Recently, we hosted a unique green-dating event at our Soho office in London. This gathering brought together SME housebuilders, property developers, and investors for an engaging session with businesses that are setting new standards in sustainability and biodiversity in the real estate sector.
The event was designed to bridge the gap between property developers and innovative sustainability experts. It was an exclusive opportunity for attendees to connect with peers and learn directly from businesses that are leading the way in net zero strategies, energy-efficient building practices, and regulatory compliance, such as EPC ratings, MEES, and Biodiversity Net Gain.
Who was there?
We had the privilege of hosting seven companies that are making significant strides in sustainability:
- SaveMoneyCutCarbon provides its customers with end-to-end support on their journey to NetZero offering tools and personalised advice every step of the way, as well as delivering measurable financial savings to our customers through sustainable products, services & technologies.
- Sintali works with clients across the built environment sector, helping them consolidate a global sustainability strategy, unlock green finance, quantify their success through certification, and providing advisory on the creation of new verification programmes for specific needs.
- Through the deployment of Endotherm, an award-winning fluid additive, Social Decarb helps reduce tenants’ heating costs by up to 15%. Initially targeting disadvantaged homes in the social housing sector, it is looking to extend its roll-out to the private market in the future.
- Construction Carbon provides a centralised embodied carbon management platform for real estate developers and other professionals, clarifying the web of assessment tools, methodologies and guidance. This allows consistent project benchmarking, informed decision making, and reliable carbon reporting.
- Planet Mark is a sustainability certification and net zero provider for organisations and the built environment. For over a decade, it has supported organisations to radically reduce carbon emissions, create operational efficiencies, enhance profits, and work towards the global transition to net zero.
- Firstplanit serves the built and home improvement industry with cutting-edge research in health, wellbeing, and sustainability, enabling those in the industry to execute any building project at the highest standard of health and eco-consciousness.
- Material Index is dedicated to revolutionising sustainability in construction. With their platform, they’ve enabled the achievement of reuse rates 10 times the industry average, significantly reducing carbon emissions and waste. Through comprehensive BREEAM pre-demolition audits and seamless sourcing of secondary materials, they empower stakeholders to embrace circular economy practices.
Why ESG and sustainability matter at OakNorth
Here at OakNorth, sustainability isn’t just a buzzword—it’s at the core of everything we do. From driving positive impact in UK communities to setting ourselves ambitious targets, we’re dedicated to shaping a truly environmentally sustainable business model. Our approach is grounded in three strategic pillars
- Reducing our emissions: We’re targeting net zero by 2035 for all our emissions, including Scope 1, 2, and 3, and continuously refining our measurement and reduction efforts.
- Supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy: We’re engaging with our customers and suppliers to advocate for achieving net zero and providing them with the resources (like this event) they need to make the transition.
- Integrating climate into our strategy: Climate considerations are woven into our lending decisions, risk management, and advocacy efforts to ensure the prosperity and resilience of our business.
The green-dating event was a testament to the importance of collaboration and innovation in tackling the challenges of sustainability in the real estate sector. By bringing together industry experts and fostering open dialogue, we are committed to driving positive change and supporting our customers and partners in their sustainability journeys.
Thank you to everyone who attended and made this event a success.
If you’re looking to step up your impact and need funding to do so, please get in touch via [email protected] to chat about how we can support your mission.
