The BCSC Sustainability Task Force was set up in June 2007 and in an effort to provide members with vital information on green issues and sustainable development, we are developing and undertaking a number of shorter and longer term projects.

Guidance Notes

Guidance Notes are intended as an aide memoire with practical advice on specific topics, providing a quick overview and suggestions for further reading.

• Explain what the EPPD is and how this will effect the industry with particular reference to both EPCs and DECs and how they will be implemented and accredited.
  Completion: January 2008
• Sustainability Costs: Recycling, Renewables and Efficiency. Providing information and effective design solutions in order that developments can comply with Government legislation and meet the individual expectations of local planning authorities.
  Completion: January 2008
• Information on Retro Fitting which will allow for refurbishment and upgrading in existing buildings for both landlords and tenants to improve the sustainability of their retail space.
  Completion: February 2008
• See the website section on Government Activity for the latest initiatives and regulatory changes on sustainability issues coming from Government Departments.
• A general overview of climate change with special reference to how this will affect the retail property industry.
  Completion: March 2008

Occasional Papers

Occasional papers are short research studies which provide members with clear guidance on certain topics.

• Guidance on the different types of ‘Green Leases’ that can be implemented. With advise on how both landlords and occupiers can work successfully together.
  Completion: Spring 2008
• Research into tenant’s specification. The BCSC is keen to understand from retailers what the key drivers are that Landlord’s should take account of in creating the next generation of sustainable retail developments. Adopting a more flexible specification in standard core fit-out will enable the use of more sustainable architecture, and efficient building services. The research aims to understand what energy the occupiers actually need and to feed this back to them.
  Completion: Spring 2008

Research

• See The Charter to understand BCSC’s ‘Sustainability Charter’ which will define the overall sustainability aspirations that the BCSC recommends to its members, and importantly it will include a commitment to measure performance and a promise to surpass certain minimum thresholds of performance (e.g. segregate and recycle more than 25% of all waste at property assets). Initially the charter will provide general principles on what to monitor and how. This will include advice on what to measure, top tips on specific actions as well as good practice solutions for waste, energy and community engagement.
• Sustainability is an important issue for everyone and finding ways of reducing one’s carbon footprint is of paramount importance. BCSC will develop BPF’s Landlord Energy Statement to provide the retail property industry with a model of collating energy consumption in order that they can assess and benchmark themselves over time. The BPF, Carbon Trust and the Usable Buildings Trust have developed a Landlord’s Energy Statement (LES). This is a device that helps Landlords to draw together, understand and report on the energy used in the common parts of a building such as heating, ventilation and lifts and the resulting CO2 emissions. The LES draws together the landlord’s annual energy data, converts it into CO2 emissions, and reports it in a standard format with a set of performance indicators and gradings against appropriate benchmarks.
  Completion: Summer 2008