Berkeley Group was named Sustainable Housebuilder of the Year for the second consecutive year at the Housebuilder Awards 2020.
The win recognises Berkeley's ongoing commitment to tackle climate change and help nature to recover, with more industry-leading results over the last year.
2020 marked the third year of Berkeley being carbon neutral within direct activities, and procuring 100% renewable electricity for UK operations.
Transition plans are being produced for all new sites, to enable our new homes to operate at net zero carbon by 2030. Our healthy homes framework also help our design teams to ensure our homes consider the elements that affect health including indoor air quality, noise and thermal comfort.
Most recently, we have developed science-based targets to ensure Berkeley takes a lead sector role in the international effort to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. This commits Berkeley to reducing emissions from our sites, sales suites and offices by 50% by 2030 and to reducing the carbon intensity of the homes we build by 40% by 2030, covering both the energy used by residents over 80 years together with the embodied carbon within the services and materials used to construct the home.
Forty developments now have net biodiversity gain strategies in place , which will create approximately 480 acres of new or measurably improved natural habitats.
Our toolkit shows that the rewilding of Kidbrooke Village will deliver a net biodiversity gain of more than 200% at full maturity. The new sustainable neighbourhood includes 86-acres of biodiverse parkland and open space with more than 500 new trees.
Berkeley was the first homebuilder to commit to a net biodiversity gain on each development in 2018 with our approach reflected in the Government's Environment Bill which established the intention to mandate net biodiversity gain for all new developments.
For more information about Berkeley's approach to creating low-carbon, nature-rich neighbourhoods, visit our sustainability pages.