Landsec
Verco are implementing an industry leading customer engagement programme for Landsec, consisting of customer space audits and follow-up engagement sessions to maximise the rate of implementation of audit recommendations.
Landsec is one of the largest commercial property development and investment companies in the UK, with a portfolio of retail, leisure, workspace and residential hubs. They are a leading real estate company in terms of sustainability with various ESG initiatives being rolled out as part of their Build Well, Live Well, Act Well strategy. Landsec are a signatory of the BBP Climate Commitment and were the first UK REIT to set a Science-based net zero carbon commitment through the SBTi (90% reduction on a 2019 baseline, by 2040).
Objective:
Customer energy use is a significant contributor to the carbon footprint of a commercial real estate owner. To achieve their ambitious Science-based targets, Landsec have identified the need to engage with their customers to reduce their energy consumption and associated carbon/GHG emissions – this is the main objective of the programme. Initial 12 month programme started in September 2022. At the time of publication, this has been extended to run until September 2024.
Process
The programme consists of three stages:
Customer audits – our technical consultants visited the customer spaces and reviewed their meter data to identify a series of measures that could be taken to reduce energy use in the space. These recommendations are generally either behavioural changes, no-cost technical changes (e.g. changes to equipment controls), or low-cost updates to the fit-out an operation of the facility.
Engagement workshops – following the provision of the audit outputs, the customers take a period of 3-6 months to reflect on, and implement, the recommendations. We then host a series of workshops to discuss any successes and challenges that have been experienced in this period (on a 1-1, and group basis). The objectives of these sessions are to continue sharing knowledge on good energy management practices and to highlight enablers and techniques for overcoming barriers to implement the measures identified.
Energy dashboard – the last stage of the programme is the development and use of a software solution to provide customers with the ability to view their energy consumption in greater detail. This will allow the customers to directly track the implementation of the audit measures and the impact on their energy use, while comparing to their (anonymised) peers to encourage ongoing management of energy use. Landsec will also be able to review the ongoing engagement of these customers and relative impacts of this programme.
Outcomes:
- An industry leading programme that contributed to Landsec’s “Highly Commended” Green Business Award for their Net Zero Strategy, in 2023.
- Positive feedback from customers and other stakeholders in the process has been evidenced by the implementation of audit recommendations.
- Signed retainer including an expansion to the work to include retail customers.