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impact report 2013 -2014
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foreword
contents PAGES education
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pinpoint
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future leaders
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leaders’ network
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policy
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world gbc events & communications
10 11 - 12
It’s hard to believe that yet another year has passed by at UK-GBC, and it’s once again time to take stock of the progress we’ve made in our campaign and the value we’ve added for our members and the industry at large. I believe the last 12 months have been some of the most productive to date, and there have been some amazing highlights as we continue to strive to achieve our shared goal of creating a sustainable built environment from which both people and planet benefit. 2013-14 saw the launch of Future Leaders, our ground-breaking education programme focusing on sustainability innovation and leadership. A year on from launch, Pinpoint has gone from strength to strength, attracting more than 10,000 visitors and boasting more than 1,000 sustainability resources on its new and improved website. And on the policy side, we continue to exert considerable influence on Government, with its promise of introducing a “Stamp Duty rebate” to boost the Green Deal - further evidence of our influential advocacy work. But rather than me reciting a list of our successes as I see them, and in the innovative spirit of our Future Leaders, we decided to take a different approach this year and handed over our Impact Report to you – our members, the lifeblood of UK-GBC. We asked a selection of members to tell us the difference our work has made to them and their businesses. From delegates on our education courses and events, Task Group and Committee members, Future Leaders and current Leaders’ Network, this is the impact as they, and hopefully you, see it.
I particularly value the thoughts, comments and input from UK-GBC… certainly robust, very evidence-based, sometimes critical but always fair. In terms of informed voices that we pay particular attention to they are right up there at the top. Greg Barker, Energy and Climate Change Minister
I hope you’ll agree it’s been an outstanding year for UK-GBC, and that would not have been possible without the continued commitment, energy and enthusiastic engagement of our members. I look forward to writing the foreword to the next chapter in this exciting story when we come to look back on the challenges we face over the next 12 months. Paul King, Chief Executive, UK-GBC
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education
pinpoint
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5,500 hours of formalised learning - a 60% increase on last year
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10,000 visitors to Pinpoint during its first year
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50,000 page visits
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More than 600 delegates attended a UK-GBC training course in 2013-14
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over 1,000 sustainability resources
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New look Pinpoint launched in March 2014
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1,000 hours of supply chain training delivered, reaching more than 300 delegates
Sustainability is an immense topic. The term itself is used freely, and its meaning varies depending on who you ask to define it. Attending the Green Building Series has allowed me to re-frame the topic, enabling me to look at sustainability from a different perspective. In my current role, I engage with multiple stakeholders at different stages in the building cycle. Through the series of courses I am able to understand the fundamentals driving sustainability at each stage of the project. The fact that the series covers the entire building cycle is tremendously vital to engaging all stakeholders and is key to asking the right questions. This learning series has had the most impact in providing the opportunity for multi-disciplinary dialogue. It provides a platform for architects, engineers, construction managers, financiers, etc., to challenge assumptions, share knowledge and develop innovative solutions. The construction industry has developed a reputation for being averse to change. I believe the Green Building Series is creating the ripples required to facilitate a wave of change.
Whenever I’m searching for something, Pinpoint is the first place I look now. It’s useful when I come up against a topic that I haven’t seen before or haven’t tackled for a while. The new look Pinpoint makes it easy for you to read one thing and then move onto another, and the comments allow you to get a good understanding of what current industry thinking is in a certain field and that is really useful. I tend to use it instead of search engines because you get that little bit extra. Pinpoint makes it easier for people to teach themselves and understand about sustainability without always having to have prior knowledge. It makes sustainability much more accessible.
Jo-Ann Alexandra Hamilton, Consultant, Turner & Townsend 5 | Impact Report 2013 - 2014
I’ve been adding resources to Pinpoint and commenting on them since the platform launched over a year ago. It’s an easy way of disseminating information that already exists and it’s great to have a place where resources can live so they are not lost on websites that no one ever visits.
Ben Hopkins, Architect, Bennetts Associates www.ukgbc.org
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future leaders
leaders’ network
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Ground-breaking new programme focusing on sustainability innovation & leadership
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LEADERS’ NETWORK GREW FROM 70 TO 120 SENIOR BUSINESS LEADERS
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25 rising stars from across the built environment industry enrolled on first programme
LEADERS’ NETWORK EXERTED INFLUENCE ON KEY POLICY AREAS THROUGH 3 OPEN LETTERS TO GOVERNMENT
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2,500 hours of learning over 9 months
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM 9 SENIOR BUSINESS LEADERS FOR 2014’S ESSAYS COLLECTION
It’s clear that a lot of thought has gone into developing Future Leaders and so far it’s been really impressive. The residential was intense but what works really well is that constant focus over the nine month programme - it is about your development individually, peer to peer coaching with a ‘buddy’ and then coming together in small groups to generate innovative solutions to live problems in the built environment. Large scale innovation is not an area I have had a lot of first-hand experience in and I look forward to sharing what I have learnt and my experiences within my own organisation. Future Leaders demonstrates the power of bringing together a network of people in the early stages of their career to collaborate and innovate. I feel privileged to be involved – it’s a special opportunity.
