Our planet

We are in a state of climate emergency.

11% of global carbon emissions come from the construction of buildings and 28% during the operational stage.

As architects and specialists in the built environment, we have the opportunity to make a real difference, to reduce this impact and support a more sustainable future.

Whether it’s designing new spaces or reconfiguring existing environments, there is much we can do. To have a true impact, and fulfil our purpose, we need to look at how we can best make use of our resources. When you consider that most of the existing buildings that are currently standing will still exist by 2050, building ‘new’ isn’t always the answer.

Our approach in tackling this is to review existing buildings and where possible reduce carbon emissions. When it comes to new buildings, carbon-negative must be the aim.

We do this by:

• Considering the use - and re-use - of existing buildings rather than building ‘new’ helps minimise the carbon used in new building construction.
• Looking at the amount of space that is required and if we can reduce the square footage, we will.
• Considering what materials can be used in construction and minimising the use of concrete and steel.
• Using technology to calculate the carbon in our buildings.
• Adopting ground and air sources for heating and cooling.
• Offsetting carbon using renewable technology such as photovoltaics.
• Using a “fabric first” approach for insulating buildings to minimise the use of resources.

We have made a commitment to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts, including reducing emissions to align with a 1.5°c future.