Carbon Zero action: IWFM signs up to CIC plan for professional institutions

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 ‘Collaboration is critical to achieving successful outcomes within sustainability; if we work in isolation, we will fail - it is as simple as that.

Sustainability has long been a focus for workplace and facilities management professionals and the task is becoming more urgent as organisations grapple with the challenge of achieving net zero whilst redoubling efforts to build a better future. IWFM will work to ensure the facilities profession plays the fullest part in this joint effort to protect our climate.’

This is what CEO Linda Hausmanis had to say as IWFM signs the Construction Industry Council’s (CIC) ‘Carbon Zero’ Climate Action Plan, published last week, and in so doing pledges to update and publish its climate action implementation programme prior to COP26.

The Carbon Zero Plan initiative, chaired by Stephen Hodder MBE, is a concerted effort by a diverse group of professional institutions and organisations in the construction and property industries, covering both the natural and built environments, convened by CIC.

It builds on last year’s CIC Climate Change and Biodiversity pledge which was also signed by IWFM. To continue our obligations from early 2020, IWFM will update its existing Sustainability Action Plan, which was developed with support of its Sustainability SIG.

The actions in the Carbon Zero plan will prepare natural and built environments, and the professionals who manage them, for making the long-discussed transition to becoming effective and digitally enabled, able to deliver on the challenges and obligations ahead.

Emphasising the plan’s importance, Stephen Hodder MBE said:

‘The institutional action plan represents a significant shift in establishing measurable deliverables that built environment professionals are to meet in delivering net zero within the construction industry.

‘The actions by themselves are not sufficient for the scale of the challenge, but they are essential…There is no time to lose, and this unprecedented institutional alliance will bring collective skills, knowledge and influence in support of the necessary changes critical to the decarbonisation of the construction industry. The support has been overwhelming and I would like to thank everyone who has been contributory to it.’

The plan considers ten different areas of work that focus on all interests within CIC. IWFM has nominated representatives in four different workstreams: Education and qualification, Operational energy and whole-life carbon, In-use performance and Competence/Ethics/Advocacy.

CIC has divided up actions to be delivered in the short, medium and long term, with outputs expected within two to three years with consolidation occurring within five years respectively. IWFMs commitment to the Carbon Zero action plan will see specific tools developed for its members to enable them to meet their own net zero challenges.

As a signatory IWFM agrees that:

• the actions listed are necessary for dealing with the challenge of climate change
• they will implement those actions appropriate to them as an institution/organisation
• they will support the other signatory institutions and organisations in delivering the remaining actions.

The Action Plan can be downloaded here.