MediaCityUK takes action to become a net zero carbon neighbourhood
MediaCityUK has the highest cluster of net zero carbon buildings in the UK after a further six of its properties have been third party verified against the UK Green Building Council’s 2019 definition.
White, Blue and Orange Towers, Tomorrow building as well as dock10 studios and The Garage, totalling over 1.4m square foot have all demonstrated net zero carbon status based on their operational carbon emissions, and action taken to reduce those emissions and increase their renewable energy use.
During 2019/2020 alone, the MediaCityUK team implemented 26 energy saving projects, reducing electricity consumption by 800 MWh – the equivalent of 232 tonnes of carbon dioxide. This adds to actions taken across Peel L&P’s wider portfolio in 2018/2019, where a total of £859,000 was invested into 66 energy efficiency projects, reducing carbon emissions from energy by 13%.
The latest verification now means half of the buildings at MediaCityUK, which was developed by Peel L&P and is now a joint venture partnership with Legal and General Capital, are net zero carbon.
Remaining emissions will be offset through a Verified Carbon Standard project twinned with tree-planting in the North West, further supporting the #BuildBackBetter agenda, creation of the Northern Forest and ensuring that the benefits are kept as local as possible.
Earlier this year, MediaCityUK’s newly refurbished The Vic was among 11 other Peel L&P buildings to become the first in the UK to achieve net zero carbon status. This included buildings at Liverpool Waters and offices in Glasgow and Greater Manchester bringing the company’s total net zero carbon portfolio to 17 properties.
Peel L&P has also confirmed a new science-based target to reduce emissions intensity by 68% and energy use by 25% per square metre by 2030 in line with the Commission on Climate Change sectoral decarbonisation pathway.
Jo Holden, Peel L&P’s Sustainability Director said: “Our new science-based target helps us to focus our action on achieving more ambitious international decarbonisation goals set out in the Paris Agreement to help keep climate change below 1.5°C.
“The addition of more independently-verified net zero carbon buildings is a positive step in the right direction and shows that we’re not just all about pledges, we can demonstrate tangible results for how we’re improving the sustainability of our assets and supporting the transition to low-carbon communities.”
Peel L&P’s work to reduce carbon emissions across its assets is part of the company’s first five-year sustainability plan which supports the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals (UN SDGs) to help create a fair and sustainable planet by 2030.
Councillor Derek Antrobus, lead member for Salford City Council’s planning and sustainable neighbourhoods, said: “We are delighted that Peel L&P are rising to the challenge of the City Mayor’s ambition for net zero carbon. We hope that other developers will follow their lead and make similar declarations.”
MediaCityUK buildings verified as Net Zero Carbon:
The Garage
View the full list of Peel L&P’s Net Zero Carbon buildings and the science-based target methodology on our website.
Further information on Peel L&P’s five-year sustainability business plan can be found at www.peellandp.co.uk/responsibility
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