Property firm to phase out diesel use on its construction sites from 2025 as it sets out plans to align business with 1.5C global warming trajectory
Lendlease has announced plans to phase-out the use of diesel across all its European construction sites from 2025, with the property developer shifting instead towards renewable electricity to power on-site equipment and appliances as part of a new 2040 net zero roadmap unveiled yesterday.
The company said it aimed to begin trialling alternative technologies and fuels such as hydrogen, renewable diesel, and other alternative fuels for its on-site construction equipment, while also working with its supply chain to help slash its Scope 3 emissions.
Moreover, the property giant said it aims to ensure all the electricity procured for its business is backed by Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGO) certificates from clean renewable sources such as wind, solar, and tidal sources, while ruling out the use of power from energy from waste facilities.
And the roadmap details plans for Lendlease to develop a new generation of "green leases" across its commercial, retail, and residential leasing tenures, in a bid to help tenants drive down emissions in line with the property developer's 2040 net zero emissions goal.
"Setting targets is important, but it is how we deliver against those targets that really matters," said Lendlease's CEO in Europe, Neil Martin. "In our roadmap to absolute zero we recognise that this is not going to be an easy task and that we don't yet have all the answers, but it is vital that we take action and we are committed to doing so."
The 2040 net zero action plan builds on the company's existing green commitments, such as joining the Better Building Partnership's Climate Change Commitment, signing up to the SteelZero initiative to help drive the market for zero carbon steel, and joining the World Green Building Council's Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment.
Julie Hirigoyen, CEO of the UK Green Building Council (UKFC), welcomed the firm's commitments and its decision to set out how it intends to achieve the goal within the next 20 years: "Without all the solutions at our fingertips yet, we need the vision and determination of industry leaders to set the bar high and collaborate to deliver it," she said. "By publishing this roadmap Lendlease is doing just that."
In related industry news, infrastructure giant Bealfour Beatty has developed a "state of the art" technology to help manage the power supply of appliances used on construction sites, which it claims could help reduce on-site carbon emissions by up to 80 per cent.
Developed in partnership with equipment rental firm Sunbelt and IoT energy consumption specialist Invisible Systems, the 'EcoNet' system works by controlling and reducing the energy output from key appliances in construction site cabins, such as those in kitchens, drying rooms and office spaces, the company explained.
The system enables construction sites to reduce the need for power from the grid or on-site diesel generators by more efficiently managing and using that energy, and has so far been installed at 21 Balfour Beatty sites, with plans to reach 50 sites by next summer.
Once fully rolled out, the company expects to save a minimum of 2,200 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year through the technology, with individual sites potentially reducing their carbon emissions by between 30 and 80 per cent, the company said.
"The construction and infrastructure industry traditionally use a significant amount of energy to deliver large-scale projects shaping the communities in which we live," said Balfour Beatty's sustainability director Kari Sprostranova. "To counteract this, it is our responsibility to modernise the approach to energy consumption and help to reduce carbon emissions from our operations."
The move also follows property giant Grosvenor's announcement last week it has launched a £90m programme to retrofit and future-proof the historic buildings across its London estate as part of its strategy to become a net zero emission business by 2030.
The company is aiming to reduce the embodied carbon in its construction projects to a maximum of 500kg of CO2 per cubic metre from 2025 onwards, and to develop buildings that are operationally net zero, while also reducing emissions across its supply chain.
And, as part of its target to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from its historic London properties in Mayfair and Belgravia, the firm is targeting £90m ring-fenced investment to enable energy saving and green retrofits across these buildings.
The company manages over 2,500 units within an area including 500 grade one and two listed buildings and structures.
James Raynor, Grosvenor Britain & Ireland chief executive, said climate change was "the single biggest risk to our business and society".
"To build climate resilience and future proof our portfolio we must fundamentally transform how we operate, develop and manage places," he said.