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Sustainability is a
Strategic Objective

A Great Place to Live is a world that is environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable and equitable for all. Robert Bird Group is committed to making our world A Great Place to Live it is one of the company’s three central strategic objectives.

LEAD Sustainably

We exhibit leadership through intentional action, pledging to change the way we work to reduce the environmental impact of our industry across the globe. Our commitments toward a sustainable future include:

  • Becoming a 1.5-degree company – we have committed to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and are working towards reducing our CO2e emissions to net-zero. View our latest annual report here.

  • Supporting industry initiatives – becoming a member of ConcreteZero and SteelZero

  • Leading our clients toward the adoption of sustainable development, design, and construction strategies for their projects

CREATE Sustainably

Embracing the challenge to reduce the embodied carbon of our designs, we create innovative solutions that make a real impact. As environmentally responsible engineers, we have the capacity to exert influence by:
 

  • Getting the design fundamentals right

    More deliberate and informed specification of materials

  • Utilising lean design and optimisation techniques

  • Adaptive re-use/upcycling

  • Measuring and reporting the embodied carbon of our projects using our own digital carbon assessment tool, called Magpie

  • Updating procedures and workflows and investing in in-house training

What’s possible with Magpie?

  • Steelwork tonnage tools – ability to add connection allowances and additional items

  • Concrete volume tools – add additional non-modelled elements for more complete carbon calculation

  • Model merge – combine multiple Revit models to get overall building tonnage, volume and carbon calculation

  • Carbon calculator tool – accurately produce carbon calculation

  • Comes with extensive regional databases of values which will continue to grow and develop

  • Can easily input other materials, subject to data validation

DELIVER Sustainably

Our design for delivery approach ensures our teams think, plan and design with the construction process in mind. We consider all aspects of the project’s delivery, from sustainable construction to construction methodologies and solutions. Our carbon reduction strategy for construction activities includes:

  • Local sourcing of materials and components

  • Minimising or eliminating temporary works

  • Reducing waste by adopting DfMA or component-based design solutions

  • Seeking alternative materials

  • Adopting modern methods of construction