60 seconds with...Simon Sturgis and Gareth Roberts, Sturgis Carbon Profiling

Simon Sturgis

We spent 60 seconds with Simon Sturgis, Managing Director, and Gareth Roberts, Partner at Sturgis Carbon Profiling, members of our Environmental Sustainbility Group (ESG) and contributors to the recently published BCO On-site Renewables report. 

The On-Site Renewables report is a follow up to the BCO's 2007 report on the Greater London Assembly's (GLA's) target for acheiving emissions reductions through on-site renewables from 10% to 20% of a building's regulated energy demand.

Whilst investigating our original concerns that the policy would not be effective, the research also offers an insight into:

• the implications of using on-site renewables
• identifying the factors driving performance
• the potential to cut costs and increase environmental benefits from reduced emissions in the future.

Gareth Roberts

What led to the On-site Renewables report being commissioned?
Previous to this report no quantitative work has ever been undertaken examining the actual costs and benefits of on-site micro-generation in the UK and Sturgis Carbon Profiling felt that given the large amounts of money being spent on this it was worth trying to understand if value to environment and developers was being achieved.

What do you think the commercial property industry can learn most from this report? 
That you need to think holistically about carbon emissions to achieve accurate, comprehensive results. That Government and Local Authorities when developing policies to promote carbon reduction need also to look at the indirect losses that take place before considering if a policy is effective.

Are there any findings in the report that surprised you?
The aggregate scale of the inefficiency of the use of renewables in London Offices is quite staggering, in that for every £10 spent by developers and taxpayers to provide benefit to the environment through micro-generation less than £1 is actually being delivered.

Where should we be looking to for best practice at present? 
Us!

Who/what most inspires you in the world of commercial property? 
Anyone who is thinking ahead and looking to a more efficient future in office design.

What couldn’t you live without in your daily routine?
Simon - Lunch
Gareth - Coffee

Join Simon and Gareth on Thursday 7 February 2013 for the BCO ESG Breakfast, where they will be discussing and debating the findings of the On-site Renewables report with a response from Celeste Giusti from the London Plan Team at GLA. Click here to find out more and book your place.