Decarbonisation and Retrofits

Helping regions and organisations address the climate change emergency requires innovative ways to decarbonise the built environment. It is estimated that 80 percent of buildings in 2050 have already been built, so decarbonising existing assets needs to happen quickly but the complexity can be challenging. smart net zero is developing solutions and models that leverage data in order to develop the best and most optimised building decarbonisation pathway for any type of building asset portfolio. This service helps customers to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels, lower their energy costs and meet their zero-carbon ambitions.

What problem are we addressing?

At least 25 percent of the UK's carbon footprint comes from the built environment, meaning it is essential for the efficient management and decarbonisation of these existing property portfolios in order to deliver on the ambitious action plans to reduce carbon emissions to net zero.

There is a lot of complexity in retrofitting buildings for the benefits of decarbonisation as most of the property stock is pre 1980s. This can be very costly and requires a lot of data and analysis to decide to retrofit rather than replace. There is limited data available across multi criteria and as such when working out metrics like embodied carbon (all greenhouse gas emissions associated with construction, including extracting, transporting, manufacturing and installing building materials on site, as well as the operational and end-of life emissions associated with those materials) this can be very challenging. We aim to deliver models which can make this decision making process easier and better identify the optimal pathways in meeting the ambitious net zero targets. See our Research page for more information.

Delivering the solution

Understanding the different routes to decarbonisation is key to delivering the most suitable solution for any organisation. The core benefits work across climate change mitigation, health and economic benefits. Improving areas like air quality whilst reducing waste and optimising processes / resource use, decarbonisation retrofitting can be a significant net positive if planned and modelled comprehensively. To that end, we have created a simple net zero development rating scheme.

GOLD RATED

Net Zero Carbon

Taking all reasonable steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (expressed as kgCO2 e) prior to any offsetting taking place

SILVER RATED

Carbon Neutral

Building efficiency targets are lower as on-site reductions can be balanced with offets.

BRONZE RATED

Carbon Reduced

Achieving at least a 40 percent reduction in regulated greenhouse gas emissions.

Five rules for cutting carbon

Know your buildings - Know the age of the buildings, their energy use and where big carbon emissions are coming from, and your priorities. Establish from surveys the energy performance of each building to inform an action plan with clear outcomes.
Use a holistic approach - Look at the estate as a whole and think about how the process can be used to drive value – including generating electricity and working with partners on innovative funding models.
Create a flexible plan - It is best to develop a 5-10 year plan, to be reviewed in the light of emerging technologies and affordability. This means that, when funding is announced, you have a proposal ready.
Think future-proofing - It may not be possible to put in place all decarbonisation measures in one go, but you can ensure that you don’t have to go back to the drawing board in 20-30 years. For example, upgrades to the building fabric involve considerable disruption but are a long-term investment that should only need to be undertaken once, whereas renewable generation is a measure that can be bolted on afterwards. Upgrades to building services, such as new boilers or more efficient plant, can sometimes be more straightforward than fabric changes.
Celebrate successes - When you achieve a low-carbon result, celebrate it with your stakeholders and beyond. Generate positivity and boost your reputation.

Our carbon expertise

Strategic carbon management

Practical recommendations for achieving carbon reduction goals
Feasibility screening of all potential carbon reduction measures
Creating best in class carbon management plans
Creating carbon KPIs for projects to achieve
Measuring and monitoring carbon at each stage of a project and working with the design team to reduce carbon

Net zero cities consultancy

Net zero pathways, including carbon baselining, prioritised target setting, science-based targets and pathway to net zero
Nature-based solutions
Carbon assessment demonstrating carbon benefits
Peat management plans integrated with geotechnical assessments
Environmental statement chapters

PAS 2080 carbon management

Carbon management gap analysis and reviews
Developing bespoke toolkits to integrate operational and capital whole-life carbon reduction into design
Incorporating carbon reduction criteria into the procurement process
Carbon modelling and data
Evaluating and promoting supply chain connectivity
Workplace training

See how we can help

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