Council asks Drivers Jonas how to turn green
Manchester City Council has commissioned property consultancy Drivers Jonas to undertake a major piece of research to assess what practical solutions can be adopted to achieve its climate change goals.
DJ will hold high-level stakeholder briefings with leading figures from within the city's property industry – including landlords, occupiers, developers and advisors – as part of its study and to galvanise support for reform.
Plans for the study were first outlined by the City Council in its Manchester Climate Change Call to Action announced earlier this year.
The report will help to create a policy framework, which could potentially inform future planning and development decisions.
DJ's first task will be establishing the current performance of Manchester's existing commercial property stock and the key challenges that the eventual vision will have to overcome.
Jon Lovell, head of sustainability at Drivers Jonas, said: "There is no doubt that the world is going to move towards a low-carbon and resource efficient economy, so if Manchester is to maintain its status as one of Europe's leading cities for investment it needs a sustainable property sector.
"Where similar studies elsewhere have focused on individual groups of stakeholders, our explicit aim is to develop a partnership-based model for action that secures the buy-in of as many key players as possible."
Cllr Richard Cowell, executive member for the environment at Manchester City Council, said: "Buildings account for around half of all total carbon emissions, so a key element of the City Council's Climate Change Call to Action objectives is making sure all Manchester's current and future buildings are sustainable.
"This unique study not only re-affirms our commitments to these goals, but also ensures Manchester will be well positioned for future economic growth by creating a truly sustainable city."
Sir Howard Bernstein, chief executive of Manchester City Council, said: "The future economic success of Manchester will depend on our ability to work together as one city to combat climate change and deliver a low-carbon economy. Improving the energy and wider sustainability performance of commercial property must be a key priority, with building owners, occupiers and developers all having a key role to play."
