Helping existing schools get to net zero carbon - Alan Fogarty, Partner & Peter Hazzard, Associate Director - Schools and Colleges Sector Lead, Cundall

Existing buildings are our biggest challenge when it comes to achieving net zero carbon, so Cundall has created a pilot project that aims to help existing schools lower their emissions.

The pilot involves Cundall analysing the carbon footprint of two primary schools and then advising on how to lower emissions, alongside contractors and supply chain partners, assisting them to make the necessary changes. The pilot not only has enormous social value, but also enables Cundall to double offset its emissions. Once with gold standard globally accredited schemes and with this initiative.
If successful, this pilot will be rolled out to Cundall’s global business and could also be adopted by other organisations in the industry as the trend toward investing in projects with net zero carbon and social value continues.

One of the main benefits of the pilot is social value. By helping the school lower its carbon emissions, we will be helping them save energy. Less energy cost equals more money to spend on other areas such as their curriculum. There will also be an educational element. Cundall staff will be able to present and discuss the findings and interventions with staff and pupils ensuring the next generation learn the importance of a sustainable built environment.

Cundall is already a carbon neutral business. We achieve this by continuously working to lower our Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions and then purchasing gold standard offsets for anything we cannot eliminate. However, the authenticity of many offsets has been brought into question, so this pilot ensures deliverability by retaining control over funds, so we know exactly what we are investing in. These local offsets will be in addition to the offsets we currently purchase and will ultimately help us and our industry partners with our ambition to be carbon positive by 2025.

The journey to Carbon Zero, a practical response to the challenge - Matt Isherwood, Brooke Weston Trust & Jonathan Coyles, Barker & Associates

The Brooke Weston Trust in 2017 were successful in securing DFE loan funding to pilot a capital works programme to reduce energy consumption. Five years later the Trust using the real-life data captured will share their journey and their forward plan to achieving the carbon reduction targets. Matt Isherwood Director of Estates for Brooke Weston Trust presents a practical, data informed approach which is scalable and one any organisation can replicate.