The carbon challenge
We believe that we need to act now if we are to overcome the greatest global challenge of our age – achieving a low carbon society. Atkins is helping to create this future through our commitment to carbon critical design and by recognising that it’s our role to help our clients understand and prepare for the crucial task of delivering infrastructure in a carbon conscious world.
Our work speaks for itself
We work on some of the world’s most technically challenging and time critical projects such as London 2012, the Bahrain World Trade Center, major flood protection schemes and the Gautrain rapid rail link in South Africa. Our high level exposure to such diverse and complex initiatives gives us an unsurpassed insight into the problems our clients are facing and what is required to deliver sustainable solutions.
We have invested in the research and development of a suite of carbon tools to assess levels of embedded and operational carbon in our designs and highlight ways of reducing emissions in existing infrastructure and processes. We are committed to establishing more sustainable practices in the construction sector and to spreading the message to others in the industry.
Delivery of a low carbon society: beyond rhetoric
Atkins' former chief executive Keith Clarke was invited by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) to serve as Brunel Lecturer for 2010-12, delivering keynote lectures in 25 locations around the world to over 2,500 people. His lecture, titled ‘Delivery of a low carbon society: beyond rhetoric’, encouraged engineers to revolutionise the way they plan, design and build vital new infrastructure.
We were named Consultancy of the Year in the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers Low Carbon Performance Awards 2010; received the first ever certification of the Carbon Trust Standard awarded to an engineering consultancy in the construction sector and were appointed as the first UK consultancy partner to the Carbon Disclosure Project – a reporting system that encourages major corporations to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions data and management strategies.
“The greatest challenge is not keeping pace with current low carbon thinking but predicting what is coming next. For Atkins, it’s not just a moral decision but one that is business critical.”