We are engineers and we work on the the design of building frames, building refurbishments and adaptation,
and urban infrastructure. So, our carbon footprint has two parts: the footprint associated with business operations and the footprint
associated with the projects we are appointed to design and/or construct.
We are asking ourselves what needs to happen in order for us to reach zero carbon by 2035 for both these footprints.
The graph indicates the key areas of change needed.
You can find out more about each area by scrolling down or using the orange button. The numbers on each bar relate to the numbers in the relevant pop-up.
Click on the pop-up links to see more information.
As a business, we emit carbon in the day-to-day running of our various office hubs.
Almost all office activities result in carbon emissions — using energy to run computers, lighting and facilities such as kitchens;
using office supplies; travelling to and from work or meetings and project sites.
The top part of the graph indicates our ideas for reducing carbon emissions associated with office operations.
Reaching zero emissions is also dependent on external factors, such as access renewable energy sources and to zero-carbon travel options.
Keep scrolling to see information about each line of the graph.
It means changing our business model, and we will be legally required to consider our impact on the environment.
Building frames and urban infrastructure are often intensive in embodied carbon, as carbon is released into the atmosphere
during manufacture and transportation. You can read more about embodied carbon and how it is measured on the
embodied carbon page
of our website.
Construction processes and site operations during construction are also a source of carbon emissions.
It is vital that we find ways to reduce embodied carbon and carbon emissions, and that we do it quickly.
We are pinpointing three main drivers: changing our project mix, embracing technological innovations and transforming our design process.
The bottom part of the graph expands on the three drivers of change — all three are necessary if we are to reach zero.
Keep scrolling to see information about each line of the graph.
In this graph, the potential path to zero carbon for our project work is plotted over the period 2020 to 2035.
To reflect the many variables that will impact on reaching the target, the graph is interactive.
A change in project mix, plus industry technological innovations and a transformation in our design process, will be needed to
accomplish net zero carbon. The green line on the graph indicates our carbon emissions if we were to keep our current project mix
and wait for the innovations to become available.
Use the controls below the graph to turn factors on and off and change the years in which they happen, and see how this affects the progress line.
Scroll down further to see a bar chart that illustrates the change in project mix required.
The animated bar chart illustrates the change of project mix between now and 2035.
Note that the categories shown are project types, not materials. In other words, ideally, we would be moving from predominantly
concrete frame projects to predominantly refurbishment (reuse, adaptation, hybrid structures, etc.) project types.
The annual carbon emissions are calculated based on the percentage of project types shown, which change each year until
we reach 80% refurbishment. This helps us reduce emissions before technological innovations become available.
The green line on the previous graph (above) indicates our carbon emissions if we were to keep our current project mix
(75% new-build reinforced concrete) and wait for the innovations to become available.
Missed the animation? Click reload below to rerun it.