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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.

Cross section of wind turbine farm

Planet earth

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.

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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.

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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
1st actions

Reduce consumption by buying energy efficient appliances, and turning off standby where possible.
2nd actions

Automatic lighting and heating controls tuned for efficiency. Get 100% renewable energy suppliers.
3rd actions

Invest in energy efficient office envelope (BREEAM good or enerPHit good).
2031 residue

Office gas
1st actions

Check for standard energy efficiency measures.
2nd actions

Make sure office is not heated at weekends/evenings.
3rd actions

Seek non-gas premises for rent.
2031 residue

Some office heating will still be gas.

Office paper
1st actions

Invest in good PDF software.
2nd actions

Adopt electronic mark-up for all documents and drawings.
3rd actions

Go paperless.
2031 residue

Receipts, invoices, bills paper packaging.

Computer & phones
1st actions

Buy computers that can be repaired and recycled.
2nd actions

Have computer supplier with a net-zero objective by 2031.
3rd actions

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

Specialist analysis hardware.

Other hardware
1st actions

Look for one supplier who will manage carbon emissions.
2nd actions
3rd actions
2031 residue

Software & consultancy
1st actions

Procurement policy to ask major suppliers about their net-zero plans (they must have one)(turnover >£10m).
2nd actions

Extend the policy down to suppliers with turnover >£5m.
3rd actions

Look for carbon reduction certification for all softwares (evaluate cost threshold).
2031 residue

Small suppliers.

National travel
1st actions

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

Prevent internal travel by plane (car, bike or train only). Help staff to choose an EV (loan scheme).
3rd 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
1st 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.
2nd actions

Charge clients a carbon offset surcharge if they ask WT staff to attend meetings.
3rd 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
1st actions

Rationalise what/where we do our offsite computing – must have a net-zero plan.
2nd actions

Look for more efficient suppliers of computing power.
3rd actions

Look to source the most efficient calculation machines
2031 residue

References