TRANSPORT
Transport is a central part of responsible property management. Building users’ mode of transport and transport arrangements at a property can affect corporate net-zero commitments, as well as impacting on congestion and air quality in local communities.
Managing transport involves influencing the transport choices of building users through the provision of facilities and incentives. It is also important to consider how vehicle movements and parking arrangements can contribute towards occupiers’ environmental objectives.
Download checklist: ‘Sustainable Transport’
Checklist
Review environmental policies and objectives
A company’s environmental policy and objectives should set out its intentions in relation to sustainable transport. In some cases, a company may have a bespoke sustainable transport policy statement.
Environmental policies and objectives provide a reference point for property managers when considering sustainable transport at the property level. Reviewing this information can inform and guide the development of sustainable transport plans and associated funding strategies.
Review occupiers’ needs
The transport needs of a property’s occupiers should be established to identify sustainable transport improvements. Engagement with occupiers can be undertaken through discussions at property management meetings, for example, or a commuter survey.
The ability to support occupiers will vary, depending on the property’s characteristics and the level of sustainable transport activities already undertaken by the occupier.
Produce a Sustainable Transport Plan
A Sustainable Transport Plan requires collaboration between asset, property and facilities managers and occupiers. The plan should be informed by the evaluation of occupiers' needs balanced against the availability of funding for initiatives.
Sustainable transport initiatives may include, for example, car park planning, shared transport provision and electric vehicle charging points. The plan should be reviewed at least annually as a collective exercise by all stakeholders.
Prepare a monitoring and maintenance strategy
A monitoring strategy should track performance against Sustainable Transport Plans and associated environmental performance. This will enable the review and continual improvement of performance, and can contribute information for stakeholders’ sustainability reporting initiatives.
A maintenance strategy should be prepared to identify maintenance requirements for transport related assets, including information relating to newly installed or modified equipment.
Specific consideration should be given to the maintenance of assets related to electric vehicle charging facilities.
Agree how to fund improvements
Based on the ongoing review of the Sustainable Transport Action Plan, and progress towards environmental targets, property managers should engage asset managers and occupiers to discuss how future energy improvement initiatives can be funded.
These discussions may be informed by the availability of third-party funding and could be guided by the high-level intent set out with the asset manager’s corporate environmental and utilities policies and objectives.
