As part of the Morgan Sindall Group, which became the first non-FTSE 350 firm ever to be featured in the Climate Disclosure Leadership Index, Lovell achieved a 39% decrease in carbon emissions between 2010 and 2017.
In response to the Paris Agreement, the group became the first UK construction company to have its targets validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative in March 2018, and has since pledged to lower Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 11% by 2025 and by 56% by 2050 respectively.
The Science Based Targets Initiative is a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and one of the We Mean Business Coalition commitments.
It showcases companies that set out science-based targets through case studies, events and media to highlight the increased innovation, reduced regulatory uncertainty, strengthened investor confidence and improved profitability and competitiveness generated as a result of establishing these targets.
Identified as ‘direct emissions’, Scopes 1 and 2 include fleet vehicles, bulk fuel used on site, gas used in offices and on site, and purchased electricity.
In an effort to make the necessary reductions, Lovell will monitor the alternative fuel market and advancements made in producing more sustainable and energy-efficient machinery.
It will also limit its reliance on generators, instead seeking to use hybrid or electric generators where possible, and has installed more environmentally-friendly cabins on site to minimise the amount of electricity used.
Furthermore, Lovell is aiming to shrink its Scope 3 emissions, which are recognised as ‘indirect emissions’, by 9% by 2025, and include water usage and waste, business travel, and transmission losses.
The developer is working alongside its suppliers to tackle Scope 3 emissions by inviting them to join it as members of the Supply Chain Sustainability School (SCSS), which holds a range of e-learning modules that help raise awareness and understanding of sustainability and its importance.
Other plans that Lovell has in place to diminish its carbon footprint include encouraging employees to utilise video conferencing, thereby lowering the need to travel, and more sustainable driving options for staff.
Steve Coleby, managing director of Lovell, said: “We are proud to be doing our bit to limit the effects that our work has on the environment, as well as contributing to the reductions set out by the Morgan Sindall Group as a whole.
“The reductions that we have reported over the course of the past decade show great promise for setting out a more sustainable future, and the plan that we have put in place will help ensure that our targets are met.”
To learn more about Science Based Targets, go to https://sciencebasedtargets.org.
