Climate change and carbon
We are committed to helping our clients create buildings that operate in a carbon-neutral manner while decarbonising ISG’s operations by removing or avoiding more carbon than we emit by 2028. We have established our carbon reduction targets using a science-based target methodology and aim to exceed these, while working collaboratively with our clients, consultant teams and supply chain to innovate and implement lower carbon construction practices.
What is Net Zero?
Net Zero Carbon is all about driving down total and absolute carbon emissions to the bare-minimum, and then offsetting that last little bit. The key focus is driving down emissions as much as possible.
At ISG we look at it in three elements:
- Embodied Carbon – looking at the carbon associated with for example the manufacturing and transportation of the materials and products we use through the construction phase and in our services
- Construction Carbon – this is the biggest area of influence we have, and one where we deliver construction using the right techniques and tools to reduce carbon – from plant and machinery, to how materials are transported to site, to how sites are powered.
- Operational Carbon – there are two ways to look at this. The first as ISG and what we use to operate as a business, whether through our offices or sites. Secondly, the operational carbon used by our clients – we deliver construction and buildings, but there is the operational carbon of that building in use to consider, as well as how we can support our clients to ensure their buildings perform as designed.
Our targets
Our climate change and carbon policy commits us to decarbonising ISG’s operations by removing or avoiding more carbon than we emit by 2028. It also introduces an internal carbon fund from 2025 that can be used to fund sustainable innovation projects across our business:
Decarbonise by removing more carbon than we emit by 2028
Internal Carbon Fund by 2025
We are committed to:
- Decarbonising ISG’s operations by removing or avoiding more carbon than we emit by 2028.
- Developing and introducing an internal carbon fund implemented from 2025 onwards.
- Utilising money raised through our internal fund to invest in the research and development (R&D) of low-carbon technologies and methods of construction.
- Collaborating with our supply chain and innovative organisations to support the uptake of new low-carbon technologies in the construction industry.
- Developing a strategy to measure and reduce embodied carbon through the projects we deliver.
- An aftercare service as part of our Performing Places offer to support our clients in operating their assets in line with the original design intent.
- Developing and delivering carbon literacy training to all ISG employees, thereby working to integrate carbon reduction into the decision-making processes of our workforce.
- Utilising our experience to influence and support our clients in delivering a net zero carbon-built environment, striving for earlier engagement in order to maximise the opportunities to reduce embodied, construction and operational carbon.
- Identifying and ensuring compliance with relevant low-carbon planning requirements at national, regional and city level, and influencing industry.
Download our full climate change and carbon policy here
ISG's research and insight report 'Sustainable Buildings Monitor: Redefining Value'
Establishing a purpose-driven way to measure the true value of property.
Sustainable Buildings Monitor: Charting a net zero legacy
Our previous research and insight report provides data on the regional variations in the emissions produced by the operation of commercial buildings across the UK.
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