ESG needs to become part of the DNA of new developments
Scotland’s Net Zero commitments cannot be achieved without a clear focus on the built environment, which accounts for about 40% of global carbon emissions. But progress in reducing carbon emissions in the property sector has been variable.
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors put the spotlight on how companies operate and the impact they have. From local authorities to architects, builders and property investors, discussions about ESG in development is very much a hot topic at present.
What is clear is that there is a new, pioneering generation of developers emerging in Scotland and the wider UK; a group that place ESG values at the heart of their projects. For these developers, ESG is not a box-ticking exercise involving complex carbon offsetting schemes or trees in faraway lands.
Instead, these forward-looking developers will place local communities and local economies at the core of a project and its vision. Community consultation and engagement isn’t a necessary hurdle; rather, it helps to shape the very foundations of a project and inform its development.
Rather than environmental considerations being an afterthought, protection and enhancement of the natural environment are central to projects. The priority is to make the best use of the land and its unique features.
Scotland’s Net Zero commitments cannot be achieved without a clear focus on the built environment, which accounts for about 40% of global carbon emissions. But progress in reducing carbon emissions in the property sector has been variable.
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors put the spotlight on how companies operate and the impact they have. From local authorities to architects, builders and property investors, discussions about ESG in development is very much a hot topic at present.
What is clear is that there is a new, pioneering generation of developers emerging in Scotland and the wider UK; a group that place ESG values at the heart of their projects. For these developers, ESG is not a box-ticking exercise involving complex carbon offsetting schemes or trees in faraway lands.
Instead, these forward-looking developers will place local communities and local economies at the core of a project and its vision. Community consultation and engagement isn’t a necessary hurdle; rather, it helps to shape the very foundations of a project and inform its development.
Rather than environmental considerations being an afterthought, protection and enhancement of the natural environment are central to projects. The priority is to make the best use of the land and its unique features.
