Chair: Kat Ibbotson - Programme carbon and cost manager – Environment Agency
The net-zero challenge, in all its scale and complexity, requires a cross-industry response with collaboration at its heart. An open approach to carbon reporting will hasten industry transformation and bolster collaborative efforts. The whole value chain – including asset owner/managers, designers, constructors and product/material suppliers – should be able to contribute to and benefit from these developments.
Consideration of carbon impacts covering capital, operational and user GHG emissions will allow management of carbon within both the control and influence of infrastructure. Taking a whole-life approach will maximise opportunities for joint carbon and cost reductions. The scope of capital carbon impact considerations will need to include materials, products, design solutions and construction techniques.
Measuring and monitoring is important because if we do not monitor and measure, we will not know if our interventions are delivering the desired change, or if we are focusing our intervention effort in the most important, impactful areas. Consideration of carbon impacts - and understanding these impacts within the context of the Paris Agreement - will allow the value chain to better understand the impact and value of the project. This can have a motivational effect and link in with a broader appraisal of project outcomes, for example based on the UN SDGs.
Sharing is important because it helps engagement and enables benchmarking. Benchmarking and having sound data in the public domain changes attitudes and priorities.