Key Takeaways from the Education Estates Net Zero Conference

The conference opened with a powerful keynote that set an ambitious vision: “the UK education sector will be a world leader in sustainability and climate change by 2030”. A bold vision which looks to tackle not only Net Zero Carbon in Operation (NZCIO) but wider issues including biodiversity, biophilic design, user comfort, heat decarbonisation, embodied carbon, climate resilience, material lifecycle and reuse.

Throughout the day, attendees were immersed in a variety of discussions and panels that delved into the pathways to Net Zero. Key topics included funding the journey to decarbonisation, the role data plays in making informed investment decisions, and the holistic approach to sustainable building and landscape design.

The discussion echoed our ethos at Pick Everard, highlighting the importance of integrating sustainability into every aspect of educational infrastructure, from the materials used in construction to the overall design that promotes environmental wellbeing and user comfort.

Commenting on his learnings, Kieran said: “The aspiration for and benefits of energy awareness and reduction are still at the forefront of thinking, but navigating the wider issues and ensuring an all-encompassing view of sustainability needs to be prioritised. Rather than only focusing on ‘Net Zero Carbon’, what’s needed is a full understanding of current estate performance, a vision for holistic objectives and a defined roadmap to meet all sustainability aspirations.”

Key takeaways

Upon reflection Kieran had three key take-aways which were built upon the Director of Education Estates and Net Zero, Department for Education, Jonathan Dewsbury’s talk on the resilient education estate.

Inspire – clients need a clear and ambitious vision to drive sustainability objectives and embed this vision into their culture to drive positive change.

Plan – clients need to engage with the industry, we need to collaborate, test and innovate to carefully plan a holistic sustainability roadmap.

Act – clients need to act now! You don’t need to solve everything in one go, small and meaningful changes can have the biggest impact i.e. understanding energy use, changing user behaviours, or upgrading lighting and equipment.

At Pick Everard, we’re committed to delivering more with less on the journey to Net Zero carbon.

Our dedicated sustainability specialists work closely with our clients, design teams, engineers and consultants to advise and deliver energy efficient, holistic sustainable designs from the outset of every project.

To discuss your sustainability vision or Net Zero roadmap, don’t hesitate to contact us today.