Consultant to introduce carbon audits and advise on how to reduce emissions

Consultant Davis Langdon is set to launch a carbon index service next month, offering clients a detailed environmental audit of their buildings.

The service, thought to be the first of its kind, will assess each building鈥檚 environmental impact and provide it with a carbon index number. Davis Langdon will then advise clients on how to lower that number.

It will use the index to measure new builds, refurbishments and fit-outs.

The firm has worked with a number of organisations, including Friends of the Earth and the University of East Anglia, to devise a scale against which to measure energy performance.

The service was developed in response to a growing demand for advice from clients on how to reduce their carbon footprints. Rob Smith, senior partner, said: 鈥淐lients were keen and we鈥檝e already been approached.鈥�

He said the index 鈥渇ocused on everything鈥�, including the manufacture of materials, their transportation, and how the building will perform in use.

Smith added: 鈥淚f we can help clients keep carbon neutral for tenants then their buildings will be the most attractive.

鈥淭his is a business associated with creating iconic buildings but not necessarily ones that are environmentally friendly 鈥� we want to marry the two things up.鈥�

Davis Langdon has also revealed plans to become a carbon neutral business itself, and hopes for an 鈥渆ntire regime change鈥� within a year. Smith said that as the company was focusing on carbon emissions it made sense to apply the approach to its own premises.

Smith said: 鈥淲e鈥檒l be doing the usual things like shutting down PCs, turning off lights and recycling. And then looking at things like modes of transport.鈥