Poverty harming UK’s chances of reaching net-zero
Unfortunately, the word ‘poverty’ is one with which we are all too familiar and conjures up images of people, often children, in far off lands struggling to survive in poor economic situations. Sadly, while the UK is considered an affluent country with a stable economy, we also suffer our own levels of relative poverty. And […]
Government unveils ‘radical’ energy efficiency standards for homes and office
All homes and business premises in the UK will be required to meet new energy efficiency standards that reduce energy consumption and lower bills by 2025, in line with the Government’s new Future Homes Standard. New homes will be required to have a reduced carbon footprint of 31% compared to current levels, the Government revealed […]
New Director in key air quality role
Syntegra has appointed a new Director of Air Quality to boost company credentials in this key area of business. Mark Chapman has managed technical and business development for some of the largest teams of specialist air quality consultants in the UK. A qualified Chartered Environmentalist, Mark provides specialist environmental assessments, such as air quality and […]
The new Green Homes Grant
Residents in England are now eligible for Government funding of up to £10,000 towards the cost of energy efficient home improvements. The Green Homes Grant 2020 scheme has been launched by the UK Government to provide benefits both to homeowners and the environment as the qualifying improvements will help reduce fuel bills and carbon emissions. […]
All UK domestic electricity to be wind-powered within 10 years, PM pledges
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced plans for every home in the UK to be powered with electricity from offshore wind farms within a decade. Addressing the Conservative Party’s virtual conference, he unveiled a £160m fund for the wind energy sector. He announced that the Government has increased its 2030 target for installed offshore […]
Calls for a Government hydrogen strategy
The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has urged the UK Government to implement a Hydrogen Strategy to help decarbonise carbon-intensive sectors. The National Grid has also announced plans to build a new hydrogen testing facility. The EAC held an inquiry in July seeking views on effective technological responses to help combat climate change. More than 100 […]
Defra unveils multi-million pound Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment fund
The UK Government has unveiled plans for a new £5m Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment to protect the environment as part of a new package of Environment Bill measures. Environment Minister George Eustice said the funding will help improve the data collection of how nature and biodiversity are used within the UK. The initial programme […]
Onshore wind and solar ‘could boost UK economy by £29bn’
Barriers to onshore ‘shovel-ready’ renewable energy projects should be lifted by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Treasury to provide a £28.9 billion boost the struggling UK economy in the wake of the Coronavirus crisis, according to a new report Renewable energy investment firm Thrive Renewables have published a report indicating […]
Historic planning overhaul unveiled to get Britain back in business
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has unveiled what he describes as ‘the most radical reforms to our planning system since the Second World War’ and has pledged a ‘new approach’ to planning as new and greener building strategies were announced as part of his programme to bring Britain out of hibernation following the brunt of […]
Green New Deal unveiled for London
London mayor Sadiq Khan has announced plans to spend £50m on a Green New Deal for London as part of a pledge to make the city carbon neutral by 2030. He said his plans would help improve the capital’s dangerous levels of air pollution “I’m unapologetic at how ambitious my plans are for a Green New […]
17 months on…The Success of Syntegra’s Ecology Department Implementation of Global Goal 15
By Trish Holden, Director of Ecology Services When our Managing Director, Alan King, asked in August 2018 for each department to take on a Global Goal under The Global Goals for Sustainable Development (https://watch.globalgoals.org/), the Ecology Department took on Goal 15: Life on Land. Of this goal, target 15.5 Protect Biodiversity and Natural Habitats seemed […]
New rules to encourage business energy efficiency with SECR
Businesses need to be up to speed with the Government’s new Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) policy which mandates them to disclose their energy and carbon emissions. The policy, which came into effect on April 1st this year, affects almost 12,000 companies under the Companies (Directors’ Report) and Limited Liability Partnerships (Energy and Carbon […]
Millions join climate strike protest as leaders and businesses pledge to implement new measures to tackle global warming
