Community of Practice - Driving Net Zero Carbon (RP1110)
Background
Achieving Net Zero Carbon (NZC) in the construction sector is a significant challenge and one which requires the need to collectively explore the issues and to collaborate to find solutions. To facilitate this, CIRIA has launched this Community of Practice which will bring together sustainability practitioners from across multiple sectors and disciplines within infrastructure to help the Government drive the pathways to NZC 2050 . The aim is to hold a series of network events and provide integrated resources within what will become a dynamic and useful forum. This new Community of Practice will examine some of the challenges related to NZC as well as be responsive to member needs and aim to catalyse work to provide guidance and embed knowledge.
Planned webinar programme:
Determining Priorities in the NZC journey - April 2021
Driving NZC through procurement
The contribution of the supply chain to achieving NZC targets is significant. However, methods to account for and incentivise carbon reduction in a consistent and quantifiable way through multiple tiers and diverse supply chains are difficult. This workshop will explore how leadership in procurement practice is being and could be used to change behaviours and ensure NZC aspirations are delivered throughout the supply chain. Contributions will be sought from multiple levels within the supply chain, from infrastructure clients, Tier1 contractors and major consultancies to specialist suppliers and procurement experts within government. Current barriers identified will be addressed in a series of webinars led by infrastructure clients.
Embedding responsibility for Scope 3 emissions in supply chains - Oct 2021
This webinar will examine how Scope 3 emissions can be more effectively accounted for within complex supply chains. Clients and Tier 1 contractors have challenging carbon targets which rely on a significant contribution from their suppliers. How can responsibility for reduction in Scope 3 emissions down supply chain be achieved? How can consistent and robust calculations of carbon reduction measures be delivered across multiple suppliers.
Incentivising carbon reduction in the tender process - Feb 2022
Construction bids are traditionally evaluated against time: cost : quality metrics. Whilst Carbon has featured explicitly, or as a subset of quality measures in the tendering process, typically environment and sustainability measures comprise only ca 10% of the overall score. This means that innovative approaches to reducing Carbon account for only minor incremental gains within bids and are dwarfed by other TCQ factors. This webinar will explore current difficulties and consider how procurement processes can be configured to encourage carbon reduction proportionately.
De-risking alternate low-carbon approaches - Spring 2022
Within the construction sector, low carbon approaches to traditional measures frequently exist but have not been widely adopted. This is often because of perceived or actual risks around using low carbon alternatives in delivery application. These include a lack of documented standards for design specification, uncertainty in the long term performance of alternatives, legal uncertainty over where liability for failure lies and expensive initial costs even with cheaper long-term whole lifecycle cost. This webinar will explore these barriers and provide examples of where they have been overcome.
Project status
This project has started and is seeking industry support and involvement.
Current funders
AECOM, BEIS, Environment Agency, National Highways, Thames Water, VolkerStevin, WSP, Zero Waste Scotland
Further information
For mote information and to get involved with this project please contact
Andy Moores at CIRIA.