Regional agent: How I went carbon neutral

The COP27 UN Climate Conference may be over but environmental challenges remain and one agent is urging others in the sector to do more to go green.

Bristol-based Alexander May became the city’s first estate agency business to become certified carbon neutral in August.

The company partnered with a local environmental consultancy, Greener Energy Futures, which calculated Alexander May’s carbon footprint and ways to reduce and offset emissions.

Writing exclusively for Estate Agent Today, Rob Mamuda, director of Alexander May, explains that he initially sat on the fence regarding climate change.

He said: “I made an effort with the recycling and was pretty good at turning the lights off but I knew we all needed to do more: then COP 26 came along. It was a turning point for me.
“I spoke to my children. They already ‘got it’ and couldn’t understand why others didn’t.”

Mamuda said he understood that regardless of the climate change argument, we all have a duty to look after the planet.

He added: “As a company owner and founder, I knew I had to start there but I wasn’t expecting it to be so hard. 

“I found no answers are available online as to what you should or could do about it as a company. There are lots of targets and opinions, reasons to do it but nothing practical that made sense. Was it really just as easy as planting a few trees?”

Mamuda said he then spoke to a local non-governmental organisation called Temwa Carbon Balance that pointed him in the right direction about offsetting emissions.

He said: “It turns out planting trees is important but you must make sure they are the correct trees in the correct place and cultivated to aid the local population.

“We then worked with environmental consultancy Greener Energy Futures. It taught us about the pitfalls of greenwashing as well as the challenges required to achieve net zero.”

It is also important to have staff on board with the company’s aims, Mamuda said and the brand attended a training course focusing on carbon usage, wastage and how to reduce both.

He added: “There were practical elements and exercises to complete. 

“It was engaging, compelling and I was amazed how the staff reacted.

“Afterwards, I couldn’t believe staff actually suggested doing away with the water coolers in each office. Had I suggested it without the context or training, I am sure I would have had a mutiny on my hands.”

Climate change training is now part of new staff inductions and Alexander May has since formed a climate change committee that meets every two months to implement ideas, report on progress and suggest further measures.

Mamuda said: “From simple steps like installing all LED lighting to using timeclocks to reduce the number of hours our signage and window displays operate and reducing the use of AC units, other initiatives we have brought in include: online viewings for all first viewings, walking to appointments and grouping viewings to reduce trips.

“With all the measures in place, not only are we all a bit fitter but we believe we have reduced our carbon use by 25% and, together with offsetting, we achieved Carbon Neutral status in August.

“We are a work in progress but I am proud of our status and our ongoing effort.”

Mamuda said he is now keen to talk to anyone who doesn’t know where to start, adding: “My own experience was quite daunting when you see how much wrong and misleading information is out there.”