Mott MacDonald - Climate change charter presented to Deputy Prime Minister Rt Hon John Prescott MP

Mott MacDonald, the global management engineering and development consultancy yesterday presented Deputy Prime Minister Rt Hon John Prescott MP with a charter detailing how business leaders in the construction and property industries will pledge to help tackle climate change. The presentation, which took place the THINK summit, a conference focusing on sustainability, regeneration and innovation in the built environment, was made by the company's Board Director, Kevin Stovell.
The charter, which was compiled following a summit organised by THINK with some of the country's leading opinion-formers and thinkers in the built environment, including Charles MacDonald, Building Strategy Manager Carbon Trust; Kevin Stovell, Board Director Mott MacDonald; and Peter Rogers, Director Stanhope plc, includes the following key points.
* To draw up SMART* targets for the reduction of carbon emissions, waste and water and to promote biodiversity.
* To develop industry-wide, consistent carbon modelling and measurement tools for existing and new buildings to achieve these targets.
* To halve the amount of construction waste taken to landfill sites every two years.
* To devise a more effective renewable energy strategy, including district-wide strategies.
* To encourage landlords and occupiers to share and publish data on buildings' energy consumption with the aim of collectively reducing emissions.
* To adopt operational energy labelling certificates on all buildings.
* For landlords to adopt a new code on leases, which discourages reinstatement of property to their original state.
* Promote use of whole lifecycle analysis, including embedded and operational carbon emissions.
* Every building to have a master off-switch.
* To encourage adoption across the construction and property industry of the May Day commitment to action.
Says Stovell: "As a responsible corporate citizen, employer and consultant, Mott MacDonald takes sustainability very seriously and has integrated sustainable practice into its culture through values,
projects and practices. The industry made a significant step today and pledged to encourage the adoption across construction and property industries of this May Day commitment to action."

Email: Alison.Johnston@mottmac.com