What is the Environment Code?
Why is it needed?
What are the benefits?
Can the Code be used for single buildings and whole estates?
Is the Code only for offices?
How can the Code be used day-to-day?
How long will it take to implement the Code?
How much does the Code cost? How can I get a copy?
What environmental measurement services does IPD offer?
1. What is the Environment Code?
A good practice global standard for measuring the environmental performance of corporate buildings.
By setting out a clear and unambiguous framework for the collection of environmental data, the Code enables property executives to generate high quality, comparable performance information about their buildings anywhere in the world.
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2. Why is it needed?
To accurately measure and manage the environmental impacts of corporate buildings.
Without an accepted global approach to measuring environmental performance, many organisations are either simply not doing it, or the quality and consistency of the information collected may be questionable. This problem is especially acute for organisations that have a large number of buildings around the world and need to develop a 'global view' of performance. With environmental issues high on the Boardroom agenda, property and facilities executives will increasingly be asked to supply robust information about an estate’s environmental impacts.
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3. What are the Benefits?
Organisations can benefit enormously by investing in the collection of high-quality, reliable environmental information. From the property team’s perspective, such information will be increasingly valuable to help support the organisation’s wider environmental and CSR objectives, for example through:
- Enhanced Environmental Performance. With good quality information to support decision making and communication, managers will be better equipped to drive environmental performance improvements across the estate.
- Supporting Corporate Reputation. Not only by helping the organisation to meet an increasing range of environmental obligations (statutory or otherwise), but also through compliance with a recognised 'industry standard' for environmental performance measurement.
- Improved Risk Management. With a clear picture of the environmental risks and potential liabilities associated with an estate, managers will be better equipped to take effective mitigating action to reduce exposure to risk factors.
- Better Procurement. With a clear level of environmental performance in mind, managers will be able to set better, more sophisticated environmental specifications for the procurement associated with new buildings or refurbishment/improvement of existing buildings.
- Benchmarking. As well as comparing the environmental performance of buildings within an estate, the Code enables users to compare and contrast their relative performance against other Code-compliant organisations.
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4. Can the Code be used for single buildings and whole estates?
Yes. With Code compliant data in place, performance measurement and analysis can be carried out at building-level or at estate-level.
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5. Is the Code only for offices?
No. The Code can be used in relation to a wide range of property types and uses, for example:
- Offices – including Call Centres and Data Centres
- Retail Stores and Shopping Centres
- Laboratories
- Warehouse and Storage Facilities
- Hotels
- Public Buildings
- Supermarkets
- Airports
- Hospitals
- Leisure Facilities
- Educational Buildings
- Industrial Buildings
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6. How can the Code be used day-to-day?
The Code has a wide range of potential applications and uses. For example, it could help support the following:
- Creating an environmental strategy
- Inputting to real estate strategy
- Communicating a commitment to environmental improvement
- Creating performance targets
- Environmental improvement plans
- Performance assessment and measurement
- Life cycle assessments
- Acquisition and disposal of buildings
- Supplier management
- Information systems and data population
- Compliance with regulations
- Team and personal objectives
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7. How long will it take to implement the Code?
Because many organisations do not currently record environmental data, experience suggests that it is likely to take up to three years to develop a robust set of baseline data across a typical corporate estate.
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8. How much does the Code cost? How can I get a copy?
The Environment Code is free to download from www.ipd.com/environmentcode
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9. What environmental measurement services does IPD offer?
Building on the success of the Environment Code, IPD has launched Eco-Ledger, an innovative new environmental analysis and benchmarking service that helps organisations to measure and reduce the environmental impacts of their corporate buildings or real estate portfolio, and helps investors and occupiers answer the all-important questions: “How are we performing environmentally?” and “How do we compare with others?". Visit www.ipd.com/eco-ledger for more information and to download a free demo.
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If you would like to know more about these forthcoming measurement services, please contact Ian Jeffries at ian.jeffries@ipd.com or 44 (0)20 7336 9254.