The Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2017 require an assessment of Climate Change, which is determined by quantifying the baseline Greenhouse Gas emissions associated with the life cycle of new development. This baseline is used to assess the potential impacts, associated with development and identify mitigation measures that can be incorporated into the project design. The assessment process requires a close working cooperation with project developers, designers and environmental specialists including air quality specialists, soil scientists, hydrologists and ecologists, that form an integral part of Wardell Armstrong’s multi-disciplinary expertise.
Greenhouse Gas assessments are also required to benchmark a company, local authority or project specific processes that can be directly attributed to an activity of the organisation. Greenhouse Gas Assessments are a requirement for major project development aligned with Equator Principles that conform with International Performance Standards. Wardell Armstrong provides specialist expertise for these assessments across a wide range of developments.
Wardell Armstrong has a multi-disciplinary approach to assessing the vulnerability and risks of climate change to an organisation’s activities and individual project-based development. The information and data used to standardise Wardell Armstrong’s approach to Climate Change Risk Assessment will be based on the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Assessment Reports (AR) together with all relevant National Governmental data sets. The data is analysed using bespoke computer models that can be adapted to assess specific aspects of an organisation or process.
Our capability includes integrating other relevant studies including: Sustainable Urban Drainage, Biodiversity Net Gain, with direct effects such as changing micro-climate, rising sea levels and extreme weather events. Our team have advised on offsets, such as, use of imbedded renewable energy generation, designing new woodland, peatland and moorland management in order to sequestrate carbon and balance emissions of Greenhouse gas that cannot be reduced at source.
Wardell Armstrong offers a variety of carbon accounting services to assist organisations to meet the requirements of mandatory or voluntary carbon reporting and to develop a robust baseline to assess future Greenhouse Gas emissions. Our team has experience of working across a range of public and private sector organisations and can assist in the compilation of accurate emission inventories in accordance with the national and international standards and protocols. Using our experience of corporate carbon accounting, we can identify and achieve cost savings associated with energy use and sustainable processes, with the potential of enhancing the organisation’s reputation and provide new and alternative revenue opportunities.
The requirement for Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) reporting to London Stock Exchange standards, or other international standards, requires a multi-disciplinary team of experts. Our specialist environmental, climate change, energy and social teams have extensive capability in the provision of the reporting requirements for ESG. Wardell Armstrong’s specialists can advise on all aspects of the ESG reporting process to conform to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards. Our advice comprises designing quality assured data collection processes, reporting and verification, and includes the following:
- Advice on data collation and quality assurance
- Corporate carbon accounting to GHG Protocol standards
- Developing and delivering Stakeholder engagement
- Socio-economic data collection, verification and reporting
- Biodiversity, ecosystem services and natural capital assessments
- Water use and resources studies
- Assessment of environmental processes, pollution
- Community health, safety and security
Energy statement provides a quantified assessment of carbon emission savings or levels of energy generation from renewable sources and are typically required for planning applications for new residential, commercial and industrial development. Our specialist team provides a cost-effective approach to predict the energy requirements over the lifetime of a new development and identify appropriate technology that can meet achieve carbon reduction targets (for example in accordance with Part L of UK Building Regulations and BREAM excellence). Through strategic implementation, technology options can be incorporated into detailed design and construction.
Wardell Armstrong has experience of complex multi-stranded energy strategies for large infrastructure development, with input to the integrated masterplan that includes exemplars for renewable energy use, carbon management and reduction, whilst retaining a profitable financial return on investment.
Major development requires an holistic approach to design and construction that takes account of the inter-reliance of environmental and social factors, such as energy, waste and water management. The use of lifecycle analysis to quantify and assess the approach to sustainable development requires a multi-disciplinary team of specialists. Our capability is based on the combining the output from the following studies:
- Energy use and carbon emissions
- Building design and layout for passive energy-saving
- Use of construction materials
- Site waste management and recycling
- Water use and sustainable urban drainage
- Air quality and emissions to air
- Biodiversity net gain
- Climate change risk assessment.
