Taylor wessing - sustainability
in the news
We hope the following news articles are of interest. If you are a journalist and would like to discuss the issues raised in any of these articles, please contact Sarah Keltie from the Taylor Wessing Press Office on +44 (0)20 7300 7000 or our PR Agency, Spada, on +44 (0)20 7269 1430.
Now in their second year, the awards celebrate leading businesses and individuals from across the green economy and highlight how these pioneers are leading the way for others to follow - read more.
The list was collated from nominations received by a variety of sustainability experts and construction heavyweights, who were asked for their suggestions of who they believed to be the sustainable leaders of the future - read more.
The first CRC reporting deadline is rapidly approaching and there are substantial penalties for non-compliance - read more.
The British Council for Offices has published the new edition of their long awaited guide: "Good Practice in the Selection of Construction Materials 2011". The key changes in the 2011 Guide include - read more.
On Wednesday 23 March the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, delivered the Coalition Government's first full Budget. In a challenging economic climate the key aim of the Budget is economic growth and development - read more.
Exactly one year after coming into force, the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme will be amended. These initial amendments form part of the broader simplification review promised by the coalition Government in November 2010 - read more.
Taylor Wessing is celebrating after winning the Sustainability Reporting category at the prestigious MPF European Practice Management Awards. The firm was recognised for putting sustainability at the centre of the business and for successfully communicating its commitment to reducing its environmental impact to audiences inside and outside the firm. Read more
Even before the expiry of the first registration period for the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRC) on 30 September 2010 there were murmurings of discontent about the complexity of the scheme. In one brief paragraph the Government has fundamentally altered the way in which the scheme is supposed to operate - read more.
Construction and sustainability experts give their views on how Stormsaver should build on its existing success with its niche rainwater harvesting product - click here
Survey of 7,000 property professionals show three-quarters doubt feasibility of green plans - click here
What is evident from the report and the appendices (an excellent overviews of standards, organisations and timelines) is the fragmented sustainability agenda and as the report correctly states, A common 'currency' of widely understood and adopted practices, frameworks, measures and linguistic terms is required to inform future debate - click here
The government's current environmental targets, it seems, just don't hold water with the construction industry - click here
When compared to the 2009 report, importance dipped only marginally by 3%, a sign of durable commitment in the face of a severe recession - click here
Some three-fourths of the British development industry don’t believe the government’s zero-carbon goal for the sector is realistic. The survey questioned more than 7,000 individuals in the industry, the largest-ever such poll - click here
However, it also confirms there is still widespread support for tighter green building regulations - click here
However, it reported that… there was strong evidence of a move towards Green Agreements, especially the non-binding versions - click here
The industry acknowledges that it is not communicating well with regards to sustainability. Only a minority of respondents say they are communicating sustainability performance ‘quite well' click here
The report… also revealed that the sector is struggling to settle upon a standardised means of measuring a building’s environmental performance - click here
The findings of the survey demonstrate the strength of feeling among respondents that regulation is most likely to drive progress in future, highlighting the need for closer industry-Government collaboration - click here
Contractors are among the biggest doubters click here
Despite difficult economic conditions, the survey finds the importance accorded to sustainability has held steady during the recession and highlights the increasing prevalence of green agreements - click here
Government will need to work with all sectors to understand fragmented views and identify why certain sectors feel the targets are more achievable than others - click here
With over 7,000 individuals surveyed, the report is believed to be by far the most comprehensive survey to date of the development industry’s sentiment towards – and preparedness for – sustainability and carbon reduction - click here
The report was the subject of a feature story in the Estates Gazette. You can read the piece on page 49 of the magazine and a virtual copy can be accessed here
The judges, chaired by Liz Peace, Chief Executive, British Property Federation, made the following comments: This was a high quality document presenting excellent statistical data. The report received considerable media coverage and firmly positions Taylor Wessing as a leader in the field of sustainability. Taylor Wessing's PR agency Spada managed to use the green agenda to spectacularly good effect and in doing so propelled their clients into the limelight as a key player in this important and well populated area. As a piece of research based marketing this was superb.
For more details, click here
Research has revealed that there is still an appetite in the industry for green solutions - click here
Those in the development sector have yet to come to a consensus on what “sustainability” means - click here
Building contracts to include provisions to encourage contractors to work more closely with developers to make
projects greener - click here
Helen Garthwaite, Head of Construction and Engineering at European law firm Taylor Wessing
reports for Estates Review about the possibility of environmental benefits of the recession - click here
With construction output plummeting and cutting costs at the forefront of everyone's mind, can sustainability
survive the recession? - click here
‘Sustainable development’, once merely the buzzword of politicians and professors, now… has the potential to
become an idea that shapes our future - click here
Commercial tenants are already willing to pay higher rents for buildings with high sustainability credentials - click here
Companies would be willing to pay more rent for a more sustainable building because of increase
public – and employee – pressure to be ‘green’ - click here
The word "sustainability" is, itself, problematic, as there is lack of an industry-wide consensus
on what the term actually means - click here
The economic downturn is an opportunity for industry leaders to boost their green credentials - click here
It has been a tough time for the UK construction and development industry as the recession has
taken hold - but European lawyers may have some good news for the industry - click here
Businesses will be willing to pay more for buildings which feature renewable energy - click here
There is now a wide industry consensus that developers investing in greener commercial buildings
could generate higher returns by charging premium rents - click here
Almost 90 per cent of survey respondents said that corporate tenants would be willing to pay more
to secure a sustainable building - click here
Financial incentives will be the key to unlocking true behavioural change amongst all sectors of
the development industry - click here
Low carbon building development could be encouraged by the economic downturn as tenants are
willing to pay more in rent to secure environmentally friendy buildings - click here
Renewable energy in the form of photovoltaic panels, combined heating and cooling, and wind turbines
is expected to feature heavily in the building development sector, a new report reveals - click here
The current economic climate could actually drive sustainable projects because tenants will be willing
to pay higher rents in order to secure them - click here
A third of firms expect to become responsible for renewable energy generation - click here
The UK’s economic crisis could potentially act as a spur towards the development of sustainable
buildings, according to a new report published by international law firm Taylor Wessing - click here
Tenants would be willing to pay higher rents for more environmentally friendly buildings - click here
Investment in green collar jobs has been tipped as a potential way to stave off the recession as politicians
pour money into the sector. Helen Garthwaite from Taylor Wessing has the details - click here
A new report asserts that tougher economic conditions could in fact encourage businesses to seek out or build
more energy efficient schemes - click here
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