Millions of people around the world held a global climate strike on Friday, inspired by Swedish teenage activist Greta Thunberg. Protesters took part in what is believed to be the biggest ever demonstration over global warming. “Our house is on fire”, Ms Thunberg said at a rally. “We will not just stand aside and watch.” […]
Syntegra’s Quick Guide to Green Office Measures
If we don’t take action, the collapse of our civilisations and the extinction of much of the natural world is on the horizon” – the warning from the revered naturalist Sir David Attenborough as he declared climate change “our greatest threat in thousands of years”. His declaration, along with the Paris Agreement, an increasing number […]
Spending hike urged for environmental protection schemes
Environmental campaigners have called on the UK Government to more than double funding to fight climate change if further ecological breakdown is to be avoided in the future. They want more spending on decarbonising transport, the built environment and industry and wrote to the Chancellor, Sajid Javid, ahead of his Spending Review this week calling […]
National Infrastructure Strategy to drive sustainability
The UK’s first National Infrastructure Strategy is due to be published this autumn and Syntegra is keen to see what will be included to help support and improve sustainable development. The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) has published a series of topics members would like to see addressed when the Government unveils its recommendations. Syntegra […]
Investment in sustainability becoming mainstream for UK businesses, report indicates
Significant numbers of UK businesses are planning to increase their environment-related investments over the next two years, a new report from HSBC indicates. Influenced by consumer-led demands for low-carbon sustainable ‘products and services, coupled with new green legislation, almost half of the 2,500 businesses surveyed said they would be allocating their investments in more sustainable […]
UK’s offshore wind sector boosted by £100m programme
A new £100m programme has been launched to boost the growth of the UK’s offshore wind sector which will, in turn, benefit businesses. The 10-year initiative, the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership (OWGP), has been unveiled by the Offshore Wind Industry Council (OWIC) to support more than 650 businesses boost the value and growth of the […]
Hedgerows warning over biodiversity threat
Landowners have been warned of the threat to biodiversity by mismanaging their hedgerows. Syntegra’s Director of Ecology Services Trish Holden called for rotational cutting of hedgerows and tree lines outside of the bird nesting season to help protect valuable wildlife. She said: ‘Most landowners don’t realise how important hedgerows and tree lines are for bats […]
Building a sustainable future with CLT
With all eyes very much on the built environment getting its house in order in the sustainability spotlight, one solution might be waiting neatly packaged for developers to consider. Cross Laminated Timber (CLT), has many advantages over traditional build materials in terms of cost, speed and safety of construction and, critically, environmental concerns. Softwood boards […]
Developers urged to consider impacts on wildlife
Developers have been warned to take more care to protect wildlife habitats when undertaking construction projects following concerns raised over netting being placed over trees and hedges. In a letter to developers, Communities Secretary James Brokenshire MP reminded developers of their legal obligations to consider the impact of their work on wildlife and take action […]
Why the construction industry needs to embrace the fourth industrial revolution
The construction industry has been urged to shed its decades-old working practices and embrace the wave of digitalisation sweeping the global economy if it is to shake free of stagnation and flourish with trillions of dollars of cost savings. The fourth industrial revolution, as it has been termed, has seen a revolutionary merging of the […]
How could a no-deal Brexit affect the UK’s low-carbon energy transition?
Brexit…love it or loathe it, there’s simply no getting away from it as the divorce deadline looms ever closer with as much confusion as ever (if not more) about what life after Brussels will look like for Britain.With all the debates and meetings going on, publicly and behind closed doors, it’s clearly impossible to keep […]
The 10 Year Challenge: How the UK’s low-carbon economy has changed
As our clients know, here at Syntegra we like to read widely around our subject to broaden our knowledge and expertise and spend a considerable amount of time explaining to potential new customers how making even very small changes to their sustainability record can have an impact on their environmental footprint. So we were delighted […]
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