PROJECT ZERO
Royal Mail: Low Carbon Futures
Inbuilt were approached by Royal Mail Group to assist them with
their ambitious sustainability aspirations and corporate commitment
to become carbon neutral by 2015. Our work so far has involved
undertaking a high-level technical, commercial and strategic review
of the potential to use fuel cells to provide heat, power and
cooling to their mail centres, utilising bio-methane as a potential
fuel source.
We have also, with assistance from KFM architects,
researched and developed the conceptual design of a new low-carbon
exemplar delivery office in Stornoway. This has involved developing
a bespoke sustainability framework (informed by RMGs strategic
motivators and key stakeholder interests), to design and test a
number of low-carbon design options. We then undertook whole-life
value analysis of the preferred option to inform the client's
business case for adopting this low-carbon approach over their
standard method of construction.
As part of their accelerated drive towards sustainable
development, RMG identified the urgent need to review how
sustainability is incorporated into the design and procurement of
their future mail centres. To assist with this process, we planned
and hosted a one-day visioning forum for key stakeholders from
across RMG. The forum helped to develop a balanced and holistic
vision of sustainability in context of future mail centres and
explored the concept design of an 'exemplar' mail centre, to inform
new build and major refurbishment projects.
We are now currently working with others to develop
a Marginal Abatement Cost Curve to provide Royal Mail with an
assessment of the level of carbon emissions reduction that a range
of measures could deliver for their existing building stock.
A New Approach
Using Inbuilt's Framework for Sustainable Development (IFSD) we
have been able to offer a unique approach to identifying and
addressing Royal Mail's challenges and developing new
opportunities. By extending sustainability considerations well
beyond the boundaries of those issues normally considered, we help
to ensure that each stakeholder's requirements, aims and
aspirations are captured and used to inform our work in a holistic
manner.
"We have been delighted with the work done by Inbuilt. They
have been imaginative, practical and innovative. Their analytical
skills are superb and they are highly customer focused. We are
continuing to work with them to deliver our target of making Royal
Mail carbon neutral by 2015."
Dr Martin Blake, Head of Sustainability, Royal Mail
Group