments to achieve net zero carbon emissions in UK workplaces and aim to halve embodied carbon in workplace fitouts

JLL Global commitment to become a signatory to the Science Based Target initiative in 2020

Supporting Commitments

Reduce carbon intensity by 40% by 2030 (from a 2014 baseline), with a long-term ambition of 80% reduction by 2050

Reduce energy intensity by 40% by 2030 (from a 2014 baseline)

Supporting Commitments

Committed to disclosing climate-related risks and opportunities under the TCFD framework (2019 Annual Report reports progress against this)

Committed to climate positive outcomes on Elephant Park, our major urban regeneration projects in London

Committed to publishing a zero carbon pathway in the UK by the end of 2020 and progress against it annually

Reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 emissions by 11% by 2025 (using a 2016 baseline)

Reduce absolute scope 3 emissions by 9% by 2023 (using a 2016 baseline)

Drive additional scope 3 reductions by requiring sub-contractors (representing 70% of spend) to set Science Based Targets by 2025

Supporting Commitments

Reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 emissions by 55% by 2030 (from a 2017 baseline)

Set a science-based target in line with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C and also signed a letter to the UK Government calling for net zero carbon

Commit that key suppliers, representing 95% of emissions from purchased goods, will set a science-based emissions reduction target by 2023

Supporting Commitments

Reduce the carbon intensity of construction operations and offices by 10% by 2022 from a 2017 baseline

Reduce carbon emission intensity (CO2/t stone wool) from global stone wool production facilities by 20% by 2030 (from a 2015 baseline)

Reduce energy consumption (kWh/m2) within own (non-renovated) offices globally by 75% by 2030 (from a 2015 baseline)

Reduce carbon by 25% (CO2e emissions /£m in managed turnover from 2008) by December 2019

Carbon neutral, with net-zero emissions, by 2045 (without offsets)

Reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 (from a 2010 baseline), equivalent to 223,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent

Reduce carbon intensity to 130 (CO2 equivalent tonnes/£1m of UK revenue) by 2030

Undertake Science Based Targets analysis in the 2019/20 financial year

¹ Committee on Climate Change (2019), Reducing UK emissions – 2019 Progress Report to Parliament [online], available at:
https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/reducing-uk-emissions-2019-progress-report-to-parliament/ [accessed: 13/09/19].

² UK Green Building Council (2017), The State of Sustainability in the UK Built Environment [online], available at:
https://www.ukgbc.org/ukgbc-work/state-sustainability-built-environment/ [accessed: 13/09/19].