Berkeley Group has announced a commitment to become the UK’s first carbon positive major housebuilder.
Over the next two years the firm will aim to reduce its carbon emissions by 10% per person and determine an “internal carbon price”, using the funds it generates to offset more carbon than it produces.
As part of its goal, Rob Perrins, Berkeley’s md, explained that the business would encourage the use of green energy tariffs, and invest in renewable energy or the retrofitting of existing homes as two examples of reducing or eliminating emissions from elsewhere to “go beyond offsetting our remaining emissions”.
Perrins said: “We are committing to becoming the UK’s first carbon positive listed housebuilder. The climate change negotiations in Paris made it very clear that business has to lead on this issue. There is a strong commercial case for making a business more lean, green and accountable. And in my opinion it’s simply the right thing to do.”
Berkeley’s announcement comes as it reveals the next stage of Our Vision, its long term business strategy. It has formulated ten new commitments to drive the business forward within all of its brands including Berkeley, St James, St Edward, St George and St William.
Its aims within the next two years include having 1,500 people in the business undertaking an apprenticeship or vocational training, introducing a strategy to deliver a net biodiversity gain across its sites, and trialling Smart Home technology to ensure places are “better connected”.
