Integrating net zero into estate strategy
Retrofit and estate sustainability expert spoke to our estates forum attendees about the importance of integrating net zero plans into your estate strategy.
He began by looking at how the approach to a greener estate and reaching net zero has changed over the years. At the start, there was a rush to fund green projects without thinking about the consequences, which led to mistakes and mixed results.
Now, your strategy to reduce your estate’s carbon emissions should be better aligned to your corporate strategy, and should focus on resilience, rather than just an end goal of reaching net zero.
Steve recommends that your approach to a sustainable estate should be data-led. If you can provide accurate and up-to-date baselines of estate data, have a detailed FM and maintenance lifecycle plan and can overlay and compare available data, this gives you a clear idea of how your estate currently performs, and can inform the direction your energy efficiency projects should take.
Steve ran through some examples of processes for preparing for funding and planning for the future of your estate, and spoke of the importance of creating realistic timeframes aligned to your estate strategy.
He also discussed the importance of avoiding ‘single measure’ pitfalls, and instead advised taking a holistic view of your estate, rather than making snap decisions to go for the latest technology.
Need advice on creating a sustainability plan for your estate, or support sourcing and applying for decarbonisation funding?
Head back to the Estates forum 2025 round up
We’ve summarised some of the topics we discussed on the day – if you have any questions, or want to continue the conversation, get in touch with any of our speakers direct, or drop us a line.
