SRL started work on the Brighton 3Ts project in 2009 and supported the design development from the early stages. We remained part of the design team through various cost reviews and business case submissions until the eventual approval was obtained for design completion and start on site. Working with an experience and educated team, SRL’s brief included a regular site presence and construction design support service, and successful, acoustic commissioning tests to enable handover. The project included a trauma helipad on the roof of an existing building; the noise and vibration impact on the sensitive patients within the buildings was a complex and challenging piece of acoustic consultancy as it had never been assessed before. Although the design team companies have remained consistent, our healthcare lead Richard Budd is one of the only design team personnel to have been involved since the 2009 start. Many years of hard work prior to that by the wider team make this a particularly satisfying project to see finished and open. We wish the staff at The Louisa Martindale Building at the Royal Sussex County Hospital the best of luck in providing the next generation of healthcare to the people of Brighton and the surrounding areas. And in case you’re wondering about the project name of 3Ts, it stands for Trauma, Teaching, and Tertiary Care.
Developing a Carbon Reduction Plan: The 4 Key Stages
On 20 April 2021, the Government announced the sixth Carbon Budget, setting into law the climate change target to reduce emissions by 78% compared to 1990 levels by 2035. Shortly after, the UK Government published “Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener” in October 2021 which outlines the policies and proposals for decarbonising all sectors of the UK economy to meet our pledge to reduce our greenhouse-gas emissions to net zero by 2050.
Legislation and policy changes are putting pressure on both large and small companies to be greener and more sustainable, to improve their green credentials and meet national net-zero targets. Societal pressure is also building as many people now expect businesses to reduce their carbon emissions and become net zero as part of their corporate social responsibility. Therefore, it’s a good idea to stay ahead and start developing your own carbon reduction strategy; putting a formal Carbon Reduction Plan in place now will help to future-proof your business.
If you are ready to commit to net-zero carbon, but are unsure where to start, we can help. Our environmental team has multi-disciplinary expertise, and we are ready to work in partnership with you to determine your current carbon emissions, set transparent reduction targets and develop your net-zero roadmap.
- Define your Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions
Establishing your Scope 1, 2 and 3 business emissions will determine your current carbon footprint and is the best way to identify the carbon hotspots throughout your company.
Scope 1 emissions are direct and include those emitted from sources that a company owns, such as fuel in fleet vehicles. Scope 2 emissions are emitted indirectly by a company through purchasing energy to consume, such as electricity. Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that are not emitted by the company itself, or from assets the company owns, such as business travel in an employee’s own car.
This initial stage will form your baseline emissions footprint and inform the next steps. Our team can help you identify your direct and indirect business emissions to understand your current climate impact and quantify your baseline carbon footprint. (Source Ecochain, 2023)
- Set emission reduction targets
Setting science-based targets will ensure your emission reduction targets are robust. Targets should also be realistic to encourage any company-led policies, put in place to achieve these targets, to be viewed positively by your stakeholders. Ideally, they will address the carbon hotspots identified in stage one.
Our team can provide trusted and realistic advice to help you set your own carbon reduction targets.
- Implement carbon reduction initiatives
You will need to ensure that carbon reduction initiatives are implemented to achieve your emission reduction targets. We can provide support by advising you on different sustainable solutions that can be implemented and guiding you through the process of making these improvements. This will improve your carbon footprint and add value to your business.
- Communicate and evaluate progress
It’s important that your Carbon Reduction Plan is communicated to your stakeholders and publicly available for others to review.
Your Plan should be reviewed on an annual basis to incorporate any changes to your baseline emissions, report carbon emissions for the current year and report progress against your emissions reduction targets and initiatives. We can support you when it comes to undertaking this progress evaluation.