“Sustainable is just another word for quality”
These are the words of Simon Tranter, Head of Sustainability at The Howard de Walden Estate, at the recent Westminster Property Association panel discussion – “Net zero workspaces in Westminster: Closing the carbon performance gap”. Surely no debate there? Quality and sustainable now go hand in hand.
Yet the discussion was also a helpful reminder of the challenges in taking that “sustainable” asset and ensuring it is occupied in the most sustainable way. In particular, Jason Smallwood (Technical Director, WSP) shared some findings from signatories to the Sustainable City Charter, the climate action pledge for Westminster businesses. Some familiar talking points:
- The crucial role of occupier actions and decisions in determining building emissions performance
- The lack of comprehensive data on operational performance
- The struggle for buildings to meet design performance standards because of variations due to occupancy, usage patterns and maintenance practices
Yet, on a positive note, it was clear that in tackling this performance gap you uncover most progress in small, affordable and practical interventions coupled with consistent measurement and collaborative efforts. These trump broad, high-level commitments. It reminded me of green leasing – sweeping statements to collaborate are all well and good, but progress is about the “nitty gritty” – interventions such as meter installation, sharing of data etc – where more focused commitments in the drafting are key. For more check out the excellent BBP Green Lease Toolkit.
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