Achieving net zero carbon emissions is a major component of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies in the commercial real estate sector, driven by a growing expectation from businesses, their customers and ultimately the public, to respond to the effects of climate change.

Yet improving the energy performance of offices is challenging. For the office sector to move from ambition to tangible action, there is an urgent need for robust benchmarks and verifiable data, as well as government requirements and incentives to support businesses’ ESG objectives and facilitate the transition to net zero.

This new report produced by University College London Consultants (UCLC) for the British Council for Offices (BCO), identifies the barriers that businesses are facing as they strive to drastically reduce their workplace carbon footprint and sets out some of the solutions including greener and longer leases, with office occupiers having more say over refurbishments; greater collaboration and data sharing between building owners and occupiers; submetering and the use of sensors to measure exactly where energy is used; and use of pre-fabricated, re-used and recycled materials and furniture.