As a company that takes sustainability and our carbon footprint incredibly seriously, it’s absolutely imperative that an experienced and environmentally conscious specialist oversees our sustainability practices and processes. At Pexhurst, we are incredibly fortunate to have Luca Sidoli as our Sustainability Coordinator.
Having been extremely interested in the environment from a very early age, Luca studied zoology at University, so the role of Sustainability Coordinator at Pexhurst was one ideally suited to his passion and drive to improve the world for all.
Joining the team in early 2024, Luca takes a very active role in the company’s BREEAM projects and liaising with the delivery team to provide evidence to BREEAM assessors for all relevant credits. Additionally, he focuses heavily on the company’s carbon emissions – an area where we have made significant progress in recent months…
1. How did you get into sustainability, and why the construction industry?
As the climate agenda is more important now than ever before, sustainability has become a booming area in business and serves a critical role in preserving our planet for future generations. Therefore, working within this field feels as though I am making a difference, which is very rewarding.
With the construction industry also being one of the largest contributors to global emissions, sustainable strategy here is even more critical.
2. How have you found your first few months as Sustainability Coordinator at Pexhurst?
I feel like I have learned so much in such a short period of time. Comparing myself to my first day, where I didn’t quite know what to expect, to where I am now as well as where Pexhurst is, I feel there is a massive difference and I’m very happy with the progress. It’s incredibly exciting to think where we will be in a year’s time!
3. Pexhurst have not had a Sustainability Coordinator role before you joined. How do you think the team has embraced this?
I could not have asked for more from my colleagues. They have been incredibly open, receptive, and engaged with the sustainability agenda, suggesting ideas and solutions to the issues we all face.
I feel this cooperation and engagement between all levels at Pexhurst is the foundation of achieving a net zero business.
4. How has your relationship evolved over the past few months of working with Pexhurst’s Sustainability consultants?
They have really helped guide and streamline the process of becoming a more sustainable business. When you’re at the start of a journey, it can be a bit daunting and you’re not sure where best to start. But their expertise and willingness to pass that on to me has been worth its weight in gold.
Working together, we have achieved far more than we could have on our own and this has really sped up our sustainability journey.
5. How do you see the importance of sustainability changing in the upcoming years and the role of the circular economy becoming more important?
Working with sustainability at the forefront of our thinking will become the new standard of work going forwards, similar to how health and safety is now an integral part of the industry. Promoting a more circular economy is one strategy in reducing our environmental impact and will help us achieve net zero.
It’s not a new concept, but with the new age of consumerism, it’s something we’ve left behind. Extending the lifespan of products often makes both economic and environmental sense, so the incentives to work like this are high.
6. What are your aims when it comes to Pexhurst’s sustainability targets?
My main aim is to set an ambitious net zero target for Scopes One and Two in the near future to reflect how Pexhurst is treating the environmental crisis as a priority and our commitment to play our part in making meaningful reductions.
We’ll also look to set out a clear carbon reduction strategy and timeline and trial these strategies in 2024. Finally, we’ll also look to work on identifying our biggest Scope Three contributors and quantify this with the aim of setting an equally ambitious target for these emissions.
7. What are your personal aspirations at Pexhurst?
I’m keen to upskill myself so that I can fully support Pexhurst on its sustainability journey. Having passed my BREEAM AP (Design & Site) course at the start of 2024, I feel the next logical step is to enrol onto a BREEAM Assessor course to deepen my understanding and better support our BREEAM projects. Additionally, enrolling on an AIEMA course is also a high priority of mine.
With the built environment currently contributing around 40% of the UK’s carbon emissions, embracing sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint is a major focus for Pexhurst. Through the dedication and expertise of Luca and the rest of our talented team, the company will look to make even more significant changes to our sustainability processes in the coming months and years.
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