TSP: How to create your most sustainable office ever

By Zac Goodman

Charity • Thoughts

17^th February 21

It’s amazing how the last two years have changed our clients’ mindset. We’ve seen the sustainable office change from being a ‘nice to have’ to a ‘HAVE to have’ on clients wish lists. It’s a remarkable change in behaviour; now we’re more likely to be asked about carbon offsetting and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s), than service charge budgets and dilapidations.

This is a welcome change in mindset, but sustainability is not a novel concept for the third sector. Charities have acted as pioneers in this space for a long time, and by virtue are sustainably minded; being driving by purpose, not profit.

At TSP, we are fortunate to work with some world-renowned charities, including Friends of Earth, Trees for Cities, and ClientEarth, who are all on a mission to protect our planet. By working with their inspirational teams, we have learnt why sustainability is so important, and why we need to act now.

HOTTEST YEAR ON RECORD_

Sustainability is not a fad, nor is it just for environmental charities and hippies; it’s a responsibility for all companies, regardless of size or sector. 2020 was the joint hottest year on record, and with the built environment contributing to nearly 40% of the UK’s carbon emissions, there is a lot of work to be done.

While going green may be on your to-do list, what actions can you take to make this green dream an office reality?

WHAT YOU CAN DO_

Bloomberg famously built the UK’s most sustainable office in London in 2017. The catch? It cost £1.3 billion. Not ideal or realistic, we agree.

For a more charity-friendly budget, we suggest starting with a few simple steps:

Adapt policies: to encourage employees to take public transport, cycle to work and recycle in the office. This handy checklist is a great place to get started.
Environmental accreditations: Is your building a ‘Bloomberg’ or just bloomin’ awful? It’s illegal for landlords to lease a building with an EPC score of F or G, and with the government committed to raising minimum standards, it’s important to know if your building is future-proofed or heading for failure. Find out more about the changes coming to EPC regulation here.
Offsetting: It’s only part of the solution, but there is increasing transparency and accountability in the sector. At TSP, we are carbon-neutral, and we like to keep Ecologi in our sustainable toolbox. Find out more about how TSP became carbon neutral here.
Measuring consumption: Is your AC running in an empty office? Are laptops switched on all night long? At TSP, we install smart devices for our clients. Monitoring your energy consumption will let you spot the trends, adjust course, and ultimately save money. Do you know who your energy supplier is? It might also be time to change to a sustainable provider.

Start small – something is better than nothing. Most measures are cheap and effective, you don’t need millions to make a big impact.

RESOURCES_

Keen to learn more about TSP’s approach to property management or want to learn more about the key trends impacting offices? We hope these resources will be of help.

5 services your Property Manager must offer in 2021_

Helping ClientEarth find their most sustainable office space yet

Carbon Neutral – how and why TSP went net-zero in 2020.

The Green Checklist – affordable ways to make your office green.