BPF Spotlight Series: BPF Sustainability Committee
The work of our committees and working groups is key to the BPF's ability to be the voice of the UK property industry.
For the next instalment of our BPF Spotlight Series, we caught-up with Assistant Director Rob Wall, who is secretariat of our Sustainability Committee. Here’s what he had to say about the committee and its work.
❓What’s the remit of the BPF Sustainability Committee?
🗣The committee helps to shape the BPF’s policy and advocacy work on sustainability. This includes work on energy security, energy efficiency, decarbonising buildings and heat, ensuring buildings are resilient to the impact of climate change, and protecting and restoring nature.
❓Who sits on the committee and who are its key stakeholders?
🗣The committee is made up of senior sustainability leaders from across our membership, and across all asset classes, both residential and commercial. Key external stakeholders include Ministers and civil servants as well as key influencers and advisers, such as the Climate Change Committee.
❓What issues are top of the agenda for the committee at the moment?
🗣Ahead of the general election, the committee published a Carbon Manifesto that sets out our priorities when it comes to decarbonising our homes and buildings. It’s definitely worth a read!
More broadly, the committee will be pushing the new Government to provide greater policy and regulatory certainty for the sector, on issues ranging from EPC reform to the regulation of embodied carbon, and will also be looking to work with policymakers to explore how Government can help finance the transition to a net zero property sector. Timely, as it’s only a few months until Labour’s first budget!
❓Looking ahead to the next 6-12 months – what are the key things that the committee are looking out for?
🗣There wasn’t a huge focus on decarbonising the built environment in the run up to the general election, so looking ahead we'll be seeking clarity from the Government on its priorities.
I think we expect to see some movement on new minimum energy efficiency standards for both the domestic and non-domestic PRS. We will also be looking out for decisions on the Future Homes and Buildings Standards and on the introduction of heat network zoning.
With the establishment of GB Energy and the 'mission' to deliver a zero carbon electricity grid by 2030, we'll also be looking for more detail on how the Government plans to increase capacity and speed up grid connections, which will be crucial if we're to deliver a net zero carbon sector by 2050.
❓If the committee could implement one policy to help the sector to decarbonise, what would it be?
🗣That’s a tough one. Can I be cheeky and say that one thing that would be fantastic would be a comprehensive net zero roadmap for the sector? The industry came together a few years ago to develop one. It would be great if the Government came on board and worked with us partnership!
