Property Industry Leaders Work Together For Low Carbon Leadership

Property industry leaders join together to call for low carbon leadership irrespective of Brexit decision

An alliance of leading organisations representing the property and construction industry is calling on the sector to maintain its focus on decarbonisation, regardless of the outcomes of the EU exit negotiations. Eighteen organisations, led by the UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC)and including the British Property Federation (BPF), RICS, RIBA and CPA, have signed an open statement to the industry as they “believe that the incentives remain strong for business to address climate change and other urgent sustainability challenges”.

The statement highlights the growth opportunities that the transition to low carbon presents the industry in economically uncertain times, saying, “A low carbon built environment can be a catalyst for innovation, investment and job creation. It can drive productivity and economic growth, and provide a platform for exporting British expertise, engineering and technology to a global market.”

The signatories have committed to working collaboratively to achieve this, across the industry and with Government.

The UK-GBC led the co-ordination of the statement. Julie Hirigoyen, CEO, commented: “Now more than ever we need to minimise future risk, reduce costs and generate new commercial opportunities. Low carbon buildings and infrastructure will deliver these outcomes. The businesses represented in our collective memberships span all aspects of the property and construction industry. It’s this unprecedented scale of collaboration that is required to achieve a low carbon sustainable built environment, and take the message to Government that this is as good for UK Plc as it is for GDP.”

BPF CEO Melanie Leech said: “Reducing energy consumption and increasing the energy efficiency of both the new and existing commercial building stock is a vital component not only of our contribution to international treaties but also to increasing the productivity in the economy and ensuring future energy security. The Government must take this into account in drafting its Industrial Strategy.”