Partner Insight: As the world accelerates toward a low‑carbon future, senior estates and facilities management leaders have an increasingly vital role in driving decarbonisation and climate adaptation efforts across their property portfolios
In an era marked by the lasting impacts of the pandemic and evolving workplace expectations, increasing sustainability demands and rising climate risks, the role of senior estates and facilities management leaders is more critical than ever.
The UK built environment is changing rapidly. Hybrid working models have altered how we live and work in buildings, necessitating a fundamental rethinking of organisations' energy consumption, space planning, and day to day operations. Against this backdrop, estates leaders must balance the task of driving decarbonisation, ensuring resilience in a changing climate, while maintaining efficiency, compliance, and cost‑effectiveness.
Sustainability is therefore being moved away from being a discrete stand‑alone strategy and integrated into the core of estate development and resilience. Smart, energy‑efficient buildings that adapt to changing occupancy patterns and maintenance needs will be key to achieving better outcomes. This includes new possibilities for integrating digital technologies, such as energy management and predictive maintenance systems that flag anomalies before issues arise and provide actionable insights that drive efficiency and reduce emissions.
While many organisations have net zero ambitions, far less have translated that ambition into a detailed and investable operational plan. This is evidenced in a recent Equans-commissioned OpinionWay survey of over 1,300 industrial leaders across five European countries, which found that while an overwhelming 94 per cent of UK respondents said decarbonisation aligns with their business goals, nearly four-in-ten identified complexity as a key barrier to progress.
These findings highlight two key realities: first, that top-level buy-in is no longer the issue - and second, that delivering on ambition still demands clarity, structure and investment confidence.
Managing complexity
For directors managing large, varied estates, the challenge isn't access to technology — it's integrating the right interventions with estate development priorities and viable finance options. Turning strategy into action requires aligning technologies and funding streams into a cohesive, investable plan tailored to the organisation.
Implementable solutions may include:
- Renewable energy sources – enabling buildings to contribute to the energy transition through on-site generation or power purchase agreements.
- Transitioning building heating from hydrocarbon fuels to sustainable local or district heating schemes.
- Integrating smart building management systems to optimise energy use.
- The use of blended finance to maximise value from life cycle and operational funds, grant funding and private finance.
While there is no silver bullet for decarbonisation, leaders must assess which levers deliver the greatest emissions impact per pound invested while preparing for tightening regulations such as Future Homes and Future Buildings standards, and the UK's evolving corporate disclosure frameworks.
Climate Adaptation – the other side of the coin
Decarbonising operations is only part of the equation. Organisations must also prepare for the physical risks posed by climate change. Buildings must be designed to withstand increasing temperatures, heavier rainfall, and evolving regulatory requirements.
For those managing legacy assets, passive design improvements, nature-based solutions and retrofitting for thermal resilience will be essential considerations in futureproofing the estate.
End-to-end decarbonisation planning
In the face of complex technical decisions, evolving regulatory requirements, and fragmented funding options, a well-developed roadmap is essential. It brings structure to disparate workstreams, sequencing them into a commercially viable, deliverable strategy.
At Equans, we have developed Carbon Shift, an integrated solution that enables organisations plan, fund, and implement decarbonisation and climate resilience in a way that's aligned to both operational and capital priorities.
From identifying cost‑saving opportunities to securing third party funding and forming private financing partnerships, Carbon Shift helps bridge the gap between ambition and execution. It aligns decarbonisation goals with the technologies, investment models and delivery mechanisms needed to make them real.
By approaching net zero as a strategic, investable programme, we help turn sustainability from a compliance obligation into a source of long-term value and resilience.
Achieving net zero and building climate resilience must be core to any buildings strategy. While the path is complex, those who act decisively and holistically will reap the benefits of enhanced asset value, reputational credibility and future-ready operations.
Carbon Shift provides the structure, expertise and commercial flexibility to make this transformation achievable at scale and at pace. By embedding decarbonisation and resilience measures into daily operations and long-term strategy, we can create a built environment that not only meets today's demands but is also prepared for the challenges of the future.
James Rooke, managing director of Carbon Shift at Equans UK & Ireland.
This article is sponsored by Equans UK & Ireland.
