Government playbook on decarbonising public sector

A new guide to decarbonising public sector buildings and creating a net zero public estate has been launched by the Cabinet Office.

The Net Zero Estate Playbook aims to ensure consistent approaches – such as using solar panels, LED lighting and greener building materials – are applied across public buildings as they help decarbonise Britain’s largest property portfolio.

The document provides guidance to support UK government departments and public sector bodies to transition their estate towards net zero. Guidance covers issues such as how to approach the design, implementation, and monitoring of a net zero strategy and delivery programme. It also offers direction on how to adopt a systematic approach to decarbonisation and facilitates a systematic transition to net zero across the UK government estate.

The guidance, which will be applied to both existing and new properties, will also help the Department of Health and associated public bodies improve sustainability of their hospitals through the use of low carbon materials and improved understanding of a building’s environmental impact over its entire lifespan.

Project teams can also use The Playbook to meet the Future Buildings Standard for new developments, which will come into effect from 2025. The guidance will be updated at regular intervals as information and knowledge improves.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Steve Barclay said: “The public estate generates 2 per cent of the UK’s total emissions. So decarbonising public buildings is absolutely crucial if we’re going to meet our environmental targets.

“Property professionals should use the Playbook to turn best-practice into standard-practice. It will put the public estate in a stronger position to deliver a 78 per cent reduction in emissions by 2035, and fully net zero by 2050.”

Lord Agnew of Oulton, Minister of State, commented: “This Net Zero Estate Playbook is about helping us go further, and faster. It’s a guide, to support every government organisation. It takes best practice from around the UK, aligning with government policy and bringing the best advice into one place to inform and improve sustainability strategies and simplify the path to Net Zero. It provides, for the first time, a methodical step-by-step guide to help government property professionals decarbonise their estate.”

The Net Zero Estate Playbook can be accessed here.