Sustainability & ESG
Sustainability & ESG
Climate change through planetary warming is one of the most serious challenges facing our world today.
At CPW we are all too aware that the construction and operation of buildings is contributing to the ‘greenhouse effect’. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Our dedicated team are passionate about tackling climate change and building a better, healthier and more sustainable future for all. With every building we design, we aim to minimise the carbon emissions and environmental impact.
Early engagement of the team is essential to understand our clients’ evolving needs and aspirations to ensure that key
Sustainability and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles are embedded into the project from the outset, with practical routes to delivering net zero carbon.
Through creativity and care we promote sustainable consumption throughout the life-cycle of all our buildings. We will harness the very best emerging technologies and ideas in conjunction with our detailed engineering proficiency to deliver this vision and create buildings of genuine quality and longevity.
CPW are proud to develop net zero carbon pathways for our clients, while also helping meet ESG goals and create spaces that people enjoy spending time in.
Net Zero Carbon & Decarbonisation
Delivering practical routes to Net Zero Carbon is fundamental to sustainability and we take pride in our ability to offer clients pathways to achieve this, regardless of building type, scale or complexity.
Our approach draws on years of experience to guide clients through a tailored journey to net zero carbon in a seamless manner, and our professional services include a range of whole life cycle assessment and circular economy reports in line with the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard, as well as full decarbonisation plans and support with funding applications.
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
Our team can help you develop ESG targets that best suit the unique needs of your project or organisation. We will work with you to set pathways to achieve these targets, defining practical strategies to ensure ESG is embedded within your operations and aligns with your route to net zero.
We want to provide you with effective and actionable plans that ensure your efforts are visible, impactful and transparent.
Whole Life & Embodied Carbon
At CPW we can support in reducing the whole life carbon of your building, from cradle-to-cradle, considering the emissions produced from manufacture to disposal.
We can advise on reducing operational carbon through proficient envelope design and effective use of demand-driven, smart services. The team are also able to consider the embodied carbon that might have previously been overlooked, set appropriate benchmarks and compare alternative solutions.
Circular Economy
Moving to a circular economy is imperative to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss. At CPW, we can help you:
Design out waste and pollution
Keep products and materials in use
Report against numerical targets that will facilitate monitoring of waste and recycling
Recognise opportunities to benefit from greater efficiencies that can help save resources, material and money
Building Compliance
Our team of specialist assessors have been deploying Environmental Rating Tools to evaluate the sustainability credentials of building projects for the last 20 years.
We have assessors trained in:
BREEAM
Passivhaus
SKA
LEED
DREAM
Home Quality Mark (HQM)
NABERS
WELL
Fitwel
EnerPHit
Sustainability coordination and monitoring is an important role in the delivery of all types of construction projects, ensuring that they stay on track. Essential in this role is the ability to demonstrate knowledge of the key components and characteristics of embodied carbon, operational energy and whole life cycle carbon performance, as well as the design decisions that affect performance. This is done by facilitating collaboration, coordinating design activities and reporting.
At CPW, we have been early adopters of the NHS Net Zero Carbon Coordinator role and perform a wide range of sustainability advisory roles across all sectors.
Sustainability Advisor & Coordinator
Carbon Offsetting & Carbon Insetting
We encourage a strategic blend of both carbon offsetting and insetting to reduce overall carbon emissions, custom-tailored to the unique needs of each project. Our team can work with you to find a holistic solution that tackles direct and indirect emissions, improving the practices of the supply chain and benefitting the world around us.
Buildings can be designed to improve air, water and light quality – as well as promote movement, keep people connected, inspire the best work and aid in a good night’s sleep. We can help you integrate health and wellbeing initiatives into your design that result in improved productivity, increased morale, reduced sick days and better staff retention.
Our team have extensive experience in health and wellbeing standards, including Fitwel and WELL assessments, and can advise you on the best options for your development.
Health & Wellbeing
Water Neutrality
Whether you are looking to implement rainwater harvesting, want to consider a greywater system or simply need to meet a local council water neutrality requirement, we can support you.
Our expert team can:
Forecast your development’s water demand
Explore options for demand reduction
Model your development’s water footprint and achievable demand reductions
Report clear actionable next steps to water neutrality
Featured project
CPW’s MEP and Passivhaus designers formed the team responsible for delivering the University of Leicester’s pioneering new £42m facility for their College of Medicine, as well as accommodation for their Biological Sciences and Psychology departments.
The building is home to over 2,350 students and staff. The contemporary development provides 12,000m² of teaching rooms, offices, cutting-edge dry laboratory research facilities and support spaces to set a new benchmark for scientific study in the UK. It is currently the UK’s largest Passivhaus building, leading the standard for sustainable building design.
Frequently asked questions
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Sustainable engineering means building with sustainability at the heart of every design. It incorporates practices, processes and products needed to protect the environment, natural resources and human health. This includes considering the long-term impact of a project and aspects such as building physics, net zero carbon design, materials, technology, energy sources and lighting.
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A sustainable building refers to the way in which it is built, the building materials themselves and the impact on the environment. Eco-friendly development is one that is socially, economically and environmentally sustainable in all its components and will positively impact its surroundings throughout its life cycle. It will consider the carbon emissions from transportation, manufacturing, construction and demolition (embodied carbon) as well as the emissions when in use (operational carbon).
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A circular economy is one that optimises resource consumption and seeks to eliminate waste. Products and materials are kept in circulation through maintenance, reuse, refurbishment and recycling. In order for the built environment to reduce its impact on the natural world, we must reduce our emissions and waste by designing buildings for longevity, flexibility and recoverability.