Early signatories to the Sustainable City Charter (SCC) have reported a significant 19% decrease in energy usage in the Charter's first year.
This fall has resulted in an overall carbon saving of 4,162 tonnes, which is equivalent to the emissions generated by more than 10 million, 5km passenger journeys on a London bus.
This was achieved through a range of interventions, including:
📉 81% of reporting businesses now monitor carbon emissions from energy usage in their building
🍃 62% of signatories collaborated with other building occupiers or stakeholders on sustainability strategies
🚲 66% have introduced cycle to work or similar sustainable travel incentives
🔥 57% upgraded heating and cooling systems
🏢 71% of businesses switched to greener energy tariffs
Read more in the news here and the press release here.
We are always looking for fantastic case studies and insights. Would you like to share how you are reducing emissions from your buildings?
TheCOLAB is the 83rd signatory of the Sustainable City Charter, committing to reducing carbon emissions from its buildings.
The Lyceum Theatre, Harold Pinter Theatre, Westminster Abbey, as well as Europa Foods XB and LDG Partnership, are among the other latest additions to the Westminster-based organisations already signed up.
A full list of Charter signatories can be found here.
Signatory toolkit launched
The first version of an exclusive toolkit and resource hub is now available online. Charter signatories can access the hub on Sharepoint here.
The resources on offer will continue to evolve and currently include:
📹 Recordings and presentations from past webinars on a range of topics
🏢 Insightful case studies
📃 Resources on how to best achieve the seven Charter commitment
For any questions or suggestions on potential additions to the toolkit, please email the Climate Emergency team here.
Charter signatories showcase best practice to Westminster businesses at packed out event
Over 120 guests gathered at Somerset House to hear from Cllr Ryan Jude, Cabinet Member for Climate, Ecology and Culture on the importance of the Charter, and the power of partnership in meeting net zero targets. This was followed by presentations from signatories who shared the innovative ways that their businesses are driving down carbon emissions.
Key takeaways included:
👨👩👦👦 Regularly engaging with local communities, customers and occupiers is critical to balancing sustainability and operational efficiency
💻 AI and new techniques can help occupiers change their behaviour to save energy and reduce carbon emissions
🌳 Alongside new technologies, designers should incorporate a holistic approach to sustainability design – “sustainability should be part of a building, not applied to one”
In this exclusive blog for signatories, the Zero Emission Group (ZEG) discusses their pilot scheme to promote sustainable delivery choices at 110 Buckingham Palace Road. This project aims to develop a framework that will define current activities and identify opportunities for reduction through collaboration.
You can find out the results of the case study and more about the project here.
UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard has launched
The pilot version of the UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard (UK NZCBS) has now launched, providing an industry-wide pathway to a net zero carbon built environment. The pilot contains technical details on how a building should meet the Standard, including the limits and targets it needs to meet, and how these need to be demonstrated and reported.Read more here.
Energy Efficiency and Retrofit in Historic Buildings
Historic England has produced a new Advice Note on adapting historic buildings for energy and carbon efficiency. This note aims to advice on the permissions needed for some of the common changes to historic buildings, and to assist local planning authorities in their decision-making process. Read more here.
Get involved and reduce PM2.5 in Westminster
Westminster City Council is launching a pilot to test innovative solutions to reduce emissions from PM2.5, a harmful gas produced by commercial cooking which causes serious long-term health issues. The project pack is downloadable here, and to get involved, or share your ideas and concerns please email smart@westminster.gov.uk.
Energy efficiency grant scheme
Small and medium-sized enterprises can apply for funding to help implement quick, energy-saving solutions through Westminster City Council’s new Energy Efficiency Grant. This grant is designed for voluntary and community organisations, and landlords with SME tenants. The grant is open until March 2025. Read more here.
Biodiversity & Greening Strategy launched
The strategy aims to improve the sustainability and resilience of Westminster and enhance its natural environment for the benefit of all local communities, in accordance with the City Council's vision for a Fairer Environment for Westminster.Read more here.
Local Area Energy Plan for Westminster
Completed in partnership with Buro Happold, the Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP) covers, fabric efficiency, low-carbon heating and cooling systems, renewable energy generation and electric vehicle charge point delivery. Read more here.
Aligning your strategy with the UN Sustainable Development Goals
The latest lunch and learn from Heart of the City will explore the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how they can be embedded into your business strategy. This free online session will feature a presentation from Tara Foy, Senior Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at BNP Paribas.
‘Championing Sustainability in the Workplace’ training available
In partnership with the GLA, this 10-week programme from Serco is delivering a part-funded skills boot camp in sustainability to help businesses implement best-practice workplace sustainability measures. The training covers net zero basics including environmental skills for workplace impact, and key sustainability principles across procurement, design, energy use, and resource management. Please note that there is a cost involved in this course and you can view the digital brochure here.
We are always on the lookout for projects to film as part of our ongoing series of short video case studies. For more information, please reach out to Philip Whitehere.
Explore our insights from across the Charter network
“We feel it’s important to pitch in with our knowledge and expertise to help reduce carbon emissions across the borough” – John Davies, Chair of the Sustainable City Charter Steering Group
The importance of being able to commit to small but impactful changes - Leboni Saha, Sustainable City Charter Steering Group member and Founder & Creative Director of L Saha
The Charter is a partnership between the business community and Westminster to ensure it becomes a Net Zero City by 2040. Please let us know if you can get involved, including:
Hosting or sharing your insight and knowledge at an event or webinar
Hosting a networking session for signatories to come together and exchange ideas
Work with us to capture your experiences in a blog, video or other content
Sharing your expertise with the Sustainable City Charter Technical working group
Tell us what you want to hear more on
You can reach out to us with your ideas, feedback and how you want to get involvedhere.
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