First reactions to Pagabo’s Decarbonisation White Paper

Our first reactions to Pagabo’s White Paper, ‘Driving Decarbonisation in the Public Sector’, as a Principal Contractor delivering design and build programmes to public sector clients:

In our experience, we see evidence that the public sector shows real intent to improve on their net zero targets as part of a wider prioritisation of social value. These are questions that are posed with relevance to each project tendered and provided with a clear percentage allocation of the returning bid alongside quality scoring criteria. We do, however see the weighting fluctuate between bids quite significantly, and more often than not price will still vastly outweigh quality, including responses to net zero emissions.

In fact, this point is raised by the Educational Respondent for the South West of England, in the report, where funding remains a barrier to significant system upgrades.

And it is reported that, ‘75% of public sector professionals feel that cost outstrips sustainability ‘most’ or ‘all of the time’

In 2023, we were instructed under the Department for Work and Pensions life cycle framework to carry out a number of Air Source Heat Pump installations across their estate, together with building repair works to ensure efficient heat retention. In this case another public department, planning, were still relatively new to applications of this variety and naturally effected delays in issuing consent. Certainly, this correlates with the 37% who believe the target* is achievable but not within the given timeframe.

The report goes on to state that, ‘participants also highlighted that specialist skills and government-led training schemes would be required, while others emphasised the need for pragmatism, practical net zero targets and third-party support – from private sector partners or elsewhere.’ 

Which is applicable in the situation we experienced, as outlined.

Many of the measures that are being rolled out to address emissions, on page 14 of the paper, have featured as key elements within our project scope of works and framework programmes.

Overall, I would say that for anyone working within the construction industry on public sector projects the results of this survey are largely aligned with our own experiences and hence are not a huge surprise. As a Principal Contractor, working with a national network of specialists, we are highly experienced in delivering projects which meet BREEAM, LEED, and SKA environmental assessment and certification systems for buildings.

For example, we recently fit out an office at Daresbury Business Park designed to accommodate a small team working in the field of conservation and heritage science. The project is pending SKA (Sustainable Construction Assessment Rating) and Fitwel certifications and won a ‘highly commended’ for the best project delivering sustainability outcomes at the Pagabo Celebrating Excellence awards, 2025.

*An 81% reduction in carbon emissions by 2035.