Your net zero plan

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Understand your business emissions

1) What causes emissions

Direct carbon emissions produced by the construction industry include:

energy use – for on-site machinery and lighting and heating in work buildings
transport – using vehicles which run on petrol or diesel
general waste – when it isn’t recycled and ends up at landfill sites

2) Calculate your emissions

Use a carbon calculator to work out your business’s carbon footprint. This is measured in tonnes, over a year.

3) Estimate the cost of your emissions

Once you have your carbon footprint, you can calculate how much your emissions are costing you. This will give you an idea of potential savings you can make by taking action.

4) Sign up to the SME climate commitment

Make a climate declaration to show customers you are committed to reducing emissions.

Get support

1) Support in your sector

You can get advice and guidance from the following organisations:

the UK Green Building Council (GBC) – offers sustainability advice, courses and networking for paid members
the Centre for Low Emission Construction – provides guidance on reducing emissions
Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA) – provides information on waste issues relevant to the construction industry

2) Support in your region

The following grants, schemes and loan programmes are available in the East Midlands:

Business Growth Grant gives SMEs matching grants of £2,000 to £25,000 for new products or services, premises upgrades and new equipment – must be located in Leicestershire
Choose How You Move gives SMEs up to £5,000 in matching funds to increase sustainable travel for employees – must be located in Leicestershire
DE-Carbonise gives SMEs £1,000 to £20,000 in matching funds to develop renewable energy generation and lower carbon products – must be located in Derbyshire
Energy for Business gives up to £8,000 in matching funds for improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions – must be located in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire or Leicestershire
Electric Van Experience gives SMEs a free electric van for 30 days, including the install of a charger at your business – must be located in Nottingham city
Green BELLE gives SMEs £1,000 to £10,000 in matching funds for energy efficiency upgrades – must be located in Leicestershire
Green Entrepreneurs Programme has a small grants from £10,000 to £20,000 and a large grant that starts at £100,000 – must be located in Derbyshire County
Low Carbon Workspaces gives SMEs matching grants of £1,000 to £5,000 for premises improvements that reduce emissions – must be located in Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Hertfordshire, Milton Keynes or Northamptonshire
University of Derby’s Invest to Grow programme gives grants and loans from £15,000 to £250,000 to B2B companies in the East Midlands that create jobs in different sectors, including low carbon
Workplace Travel Service Grants give SMEs up to £25,000 for travel improvements such as electric vehicle chargers, showers and bicycle parking – must be located in Nottingham city

Actions you can take right now

1) Save energy at your office and workplace

Quick, low-cost actions include:

lighting – use LED bulbs for greater efficiency
heating – put your thermostat on a timer and seal your windows for extra insulation
office equipment – try to turn off and unplug devices when they’re not being used

2) Change your energy tariff

Switch to a green energy tariff with your energy supplier. This will reduce your reliance on energy produced by fossil fuels.

3) Switch to a smart meter

This will allow you to see and control how much energy you use. Find out more

4) Manage your waste

Recycle waste to prevent it being taken to landfill sites where it takes longer to break down and causes more emissions.

Longer term actions

1) Making changes to your offices and workplace

If you are the legal owner, there are a number of long-term measures you can take to improve energy efficiency.

Check planning permission guidelines before you go ahead with any structural changes to the property.

Improving insulation and windows

You can make long-term savings on energy bills by insulating your workplace and replacing old windows.

Installing renewables

You can also make significant long-term savings by installing renewable sources of energy.

For example:

solar panels or a wind turbine for electricity
heat pumps for heating and water

2) At the construction site

Avoid using fuel-powered generators

More efficient alternatives include:

a high-capacity electricity grid connection
hybrid power generators (HPGs), which work with renewable technologies such as solar, wind, battery and biodiesel

Use sustainable materials

Many building materials contain high amounts of embodied carbon. Find out about sourcing low-carbon building materials from the Alliance for Sustainable Building Products

3) Reducing transport emissions

Over 25% of the UK’s carbon emissions are caused by transport. You can take measures to reduce the impact.

If you have employees you could introduce a cycle-to-work initiative or encourage them to take public transport.

Electric vehicles

If you use a work vehicle, you can reduce emissions by switching to an electric vehicle (EV). You would be exempt from road tax, congestion charges and parking fees in certain areas.

For easy overnight charging you could install EV chargers at your home or workplace. A government grant scheme covers up to £350 per charging point.

Learn more about reducing the impact of transport

Indirect emissions

To reduce indirect or ‘supply chain’ emissions you need to consider what happens before and after your business provides a service or makes a product.