Bringing Benefits to Business and the Environment
why businesses need to act
Owners and occupiers of commercial buildings need to pay closer attention to energy efficiency and carbon emissions, in order to protect property values and control business costs. The last two years have seen a raft of new climate change and sustainability regulations: last year, the introduction of energy performance certificates for all properties being sold or leased and this year the introduction of a carbon emissions trading scheme, the CFC Energy Efficiency Scheme. More measures are set to follow – including in October this year, new building standards intended to achieve a 30% reduction in carbon emissions from all new buildings.
No-one should ignore this – whether for new buildings or for existing buildings. Yet, difficulties often exist for owners and occupiers wanting to make energy efficiency improvements:
- the cost of making energy efficiency improvements
- a lack of control over the property, either because it is leased or forms part of a larger development
- a lack of co-ordination among landlords and commercial tenants in developments
- generally, a lack of incentive to make improvements
To help overcome barriers and create the necessary incentives, CCW have created a new one-stop service, Green Any Property, for businesses, particularly small to mid-sized ones, and other owners and occupiers. Along with relevant external property consultants, our aim is to offer owners and occupiers a single point of contact to allow you:
- to test your property for its energy efficiency rating
- to claim the many available green tax reliefs and government grants
- to agree changes with landlords or tenants of commercial leases, in order to allow co-operation on an energy efficiency programme