Building wildlife havens, sustainable homes and zero carbon goals

As the country’s largest housebuilder we have a major role to play in looking after the environment in a sustainable way for future generations, whilst also delivering the homes this country urgently needs.

This is why we were one of the original organisations who called for the government to make Britain net zero carbon by 2050. Since then we have challenged ourselves to set ambitious and science-based carbon reduction targets.

We believe every business needs to take responsibility to tackle climate change. While some people are sceptical about targets, setting such ambitious emissions goals is vital if we are to reduce the impact from building homes and to safeguard the environment.

As well as purchasing 100 per cent renewable energy by 2025, all of our new homes will be zero carbon from 2030. By 2040, we will have become a net zero emissions business covering all of our direct operations.

Bringing nature to your doorstep

But reducing carbon emissions isn’t the only way to save the planet. We also need to make wildlife-friendly places. As the country’s leading national sustainable housebuilder, looking after nature is integral to the work that we continuously do through our partnership with RSPB. The RSPB is the country’s largest nature conservation charity and we have been working closely with them since 2014 on ways to give nature a home.

With local nature habitats in serious trouble and 40 million birds having vanished from the skies in the last half century, every community has a role to play in tackling the ecological and climate emergency.

Which is why we recently announced a new goal to boost wildlife. By 2023 we will further prioritise wildlife on all new developments by creating dedicated space for local biodiversity conservation, installing a range of wildlife friendly features and following expert RSPB advice.

Blackbird, Turdus merula: adult male, on flowerpot in garden, England. May 2003.

Photo-by-Chris-Gomarsall-via-Barratt

Home builders Barratt are making sustainable wildlife habitats part of their developments: Photo by Chris Gomarsall

Beyond 2023 our goal is to have at least 10 per cent more wildlife habitats in and around developments, delivering a clear biodiversity net gain across the country.

Many of the new developments will also feature more hedgehog highways and swift nesting sites. Back in 2018 we became the first housebuilder to target 10 cities around the country with swift nesting bricks developed with the RSPB. Having already installed hundreds of the swift bricks now our goal is to install several thousand around the country.

Sustainable homes for wildlife

We are also investing £1m in an exciting new project with the RSPB to support people to help nature thrive in their gardens, balconies and eventually their community greenspaces. Called Nature on Your Doorstep, the project will deliver the resources, connections and inspiration that will empower people to create their own havens for wildlife wherever they live.

The actions taken to protect the environment by new home owners, communities and businesses alike will make a really big difference in shaping the future of the planet. And as we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, this has never been more important.

By welcoming wildlife into gardens, using less electricity, or eventually becoming a zero carbon emissions business such as Barratt, all these things will help both nature and people to live in harmony with the environment.

Find out more at Barratt Homes website.

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