How do we leverage Towns’ procurement process to support their net zero aims?

This document sets out some general guidance to help local authorities leverage their procurement processes in their transition to net zero in the context of their Towns Fund projects. This guide is not intended to provide comprehensive recommendations on all aspects of a local authority’s procurement, but should provide a starting point to consider how to incorporate net zero into procurement. Over time, this guide could be updated based on lessons learnt from Towns and best practices demonstrated. It is recommended that Towns work carefully with their procurement teams to develop the best approach for their specific project and Town.

Integrating net zero into a Local Authority capital projects lifecycle

The scope of this resource covers net zero and climate change resilience, which must be achieved through natural, technological, material and process and behaviour change solutions. For this reason, the guide references interrelated priorities and principles such as biodiversity and circular economy to the extent they support net zero and climate resilience objectives. It’s important to note that Towns should address the climate and ecological emergency in parallel. This resource is intended as a starting point for Towns to continuously develop as a live resource based on their own priorities, contexts, and further lessons learnt as across the UK local authorities work to incorporate net zero into all projects.

Renewable Powered Towns

This resource explores the opportunities Towns can take to work towards reaching net zero legislative goals. The options are set against a backdrop of the impact of supply constraints in the energy market so far. Through existing procurement powers, local authorities can reshape how energy is supplied to existing and future assets to meet their energy demands.  

Net Zero Implementation Pathways: Cycling Infrastructure

The third in our series of Net Zero Implementation Pathways series, this document looks at the meaning of net zero in cycling infrastructure projects.

Road transport currently accounts for 22% of all carbon emissions in the UK and is a major contributor to poor levels of air quality. The UK will only meet its net zero 2050 target and address the climate emergency in a meaningful way if it supports a modal shift to green and active travel. This will be achieved by implementing the necessary infrastructure, schemes and monitoring frameworks in its towns and cities that promote convenience, affordability, and safety complimented with the shifts required in behaviour.

Net Zero Implementation Pathways: Refurbishment

Following our guidance document on Net Zero Implement Pathways: New Development, we are pleased to publish this further guidance for Towns on how to implement net zero objectives through refurbishment.

The guidance document includes an overview of net zero in refurbishment, with key examples from Towns as well as business case tips and links to other useful resources.

Net Zero Implementation Pathways: New Developments

Globally, approximately 38% of energy related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are attributed to the building industry, with 28% deriving from building operation and 10% from the materials used in their construction and maintenance. To achieve net zero emissions by 2050 globally and in the UK, this decade must be spent at least halving emissions by 2030 from business as usual. These reductions must be applied across the entire building systems value chain, and taking a whole carbon lifecycle approach.

We are introducing these Net Zero Implementation Pathway guidance documents, to help Towns consider the pathway to implementation (including monitoring and evaluation) that lead to the best outcome from a net zero perspective. They intend to help you understand what you need to be thinking about at each stage of the lifecycle, who you need to engage, and what best practice and standards look like.

This document, the first in the series, sets out some guidance to ensure that towns in the UK are building and maintaining new developments in an environmentally and socially just way, not only to reduce emissions and build resilience to the worsening effects of climate change, but to boost local economies and create thriving, healthy communities.

CCS: Procurement in Environment and Sustainability - webinar

In conversation with Andrew Smith - Crown Commercial Services Environmental and Sustainability Lead

This recorded webinar, hosted by Crown Commercial Service, covered the following:

• How procurement can help enable your regeneration projects;

• How social value and decarbonisation reporting can be obtained to help not only with achieving any required targets but also for the wider benefit;

• What are suppliers doing along with the customer market and how are they coping with the new regulations; and

• How new routes to market for SME's are helping to shape the future for regeneration and in some cases rewilding projects.

About the speaker

Andrew joined CCS in 2018 as commercial lead in technology and carries with him three decades of technology sector experience working with global manufacturers through to SME consultancy services. Andrew is now CCS’s environmental and sustainability lead enabling the joining of his two passions being procurement and sustainability, working hard at delivering a better planet for all and helping on the relentless march towards Carbon Net Zero.

Andrew works with Central Government departments, the NHS, Local Authorities, Councils and Cities and across all CCS agreements to support the development of long term customer focused solutions that can contribute to not just the public sector net zero journey but a long term sustainable environment.

National Strategic Brief: Climate Change

The purpose of this document is to support towns in the preparation of their TIP to ensure that there is a consideration of climate change – both its potential impacts and the actions that can be taken to reduce local emissions.

In light of the UK government’s 2050 ‘Net Zero’ commitment in 2019, there are significant regulatory and policy changes in the pipeline which are anticipated to be announced in the coming year.

Towns should develop their TIPs taking due regard of these commitments as they will likely impact upon all areas of local development such as building regulation, local infrastructure requirements e.g. electric vehicle charging and resident behaviour.

Towns should explore each of the documents included in the briefing note, considering how they will impact their TIP vision as well as how they can support the delivery of the UK-wide ambition to be net zero by 2050.

Taking Account of Net Zero in your TIP

In June 2019, the UK parliament passed legislation requiring the government to reduce the UK’s net emissions of greenhouse gases to zero by 2050.

Since 2018, over 280 UK Local Authorities have declared a Climate Emergency, many of which house the 100 Towns of the Towns Fund programme. These Local Authorities, and others, will be in the process of developing plans to deliver net zero (production-based) carbon emissions by 2030 – 2050.

This guidance note seeks to:

• Provide towns with an overview of what ‘net zero’ means in the context of their Town Investment Plans.

• Offer practical guidance on how to incorporate decarbonisation into towns’ investment propositions and TIP as a whole.

How Walking and Cycling Can Improve Towns

Investing in active travel can bring a range of benefits to people and places, but it is often thought of as a “city” issue. This recorded webinar looks at the benefits that active travel can bring to towns and the measures that can be taken to improve walking and cycling. The recorded webinar looks at both high streets and residential areas and consider economic, health, environmental and social impacts.

About the speaker:

Susan Claris is a transport planner who has worked for Arup for more than 25 years. For the last seven years she has been championing the role of active travel, particularly walking, both within Arup and externally. Susan has spoken at numerous conferences and events over the years on the importance and benefits of walking and recently gave evidence to the UK Government Transport Committee on walking as part of their enquiry into Active Travel.

She has appeared in technical and national media and national podcasts, talking about walking. She is the Vice President of Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking, and a Trustee for the Charity.

In Summer 2019, Susan was awarded the title of Transport Planner of the Year by the Transport Planning Society on the basis of her work in raising the profile of transport planning and, particularly active travel, as well as being a champion for diversity in the transport planning profession.