We are driving positive change in the built environment’s response to the climate emergency and net zero carbon commitments - but we can’t do this alone.

Sustainability

The built environment has a critical role to play in reducing greenhouse gases and tackling the climate and biodiversity emergencies we face. We cannot do this without changing the fundamentals of what we do and the responsibility that everyone working within our sector must take.

38% of global energy related greenhouse gases are attributed to the built environment

We are utilising our position as a leading consultancy to drive change through working with our peers in the construction industry, our clients and our colleagues, partners and suppliers. Sustainability principles are firmly embedded in the work and culture of Pick Everard. We have a dedicated network of over 30 Sustainability Champions who support the practice, helping everyone in the team understand that we are in a position of influence that can have a far-reaching impact.

“It is our professional and moral responsibility to do what we can to both mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change. It is about the construction and operation life cycle. For me, sustainability is a way of being and a way of acting.” - Dr Jose Hernandez, Head of Sustainability and Energy

Download our Carbon Reduction Plan

Pick Everard has committed to achieving net zero carbon. We want to maintain the carbon reduction levels achieved during the Covid-19 pandemic but will also account for the ‘working-from-home’ carbon emissions. Our carbon reduction plan detailing how we will achieve this can be found here. We will continue to provide updates on our journey.

We are committed to fully playing our part in tackling the climate emergency; through the actions laid out in the plan, through our investment in sustainable initiatives, and through demonstration of our intent with the signing of the Construction Declares Climate and Biodiversity Emergency, the RIBA 2030 Challenge and the Better Buildings Partnership Design for Performance. Where we are not directly responsible, we will work with and influence decisions made by others.

Our commitments

At Pick Everard, we help our clients do more with less, creating a built environment that leaves positive, lasting legacies.

Deliver better together

We actively seek alliances and partnerships able to bring our clients a wealth of knowledge and experience across industry.
Making early, informed decisions

Once commissioned, our first priority is to agree a clear and future proofed brief for sustainable outcomes, to minimise client risks and cost.
Investing for whole life value

We prioritise whole life value as much as capital cost, ensuring our work considers opportunities for buildings, infrastructure, and environments at each delivery phase - right through to end of life.
Planning for the future

We use evidence based information to understand ‘directions of travel’ that will increasingly influence the built environment, and the way we deliver our design and management services.
Innovating for impact

We work with our clients to pilot innovation, test success, and rapidly upscale; in this, we impart positive effects on our whole industry. We drive changes locally and use them as springboards to achieving benefits regionally and nationally.
Fostering a just transition

We support sustainable transitions that consider the impacts on individuals, communities, and value chains; we shape a lower-impact, more resilient future that is fair and inclusive for all stakeholders.
Creating net zero futures

We recognise the need to careful define and manage energy use in the built environment and support clients in achieving net zero (or net zero ready) schemes through energy-efficient design, renewable solutions, and verified carbon offsetting practices.
Assessing and responding to a changing climate

We address both physical and transitional risks in our work, ensuring assets can adapt to the future climates, changes to policy and regulation, and evolving social needs.
Striving for a circular economy

We support the shift to a circular economy by eliminating waste, selecting regenerative resources, and designing outcomes that keep materials in high-value use across multiple lifecycles.
Taking a human-centric approach

Pick Everard takes a human-centric approach, designing for health, wellbeing, and neurodiversity to create inclusive, equitable environments that deliver positive experiences and outcomes for all.
Enhancing and providing access to nature

We protect and enhance green and blue spaces, recognising their vital role in biodiversity, climate resilience, and human health and wellbeing.
Measuring and celebrating successes

Pick Everard is committed to delivering measurable and meaningful outcomes for clients, communities, and the environment by setting clear strategies, targets, and accountability. We value both data and stories in celebrating shared success.

What we're doing to get to net zero

Construction Declares

Hybrid working

Staff engagement

Pick Everard supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Construction Declares 'Climate and Biodiversity Emergency' Declarations (CaBED). As a reflection of the wide range of services we provide, we were the first UK practice to support the CaBED declarations for Architects, Building Services Engineers, Civil and Structural Engineers, Landscape Architects and Project Managers.

Our carbon footprint has reduced by about two-thirds due to the transition to hybrid working from home and office. We are working to ensure we retain as much as we can from those savings and for completeness and transparency, we are including the impact of associated energy use increase due to working from home in our calculations.

We have a network of 30+ Sustainability Champions across all our Design, Management and Group Services, meeting monthly to drive forward improvements to the sustainability delivery of our projects and as an organisation as well. We also have an internal forum to propose, discuss, suggest or recommend actions and opportunities to live a more sustainable life, in our personal and professional lives.

Discover more from our sustainability and energy team