Penoyre & Prasad, in partnership with Perkins and Will, will offer costed, net-zero carbon operational design strategies to all clients up to RIBA Stage 2, for new and retrofit buildings from January 2020 to help address real estate’s impact on the climate.

The built environment contributes 40 percent of the UK’s total carbon footprint, according to the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC). Designing in a net-zero carbon target for a building’s operations has a crucial role to play in cutting this figure across the property industry by slashing energy usage while helping future-proof assets against a backdrop of increasing regulation.

Our recently merged practices will produce a Zero Operational Carbon Strategies Report for each new build or retrofit project at RIBA Stage 2 (at the end of the concept design) at no additional cost to the client.

The aim is to encourage more sustainable buildings to be developed by making the process easier for investors and developers. The Zero Operational Carbon Strategies Report will make clear to clients what the operational emissions gap of their buildings will be and how best to close it in line the UKGBC’s 2019 definition of net-zero operational, helping to better inform clients’ decisions in line with the UK’s 2050 net-zero target.

Mark Rowe, principal at Penoyre & Prasad, said:

“Our industry still has a lot to learn when it comes to designing the built environment to address the climate crisis. This is a work in progress but is an effective and realistic first step towards changing the story. Our design strategies will actively try to reduce energy usage within our clients’ buildings, for both new projects and retrofit. We are committing to this pledge and I hope that as we engage more with our clients and design teams, we can develop and increase the presence of net-zero buildings across the country.”

Asif Din, sustainability director at Perkins and Will, said:

“With the UK pledging to be net-zero by 2050, designing in energy efficiency will ensure that these climate-resilient and carbon-efficient buildings will be attractive and viable investments, future-proofing clients against the possibility of stranded assets.

“The key thing is designing a degree of flexibility for buildings that isolates them from the outside environment when we need to control them while being able to open them up to it as and when it’s required. Really getting under the skin of how a building will operate is what will move the dial and if we can encourage our clients to take the more efficient option, we can start to reach our goal of a net-zero 2050.”