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Buildings are responsible for over 50% of the UK's carbon emissions. As the UK’s second largest Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), we have an important role to play in reducing carbon emissions. We are working towards becoming carbon neutral from 2008/09.

The diagram below identifies the greenhouse gas emitting activities resulting from our operations, and outlines the boundaries of our commitment to become carbon neutral from 2008/09. Activities have been grouped in line with the Scope 1, 2 and 3 categories of the World Resource Institute’s Greenhouse Gas Protocol, according to whether they are directly produced at source or indirectly sourced, and on the level of control we have over them.

Carbon Boundary Diagram

• SCOPE 1
• SCOPE 2
• SCOPE 3

Scope 1
Direct, in control
On-site fuel use and refrigerant emissions for all British Land offices and other buildings where British Land is in control of the air conditioning/refrigeration equipment, rather than the occupier.

All emissions from company-owned vehicles.

Scope 2
Indirect, in control
Electricity use for all British Land offices and other buildings where British Land is in control of this energy use, rather than the occupier.

Scope 3
Indirect, less control
Development and refurbishment of British Land sites (raw material extraction, transport and construction related emissions).

Commuting by British Land employees (transport related emissions).

Business travel by British Land employees (transport related emissions).

Waste disposal, waste recycling and transport of waste from all British Land's properties.

Electricity and fuel use for British Land buildings, where the occupier or sub-contractor is responsible for energy use.

 

Our commitment to become carbon neutral includes emissions from all our Greenhouse Gas Protocol Scope 1 and 2 activities. It covers the emissions associated with the energy use and refrigerant losses where we have operational control, which includes from space occupied by us and our subsidiaries; the common parts of all our managed multi-let buildings; the common parts of buildings in certain property funds where we have management responsibilities; and fuel use from company owned vehicles. It excludes the operations of any joint ventures and any buildings managed for third parties where we do not have an ownership interest. We are working towards carbon neutrality by continuing to reduce energy use, increasing the use of renewable energy and finally offsetting. From 2020 we also plan to become carbon neutral across the occupier managed parts of our buildings. We are working with our occupiers to reduce energy use through initiatives such as the Broadgate and Regent's Place Environmental Working Groups.

Our Head Office team is working with regional and national organisations to reduce carbon emissions. We are a founding member of the Better Buildings Partnership which is committed to tackling climate change. Established by the London Climate Change Agency, the partnership develops commercial solutions to make building retrofit projects achievable and demonstrate the returns from improving sustainability and accelerating carbon reductions. In 2007 we were also a founding member of the UK Green Building Council which aims to bring cohesion to the UK green buildings movement and provide clear direction for the sector as a whole.

We are working towards becoming carbon neutral by:

• Continuing to reduce energy use and associated greenhouse gas emissions: for instance installing motion, time and light sensors for lighting in our properties and including energy efficient technologies in our developments such as systems to recover and re-use waste heat generated by IT equipment, lights, and by our occupiers.
• Increasing the use of renewable energy: for instance installing wind turbines and photovoltaic panels at our properties and developments and sourcing green power from the National Grid.

We have set some challenging targets for 2008/09 to significantly reduce our carbon emissions.

From 2008/09 offsetting will deliver a financial incentive to reduce energy use and provide a benchmark cost against which carbon reduction initiatives can be measured.

Corporate social responsibility is a growth area which will continue to evolve, particularly in shopping centres and new developments. More joint initiatives between occupiers and British Land would help.

Retailer feedback 2007 survey