The recently published annual collection of essays further demonstrates the appetite to create a sustainable built environment. It signifies that members of the network appreciate the value of early engagement and collaboration, and the true value that the construction industry brings to society and the UK economy by creating business partnerships that enhance youth skills and work opportunities via apprenticeships and jobs. But as always, there is more that we can all do to continue our progress and the Balfour Beatty leadership team remain committed to playing our part.
Moira Thomas, Carbon Plan Manager Sustainable Development, John Lewis Partnership 7 | Impact Report 2013 - 2014
The Leaders’ Network provides me with an excellent way of keeping in touch with colleagues from across industry in a way in which we can shape each other’s thinking. Through the regular events such as the Industry Leaders’ Dinner, I get to meet with fellow business leaders to share experiences and hear about ground breaking innovation within the sector. I believe the Network has great potential to drive the sustainability agenda forward having leaders devoting time to come together to discuss sustainability gives the issue much greater traction.
Nicholas Pollard, Chief Executive Officer, Balfour Beatty www.ukgbc.org
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policy
world gbc
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Government committed to introduce “Stamp Duty rebate” following UK-GBC campaigning
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100 Green Building Councils worldwide
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14 policy roundtable meetings & 8 industry roundtables and workshops
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Green Building Councils in over 30 European countries representing more than 4,500 industry members
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15 letters to ministers and shadow ministers on policy issues
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6,000 people received training and education from European Green Building Councils last year
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Fortnightly meetings with ministers, MPs, special advisors & senior officials
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Europe Regional Network had major roles in conferences held by European Commission, UN Environmental Programme & other international organisations
Through my role as Advocacy Leader and dealing with policy and regulation issues that face Saint-Gobain, we try to be a lot more collaborative with Government and policy makers and offer solutions rather than lobby – and that is where UK-GBC adds real value. I have been involved with UK-GBC’s Task Groups on retrofit incentives and Green Deal finance, and I believe this work is resonating with Government. I’m sure the report on incentives, which was well received by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, was central to the new “Stamp Duty rebate” it has promised to introduce. Government is certainly listening.
My position on WorldGBC’s Europe Regional Network Policy Task Force allows me to look at how advocacy and business development can be joined and how that can support a sustainable built environment across Europe. Understanding the movement and changes, and the legislative landscape is massively beneficial to E.ON in identifying potential opportunities and obstacles facing new innovative energy products and services.
UK-GBC’s roundtables with Government and Opposition really help to give us a voice with the right people at the right time, and its heavily attended policy events demonstrate the impact it is having on industry.
One of the things that is necessary to create change is for European policy makers to hear from a single voice that represents a variety of players from across industry, and the Network is extremely powerful in providing that platform. Its advocacy work has been hugely successful in terms of EU policy. The European Commission is really beginning to take note of what it says - particularly around Article 4 of the Energy Efficiency Directive, the debate over which the Network has taken ownership.
Jade Lewis, Advocacy Leader, Saint-Gobain UK and Ireland
Marco Marijewycz, Technical Advocacy Manager, E.ON Technologies
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events & communications •
More than 45 separate events in 2013-14
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More than 1,500 delegates attended UK-GBC events
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Lead partner for Ecobuild 2014
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We doubled our media coverage in 2013-14, securing weekly mentions in mainstream national press
What’s so great about UK-GBC events is that they attract a range of different people from different sectors and with different thinking styles but who are all committed to the same cause – creating a better built environment. The access to that network of people is fantastic. I also draw different stimulation and ideas from the policy events, two of which I spoke at last year, which are really helpful to my work at Gentoo.
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@UKGBC now has more than 23,000 Twitter followers
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The website has seen a 40% increase in users from last year
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UK-GBC members contributed over 40 website opinion pieces
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in 2013 we launched the monthly member sustainability journey which is already booked up into 2015
Sustainability is a vast area with an ever changing policy landscape and so UK-GBC’s weekly news round-ups and monthly policy updates are really useful for keeping me in the know. Similarly, regular information around their events and others that are taking place in the industry, ensure I don’t miss anything relevant. GVA appeared in a daily national newspaper via UK-GBC’s press work. As property consultants we don’t get that many opportunities to appear in mainstream media – except for perhaps the financial pages – so this was great for our brand awareness. UK-GBC’s Twitter is also really useful, particularly when it comes to seeing what the conversations are around a particular topic or event.
UK-GBC’s varied communications are also beneficial – the technical team at Gentoo find the policy updates, which are comprehensive and well put together, invaluable. Other outlets such as the website are accessible to a range of different audiences from across the built environment sector, providing key information and opinions on a range of sustainability and policy-related issues.
The policy events such as the ESOS Consultation roundtable offer an understanding of what’s going on in particular areas and the opportunity to feedback an industry consensus to Government. And events like the Christmas Reception are great for informal networking and building relationships. UK-GBC’s presence at Ecobuild also demonstrates how hard the organisation works to bring people together, something which is really important and which no one else does so well in the sustainability space.
Sally Hancox MBE, Director, Gentoo Green
Alastair Mant, Head of Sustainability, GVA
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