“Net zero isn’t something where you can commission someone else to take care of it. Companies have to bite the bullet, embrace it and plan forward.”
Eszter Gulacsy Technical Director for Sustainability at Mott MacDonald, has been at the heart of the company’s sustainability approach for several years. “Our net zero goals are very important because we’re responding to client needs while at the same time we’re trying to reshape the industry by making changes. Within infrastructure, transport schemes for example, can be slow to turn, but the important thing is that they’re turning and we’re part of that. The key question is, can we speed things up?”
Gulacsy emphasises that net zero should be seen as a journey, not an outcome. “Even the definition of net zero keeps changing. For some people and organisations it includes embodied carbon, and with others it doesn’t. So we do need more of an industry consensus but it’s also an ongoing conversation.”
Defining net zero as a term doesn’t tell you how to get there either, Gulacsy points out. “It’s important to consider how things fit together to make progress. It’s not just operational change, it’s behavioural change. There needs to be action towards net zero that supports the business case too. A major theme emerging now is resilience – climate change isn’t something that is theoretical and it isn’t going to go away. So can you avoid short termism and make decisions today that will help you in 10 years’ time? Acting now and preparing for what might come next will help businesses be successful and grasp opportunities further down the line.”
Gulacsy highlights that although it’s hugely positive that companies and people want to act on net zero, developing a cohesive approach is out of the comfort zone for large parts of the industry: “If you're on a net zero journey you need to have that space to think through your entire system. People need to have that capacity to act.”
There isn’t a ‘simple solution’ for net zero. But Gulacsy believes there is a hugely influential role that organisations within the industry can have on the supply chain: “One small change can have a big impact. As part of your company’s net zero procurement policy, you could decide suppliers should provide a carbon management plan with their tender, for example. That small change could have a huge influence on the entire ecosystem of the supply chain.”
Mott MacDonald is aware of the crucial role it can play in developing net zero goals when working for clients. One area that Mott MacDonald is advising clients on is specifically around Scope 3 emissions, says Gulacsy: “We’re actively working with our own clients to reduce their carbon footprint because that's another area where making a small change can actually have a large impact within the circles of influence.”
Additionally, Gulacsy suggests the industry needs to consider the role of technology on the journey to net zero, as part of wider factors: “It’s important that we all spend time now thinking about what the future plan is going to look like and what data we need to be able to capture. What’s the best future proof technology? What’s the future proof plan that would actually help me best?”
In fostering collaboration, Gulacsy says it is also key to learn from other industries “There’s a huge opportunity to look outside our industry for inspiration and methods that are improving efficiency, and using solutions for their specific challenges. A lot of companies have built up really valuable insights which I believe the built environment could gain a huge amount from. The opportunity is there to look at other industries using methods that are improving efficiency, for example around handling supply chains.
“Take for example, the packaging regulations that are already affecting food manufacturers. This will reach the built environment as well. We can look at them now to understand how they’re tackling it and adapting.”
Likewise Gulacsy notes that energy efficiency standards in the commercial office market in London have driven forward improvements in that sector. “EPC ratings, for example, they're not a measure of net zero in any way, but they're the only proxy we have at the moment to try to force or encourage better energy performance.”
A scientist by background, Gulacsy appreciates how Mott MacDonald’s sustainability approach has broadened over the years, recognising the value of complementary skill sets: “I want to work with people from different backgrounds because fundamentally the problems we are solving are not standard. Different companies have different setups. You’ve got to be able to navigate that and that’s not an engineering or science issue but also to do with understanding.”
With the advance of digital technologies such as AI and BIM, Gulacsy suggests there is a new essential digital skill set that wasn’t standard even 15 years ago. It’s also vital to get the communications right to influence the industry and get everyone pulling in the same direction. “We really need people with the ability to convey complicated messages in a way people understand. Assembling people who can complement each other’s skill sets is the optimum mix.”
Gulacsy recognises the importance of collaboration on the journey to net zero: “It's much bigger than one company’s impact; it's working with corporations, it's working with governments, and the likes of RIBA and RICS to look at how you can collectively change the process. How do we need to incorporate new approaches so that net zero becomes part of what we do across design, process and construction processes?”
Closing the conversation, Gulacsy underlines that it is important to view the net zero journey in the context of a commercial industry that is also creating buildings that are pleasant for people to live and work in. It’s crucial that future plans try to meet all of these needs.
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