Lendlease has called for more collaboration within the construction industry on measures to improve sustainability
The developer has been named the UK’s most sustainable housebuilder in the NextGeneration Sustainability Benchmark and is calling for more collaboration within the construction industry.
Lendlease has also recently become the first company in the construction sector to become a member of ResponsibleSteel.
Steel production is responsible for the largest percentage of emissions across industrial sectors and contributes around 7% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. Supporting the development of a ResponsibleSteel standard will allow the firm to accelerate the evolution of the steel industry and help address climate change.
Justin Davies, head of residential at Lendlease Europe, said: “Topping the benchmark again is really encouraging and testament to the hard work of everyone at Lendlease.
“As an industry, we’re all doing our own bit to improve the way we build homes. But if we are going to see the changes required to meet the UK’s commitments on climate change then we are going to have to collaborate.
“There are a number of areas where industry-wide sharing and collaborating could potentially trigger major improvements, especially in areas such as reducing embodied carbon in construction materials and establishing the best pathway to a zero-carbon future.”
Encouraging collaboration will tackle issues
While other industries are making strides in digital technology and sustainability, housebuilders are at risk of falling behind. Lendlease argues that an increase in collaboration across the construction industry could speed up the search for solutions to tackle major issues like climate change.
Lendlease is currently investigating the use of battery storage as a way of reducing reliance on the national grid and optimising on-site energy efficiency. Its UK team is working with international colleagues who have experience of such technologies within their developments.
This is the fourth year that Lendlease has topped the NextGeneration sustainability benchmark. This year it was praised for its strength in delivering environmental and site management practices, delivering sustainability standards beyond UK regulation and its sustainable approach to design and placemaking.
The company suggests one of the reasons for its sustainability success is the accountability of its employees to include sustainability in their planning. Every member of the senior team is required to report their sustainability performance, making it a focal point for the business.
Lendlease reviews its minimum sustainability standards each year and has committed to annually report to the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). It also actively supports the UK Green Building Council’s mission to transform the sustainability of the built environment, and has signed up to the Better Building Partnership’s Net Zero Carbon roadmap.
