DWP Estates outlines sustainability plans

20 Jun 2023 04:13 PM

This article sets out DWP's carbon and water sustainability plans to 2025.

DWP Estates has published its carbon and water sustainability plans for the next 3 years in line with the government’s greening commitments (GGCs). This will be reviewed once the new GGCs are published in 2025.

As a response to the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), individual government departments must publish their plans on cutting emissions targets and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

DWP Estates has already put in place a large range of activities, strategy measures and policy changes in order to meet the 2024 to 2025 Greening Government Commitment and longer-term targets. These touch on almost every area of DWP Estates, which has a mission to be smaller, better and greener

DWP’s GGC climate targets for 2021 to 2025 are as follows:

• reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions by 45% from a 2017 to 2018 baseline and reduce direct greenhouse gas emissions from estate and operations by 17% from a 2017 to 2018 baseline
• develop an organisational Climate Change Adaptation Strategy across estates and operations
• conduct a Climate Change Risk Assessment to better understand and to target areas that need greater resilience
• develop a Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan, including existing or planned actions in response to the risks identified
• reduce the overall amount of waste generated by 15% from the 2017 to 2018 baseline
• reduce water consumption by at least 8% from the 2017 to 2018 baseline

DWP’s wider Sustainability targets for 2021 to 2025 also include:

• investigating Green Leases and how we engage with landlords on delivering energy reduction projects
• establishing Operational Energy Use Intensity requirements for new build and major refurbishment projects
• carrying out Low or Zero Carbon energy studies for new build and major refurbishment projects
• revising processes so that sustainability is always factored into asset and lifecycle decision making
• ensuring that Building Management System (BMS) continue to be improved, ensuring our estate is managed in the most efficient way
• initiating improvements to energy and water management in our current facilities management contract, and enshrining this across any new contracts
• seeking continued improvement and enhancement to the Estates Design Standards
• continuing to work with internal Sustainability Champion volunteers to foster staff behavioural change
• collaborating with other areas of the department to ensure that the new targets are understood and being addressed in their area
• developing Nature Recovery Plans incorporating land, estates, operations and resources, and existing biodiversity plan
• seeking improvements to our waste management including reducing paper and plastics, and improving recycling:
  • continue to buy more sustainable and efficient products and services with the aim of achieving the best long-term, overall value for money for society
  • develop and deliver Nature Recovery Plans for their land, estates, developments, and operations
  • report on the adoption of the Greening Government: ICT and Digital Services Strategy

For further information please contact: dwp.uesteam@dwp.gov.uk