Smart buildings
by their source. Scope 1 covers those produced by owned sources such as buildings, equipment or vehicle fleets, while Scope 2 covers emissions associated with purchased power.
Blott says that rather than just picking arbitrary figures, his team reviewed operations to understand where savings could be made. “We spent 12 to 18 months understanding exactly where our emissions come from today and the precise levers we’ll need to pull or technology which will need to evolve or have evolved for us.”
Remote monitoring is one area Blott believes will prove vital: “The benefits of emerging technologies in this space give us some really exciting opportunities,” he explains. “How can we understand exactly what’s happening in terms of the conditions in a building at any one time and make small tweaks to increase colleague comfort or reduce wastage?” Building management systems (BMS) are critical, Blott adds. “I think smart BMS, which go above and beyond some of the historical more analogue systems, are absolutely crucial in giving us that control and agility in our consumption.” These systems are computer controlled, either remotely or on-site, and can provide an insight into the workings of a building and its performance. Current advanced BMS can oversee a multitude of functions, from heating and lighting to security and IT. They can even manage energy consumption and distribution. This technology, coupled with data, is fast becoming the new frontier of building management. Environmental sensors reporting on airflow and temperature, among other things, are providing what Blott calls actionable data in a way that hasn’t been seen before. Apart from helping manage the environment, they also support the physical management of a facility too, such as informing cleaning regimes and utilising meeting room space. For its part, NatWest has also embarked on a mission to have what it calls ‘a reciprocal relationship with society, environment and communities’ it operates in. Working with Blueprint for Better Business, a charity, the group developed ‘a purpose-led strategy underpinned by the UN’s seven Sustainable Development Goals’, which aim to deliver long-term sustainable performance and accelerate social value, such as by helping minimise the impact of climate change.
A modern twist
As with Lloyds, a large part of NatWest’s strategy relates to the operational management of its physical estate. Although both have ultra-modern facilities, they also oversee numerous historical buildings that are not as easily adapted, such as that at 159 Rushey Green in South East London. Opened as a bank in 1908, this Victorian building resembles many branches still operating across the
Future Banking /
www.nsbanking.com
UK today. Describing the branch network, Wickham says the picture is complex. “Some of those properties are very grand, beautiful reminders of the history of the bank; but they’re also not very energy efficient,” he explains. “They’re often quite large spaces, not particularly well designed in terms of energy efficiency and limited in terms of what you can do.”
Among the measures NatWest has employed are remotely monitored BMS, allowing a macro view of operational efficiency to help control temperature. That includes sensors that turn off unnecessary lighting, as well as new technologies such as LED. Even so, finding efficiencies in older buildings can be challenging and technology can only do so much. An emphasis on education and engagement, in other words, is crucial, says Wickham. Blott highlights similar issues. “We are a variety of heritages with lots of historical listed buildings that definitely means that one size doesn’t fit all,” he says. “It means a lot more tailoring and ‘bespoking’.” He adds that while those buildings are still functioning and within their lifespan, the time they will be “up for renewal” is coming. “Our focus now is as each of our big assets need to be changed, we identify the best and greenest opportunity at that point. Our cyclical asset replacement programmes have certainly moved to focus in on the green solutions in the last few years.”
Although these buildings are a far cry from their
Victorian roots, there are further challenges ahead. Blott accepts that retrofitting is difficult and can only achieve so much, while Wickham sees another issue looming. As he asks: “We’re getting to the part of the challenge… which is how do you actually change some of the fundamental fabric of buildings?”
Supplying innovation
For both men, if the financial services sector is to be successful in its drive for energy efficiency
Victorian buildings operating as banks across the UK, while beautiful, are not very energy efficient.
8% NatWest Group 85%
Direct carbon emission reduction between 2014 and 2019.
Lloyds Group 17
Cut in carbon emission from 30,000 of NatWest’s workforce due to its thermal imaging project.
Thingglass/
Shutterstock.com
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