On World Environment Day, Adam Savitz, Sustainability Director, EMEALA at Johnson Controls, explains why an overhaul of the United Kingdom’s built environment is needed to reach government emissions targets by 2035.
We must once again highlight the critical need to redress the planetary imbalance – from regulatory policy through personal choices, we all play a part in making the transformative change required. And the imperative for organisations that have set net zero goals is to move very quickly from the why and the what – to the how.
Davos shone light on how government and business leaders can tackle global issues and find solutions to the world’s most urgent challenges, including climate change – but now the talking is over and the money has to flow through action. UK businesses must develop actionable and costed net zero transition plans, investing billions in reducing energy demand and increasing renewable supply. Smart building technology will be a critical component in the transition as data is so key. Today there are smart solutions which can integrate all technologies found in a building across the fire, security, controls, HVAC, and occupancy systems, increasing overall efficiency, optimising use of space and ultimately reducing emissions.
The UK government has a target to cut emissions by 78 per cent by 2035, compared with 1990 levels. This is an ambitious goal but one that we have most of the solutions available today to make happen. It will require a complete overhaul of the current built environment (much of which will still be around in 2035) but is nevertheless one journey we must all make together.
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