The world of sustainability is complicated, but at GPE, our approach is simple. We are decarbonising our business to become net zero by 2040, whilst integrating climate resilience across our spaces and business processes. It’s our responsibility to play a part in creating a more sustainable city for our people, partners and customers who all want to live and work in a more climate resilient society.

The Time is Now

We are integrating climate resilience across our business

Integrate measures

Address the transitional risk of climate change and implement net zero carbon plans at each asset

Working with our customers, we are implementing our net zero carbon roadmap whilst prioritising energy efficiency and energy security.

We are ensuring that all major refurbishments and developments are fossil fuel free¹, whilst transitioning our existing portfolio away from fossil fuel reliant systems. We will work with our customers to find alternatives to fossil fuel powered life-safety back up systems.

By implementing NABERS UK and the Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor Tool (CRREM) we will be able to drive improvements and monitor our
progress.

For new acquisitions we will undertake net zero carbon due diligence to create an appropriate asset level transition plan.

We will provide a comprehensive disclosure on climate risk annually.

1. Where planning allows

Integrate climate adaptation and resilience measures into our buildings

We will include climate risk and opportunity in asset business plans. By installing external green walls, living roofs, trees and terrace planting to support passive cooling, we will increase biodiversity net gain across our portfolio by a minimum of 3% annually.

We are investing in sustainable drainage features such as rain gardens and blue roofs to manage surface water run off during storm events.

To improve longevity and adaptability we are designing our buildings to reduce the need for demolition, creating adaptable spaces with materials passports to encourage the dismantling of our buildings at the end of their life.

Work with our supply chain partners to improve the resilience of our supply chain

Working with our supply chain partners, we are improving transparency in our supply chain, ensuring that materials are sourced ethically with climate and nature-related impact in mind.

We will work with our partners to consider the impact of extreme weather events on our supply chain and collaborate to improve resilience and reduce business risk.

Support the climate resilience of our communities

Through our developments we are creating public realm spaces with embedded nature-based solutions where space allows.

Through our Social Impact Strategy, we are supporting organisations that work to address climate change-related inequalities in our local communities, such as fuel poverty and access to green spaces, in addition to promoting organisations that look to develop green skills (see our Social Impact Strategy for more).

We will continue to support increased biodiversity in our London boroughs by working with organisations that maintain pocket parks and green spaces which reduce the urban heat island effect and support improved air quality.

We are decarbonising our business to become net zero by 2040

Reduce energy intensity

What is our goal?

Reduce the embodied carbon (kgCO2e/m2 GIA) of our new developments and major refurbishments 52% by 2030, from 954kgCO2e/m2, our 2020 baseline, to 458kgCO2e/m2. Reduce the embodied carbon of our minor refurbishments in line with our previous target of 204kgCO2e by 2030.

By 2040 it is envisaged this will need to be less than 140kgCO2e/m2, which is a huge challenge and will require significant technological advances and the industry fully embracing the circular economy.

What is embodied carbon?

Embodied carbon is emitted through the life cycle stages of the development and operation of a building. These include building material extraction, processing and transportation, construction, maintenance, and final deconstruction of a building.

How do we measure it?

Our project teams measure the expected upfront, and whole life, embodied carbon of our developments by following the RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment professional standard. This is independently reviewed through design, construction and most importantly at project completion.

What is our goal?

Reduce the energy intensity (kWh/m2 Net Lettable Area) of our buildings by 47% by 2030 (from our 2016 baseline) by addressing operational energy use.

What is energy intensity?

Energy Intensity is defined as the quantity of energy consumed per m2 of each building.

How do we measure it?

We average our energy consumption across our portfolio with figures adjusted to normalise for properties entering development, disposals, and acquisitions. This includes emissions associated with space occupied by our customers.

What is our goal?

By 2027 we will have engaged with 80% of our customers by energy consumption and 80% of our suppliers by spend. We will continue to keep this under review as our customer base and supply chain partners evolve over time.

Who makes up our value chain?

Our customers and supply chain partners make up our value chain. The majority of emissions from our value chain come from our purchased goods and services and customer energy consumption in our spaces.

How do we measure engagement with our value chain?

We measure engagement with our customers and suppliers by recording tangible and impactful instances of sustainability-related collaboration. As we embed our Customer First approach, and deliver more fully managed properties, the nature of our carbon footprint is changing, with the proportion of our carbon emissions attributable to the purchase of goods and services increasing. More granular data on this aspect of our footprint is a key aspect of measuring the impact of our engagement with our customers and supply chain partners.

What is our goal?

To fully decarbonise the energy supplies utilised within our buildings and by doing so, remove all emissions associated with Scope 1 and 2 energy generation by 2030.

What do we mean by decarbonising our energy supplies?

In the simplest of terms, we need to remove reliance on the burning of fossil fuels for the energy we consume and transition towards 100% of our electricity being produced through renewable technology. This requires the removal of all fossil fuels connected with the energy that we use to power our buildings, either directly through on-site combustion or through the energy tariffs procured by the business.

How do we measure that decarbonisation?

