At their new annual property awards last week, the review site allAgents have launched a new membership scheme which has the aim of turning the residential property market into a carbon neutral industry.
This launch of this scheme has coincided with the final day of COP26.
The scheme will be a members owned organisation called the Sustainable Agent Scheme. It will be for estate agents, letting agents and property management companies and they will have to voluntarily sign up and pledge to become a zero-carbon business and manager of carbon efficient and neutral residential properties
Sustainable Agents recognises that the overall carbon footprint of properties is much higher than it should be. On their website, they claim that one-fift6h of carbon dioxide emissions for the UK is accounted for by residential homes. The organisation pledges to make their portfolios both carbon neutral as well as to help their clients achieve EPC ratings of C or better! This is aiming to be done within the agreed timeframes that have been set out by the government.
Vincent Friel, director at allAgents said: “Signing up [to the scheme] is just the beginning. With an estimated one-fifth of carbon dioxide emissions accounted for by residential homes, together we have a responsibility for helping to drive down the overall carbon footprint of properties under our management”.
“As an industry collective, we have the ability to negotiate deals in bulk, tap into grants and other resources both locally and nationally in order to achieve our objectives. There will be costs and time involved, however there will also be new income streams and new business opportunities.”
“I am also confident that once established, industry bodies, suppliers and digital partners like our property portals will all support this initiative, with some even providing substantial subsidies in the form of discounts to service fees or equivalent financial support in order to help members achieve their net carbon goals.”
“We are not asking for agents to go out tomorrow and start buying electric cars, offsetting emissions will play a pivotal role in this climate journey, however recognising the need to change and expressing an interest at a senior level will be the beginning.”
The scheme is set to launch in the first quarter of 2022.