PATHWAY TO NET ZERO

Join us as we design the global transition to green energy. We’re committed to reducing our impact as a business, so we can shape a brighter future for our planet.

  • Faster, smarter, leaner

    We design faster, smarter and leaner to deliver generation capacity across the globe, paving the way for a carbon free future. WT’s clients can maximise the opportunity to reduce the embedded carbon content in making their wind farms through: designing something lighter; and designing something easier to fabricate.

  • Reduction through design

    Because our designs use less steel, we spend less time responding to installation challenges and subsequently emit less carbon in fabrication than our competitors.

  • Persistent improvement

    With the strength in our designs helping to propel us into a more carbon neutral world, it cannot stop there. We emit carbon in our daily work, so we are measuring this, minimising it, and heading for net-zero.

Steps to sustainability

  • Measure

    • Measure emissions from travel
    • Emissions from offices, furniture & computers
    • Emissions from social activities
    • Carbon associated with our design output

  • Reduce

    • Eliminate waste
    • Ask suppliers for low-carbon options
    • Optimise energy use (efficient buildings, efficient hardware, efficient behaviour).
    • Provide data to our clients on carbon for all design output

  • Eliminate

    • Eliminate high carbon activities where possible, and reduce otherwise (we expect necessary air travel to be hard to eliminate)
    • Reduce carbon through relentless pursuit of efficiencies, carbon-savvy sourcing of products and services and renewable energy supply
    • Promote the use of steel suppliers with science based targets agreed and decarbonisation mapped

  • Sequester

    • WT will seek options to sequester equivalent carbon to our hard-to-eliminate emissions.
    • Help our clients with long-term and bio-positive solutions, seagrass, wetlands, etc.

Our Sustainability Journey

  • Monitoring of environmental impacts

    17 months of monitoring now complete

  • 6-monthly reporting of impacts

    2 reports completed and issued

  • Achieve ISO 14001

    Certification process underway Audits April and June 2022

  • Release WT Sustainability Charter

    Charter in draft

  • Carbon reporting

    Include Carbon Reporting in all our output, drawings, concept and FEED reports, MTO reporting.

  • Undertake Materiality assessment

    Sign up to Science Based Targets (carbon) and SBT (nature).

  • Decarbonisation challenge

    Engage Steel Value Chain on decarbonisation challenge

  • Into the future

    Strategic Action Plan being drafted for implementation during 2022 and beyond.

We are proud to be designing the global energy transition, but it doesn’t stop there. Our commitment to sustainability means we’re determined to make our design output biodiversity positive, reduce our overall impact as a business and to decarbonise where possible in the race towards net zero.
Danny Bonnett, Head of Structures

SUSTAINABILITY CHARTER

Read our sustainability charter and find out more about our commitment to a sustainable future for all.

Take me to the charter

Strategy for net zero

  • Flexible working

  • 1 actions

    Reduce consumption by buying energy efficient appliances, and turning off standby where possible.

  • 2 actions

    Automatic lighting and heating controls tuned for efficiency. Get 100% renewable energy suppliers.

  • 3 actions

    Invest in energy efficient office envelope (BREEAM good or enerPHit good).

  • 2031 residue

  • Office gas

  • 1 actions

    Check for standard energy efficiency measures.

  • 2 actions

    Make sure office is not heated at weekends/evenings.

  • 3 actions

    Seek non-gas premises for rent.

  • 2031 residue

    Some office heating will still be gas.

  • Computer & phones

  • 1 actions

    Buy computers that can be repaired and recycled.

  • 2 actions

    Have computer supplier with a net-zero objective by 2031.

  • 3 actions

    All IT suppliers must have a net-zero objective by 2031.

  • 2031 residue

    Specialist analysis hardware.

  • Other hardware

  • 1 actions

    Look for one supplier who will manage carbon emissions.

  • 2031 residue

  • Software & consultancy

  • 1 actions

    Procurement policy to ask major suppliers about their net-zero plans (they must have one)(turnover >£10m).

  • 2 actions

    Extend the policy down to suppliers with turnover >£5m.

  • 3 actions

    Look for carbon reduction certification for all softwares (evaluate cost threshold).

  • 2031 residue

    Small suppliers.

  • National travel

  • 1 actions

    Encourage staff to be sensible with travel (office to office travel must have 2 or 3 reasons).

  • 2 actions

    Prevent internal travel by plane (car, bike or train only). Help staff to choose an EV (loan scheme).

  • 3 actions

    Encourage train travel over other forms due to productivity and carbon benefits.

  • 2031 residue

    Personal car travel in non-Evs. Carbon emissons from diesel trains.

  • International travel

  • 1 actions

    Plan international travel to wrap up 2 or 3 reasons. Encourage going for longer to make the most of a trip. 2 days per 5000 miles.

  • 2 actions

    Charge clients a carbon offset surcharge if they ask WT staff to attend meetings.

  • 3 actions

    Prevent business travel by plane. Set limits on inter-continental travel frequency for long-term postings.

  • 2031 residue

    Communication travel between WT offices. Some client requested travel.

  • Computing consumption

  • 1 actions

    Rationalise what/where we do our offsite computing – must have a net-zero plan.

  • 2 actions

    Look for more efficient suppliers of computing power.

  • 3 actions

    Look to source the most efficient calculation machines

  • 2031 residue

References

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