We can measure the effectiveness of this commitment through reductions in our Scope 1 and 2 emissions, and effective utilisation of location and market based greenhouse gas accounting. The number of gas fired boilers removed; the energy generated by on-site renewable technology; and, the proportion of energy procured and matched on an hourly basis, will all be used to measure decarbonisation of energy supplies.

What is our goal?

Our goal by 2040 is to reduce our Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions by 90%, from 2023. Using our Internal Carbon Price of £150/tCO2e, and Decarbonisation Fund, we will report on the level of offset required and provide transparency on the quality and type of projects chosen. When we do offset, we will select high quality offsets using a combination of carbon capture and carbon storage solutions as well as carbon credits with a demonstrable social impact.

What do we mean by residual emissions? Whilst we are prioritising the reduction and avoidance of emissions and have incorporated the majority of our emissions into our updated reduction targets, there will be some residual emissions which we are unable to reduce.

How do we measure our residual emissions?

Our residual emissions are the carbon footprint that remains after all reductions have been made to meet our targets. They are measured in line with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.

We are putting health and wellbeing front and centre

External air quality

Integrate wellbeing considerations into the design of our spaces

We are integrating wellbeing measures to create flexible, inclusive and accessible spaces that benefit the wellbeing of our customers and the community.

Where practical, we create outdoor space to provide opportunity for social interaction, access to nature and increase biodiversity net gain.

Support improved external air quality across our portfolio and communities

In partnership with our supply chain and customers we are seeking to improve air quality.

During construction, careful consideration is given to logistics strategies, minimising traffic movements and the selection of construction plant and equipment.

When buildings are in use, we will work with our customers and external partners to review opportunities for consolidation of deliveries. By working together, and by investing in local community spaces we will help mitigate any negative impact on external air quality and look to improve it where possible.

Manage and monitor indoor air quality for the health and wellbeing of our customers

Through proactive design, management and maintenance of our building systems we will ensure good internal air quality for our customers.

Our air quality sensors will monitor performance, allowing us to provide information to our customers.

During the fit out process we will maximise access to natural light, create inclusive amenity spaces and prioritise repurposing of furniture whilst specifying fixtures and fittings with low VOC content.

Promote initiatives to support the health and wellbeing of our people, customers and supply chain partners

We continue to promote health and wellbeing programmes for our stakeholders:

– In our buildings by facilitating regular health and wellbeing events for our customers, retrofitting cycle storage facilities where possible and by providing access to staircases to promote increased physical activity

– Through our Health and Wellbeing Impact Group for our employees

– By championing mental and physical health initiatives through our supply chain and

– By working with community organisations that promote and maintain access to local green spaces to support improved health and wellbeing.

We are creating a lasting positive social impact in our communities

Supporting charities

Create at least £10 million of social value in our local communities by 2030 and improve access to nature

Through the continued implementation of our Social Impact Strategy and by maintaining long-term community relationships, we will create at least £10 million of social value by 2030 and disclose our progress against this target annually.

Recognising the positive impact of nature on the climate resilience of our London boroughs and the health and wellbeing of our local communities, we are prioritising access to nature for our communities, customers, supply chain and employees.

Support charitable and non-profit organisations that challenge inequality, and tackle health and wellbeing

We are supporting improved social mobility through relationships with charitable and non-profit organisations focused on improving the quality of life for disadvantaged Londoners.

Through our support of organisations working to alleviate fuel poverty and improved climate resilience we will continue to prioritise a just transition for our local communities to a low carbon economy.

Champion diverse skills and accessible employment opportunities

The built environment sector offers diverse and rewarding career paths. We are supporting programmes that open doors for under represented groups from our community to encourage a more diverse workforce for the future. This includes apprenticeships and employability programmes.

Working with our supply chain partners we will ensure that those working at our buildings and developments earn the London Living Wage.

We will use our Supplier Code of Conduct to improve understanding of our responsible business practices across our supply chain.

Support the growth of local business and social enterprise

We will evaluate the broader social and environmental impacts in our procurement of products and services.

Through this process we are identifying micro, small and medium local businesses and social enterprises that we can support through our spaces.

We will report on our progress as we increase annual spend with social enterprises and local businesses.

Delivering our strategy

The Time is Now

Roadmap to Net Zero

Social Impact Strategy

Our Brief for Creating Sustainable Spaces

Key to advancing our purpose to unlock potential, creating sustainable spaces for London to thrive, this Brief sets out how we achieve our commitments in our Sustainability Statement of Intent from design and development to fit out and operation of all our spaces, whether Ready to Fit or Fully Managed.

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London’s future relies on our actions today

Our Customer First approach to sustainability

At GPE, we’re working with our customers and other stakeholders on sustainability. Not only because it’s our responsibility to play a part in creating a more sustainable city, but also because our customers want to live and work in a more climate resilient society.

We understand the importance of your sustainability ambitions and we want to work in partnership with you to ensure you achieve them.

We achieve more together and collaboration is key to delivering climate resilience!

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Sustainability content hub

Video

Social Impact Strategy

Case Study

Embracing circular thinking

May 2023

Case Study

Customer First

May 2023

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Reporting and governance

Sustainability, technology, health and wellbeing are key requirements for our customers and our focus has been on enhancing our customers’ experience, whilst future proofing our buildings for tomorrow’s working patterns.

Sustainability Performance Tables

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