Overview
Net zero is the biggest challenge the built environment has ever faced. By 2030, emissions need to be reduced by 50%, and by 2050, net zero needs to be achieved. And yet it remains a destination without a roadmap.
But one important and relatively straightforward way FMs can make progress is through more communication and collaboration, both with other FMs and other stakeholders and suppliers to the workplaces that they look after. Tackling net zero will require us all to work together, share experiences, talk about common problems, and work out solutions together.
Join IWFM, our partners Mitsubishi Electric, and guest experts as we build on our recent report, ‘The role of FM and building services in achieving net zero and energy efficiency’, to explore a number of the areas covered in the original roundtable and discuss the merits of joined-up thinking in addressing this multi-faceted challenge. Some of the key areas we will cover include:
- the importance of collaboration
- what has worked better and worse, and why
- how best to improve/unlock collaboration with a view to optimising building and equipment performance
- what FMs would like to see more of from manufacturers, and vice versa
- how to make the equipment commissioning stage more effective.
Speakers
Reid Cunningham
Reid is ‘Business Development Director- Energy’ for BAM FM and BAM Energy and has worked at BAM for 25 years. Reid leads sustainability improvement activities for BAM FM, including low carbon and net-zero projects throughout the UK. He also sits on the IWFM Sustainability Special Interest Group and is the author of IWFM's 'Energy Benchmarking' guidance note. Reid is a member of the leadership team preparing new Scope 3 emissions guidance for FM services (with RICS, IWFM and the Sustainable FM Index), and was also a member of the steering group for the new 'Environmental Good Practice in FM' published by CIRIA in 2021.
Chris Newman
Chris has been with Mitsubishi Electric for over 15 years and has held a variety of roles in technical support, training, sales, central plant, commercial heating, energy strategy and is now part of the sustainability team developing low carbon concept designs for large projects.
He started in the HVAC industry as an apprentice air conditioning/refrigeration engineer and joined Mitsubishi Electric after completing his training to start Mitsubishi’s technical support helpline.
Throughout his career, his interest in energy efficiency, heat recovery and carbon reduction has grown, and Chris is now leading the industry in developing strategies that will help put the nation firmly on the road to net zero.
Stuart Rutherford
Stuart Rutherford is the Senior Research Manager at IWFM, supporting efforts to drive insight and change within the profession.
He has spent the last 20 years working as a researcher and thought leadership content creator, including five years at Rentokil Initial, where he oversaw research and priority projects across multiple FM service streams and geographics.
Before joining the IWFM, Stuart led Grant Thornton International’s flagship research programme into mid-market businesses in 28 countries across a range of topic areas, including sustainability.
Stuart Wright
Stuart started work as an Army officer in the Royal Engineers, training first as a Military Engineer and then more formally as a Civil Engineer. A career change (after 20 years) took him briefly to PA Consulting and then to Aviva.
Time at Aviva has been spent almost exclusively in the planning, design and operational delivery of shared services. Roles have included UK property director and Aviva Europe operational services director and more recently Group Property and Facilities Director, where he had a wide remit including all operational property acquisitions and disposals as well as running the worldwide real estate portfolio.
Stuart has now been appointed to lead Aviva’s ambition to be carbon net zero across its operations and operations supply chain, including all markets, subsidiaries and joint ventures, by 2030, building on his strong track record of delivering carbon reduction projects.
Stuart was Chair of the UK Living Wage Foundation Advisory Council from 2016 to 2021, a body that provides advice and guidance on the development of the Living Wage in the UK; he is now a Trustee of Citizens UK, the founder charity of the Living wage.
Outside of work Stuart enjoys his family, gardening, and his vintage tractor.