Building a sustainable future: How The Salvation Army utilises the Green Buildings Tool

In this article, we explore how The Salvation Army, a global charity with a mission rooted in compassion and community service, is leveraging technology to drive its sustainability agenda. Brian Troddyn, the Sustainability Manager at The Salvation Army, shares insights into their strategic approach and the pivotal role of the Green Buildings Tool in their sustainability initiatives.

Aligning mission with sustainability

Brian Troddyn, the Sustainability Manager overseeing operations in the UK and Ireland for The Salvation Army, underscores the importance of sustainability in fulfilling their mission. He explains, “One of our key mission priorities is ‘care for creation’, which includes environmental stewardship. Sustainability is integral to this, hence we’ve set ambitious targets for energy consumption reduction and a net-zero strategy by 2040. To achieve these targets, The Salvation Army aims to reduce carbon emissions from various sources such as buildings, transportation, procurement, and resource efficiency.”

Addressing diverse building portfolio challenges

With over 3,000 buildings in their portfolio, ranging from domestic housing to commercial properties, churches, and community centres, The Salvation Army faces the challenge of implementing sustainable practices across varied building types.
To effectively execute their net-zero strategy, The Salvation Army has developed three-year cyclical carbon management plans. They selected the Green Buildings Tool from CFP Green Buildings due to its ability to assess both domestic and commercial properties within a single platform, enabling tailored strategies for each building type.

“If I had to send a consultant to 3,000 buildings for a sustainability analysis, it would cost a huge amount of money and time. With the Green Buildings Tool, I gain the right insights to make decisions in a very efficient way.”

– Brian Troddyn, Sustainability Manager at The Salvation Army

Leveraging the Green Buildings Tool

For domestic assets, compliance with Minimal Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) regulations is crucial. With the green buildings tool, Brian can analyse the domestic portfolio and make choices to achieve the desired EPC and meet regulatory requirements. Brian: “Additionally, the Green Buildings Tool also provides an overview of cost and carbon- and EPC impact, along with the corresponding business case. Not only for individual buildings, but also for example, if you were to implement solar panels across the entire portfolio. With the insights from the tool, I can develop and substantiate a solid strategy, including a business case, which I can present to senior management and the board.”

For non-domestic/commercial assets, the focus is on reducing carbon emissions, with EPC compliance being a secondary consideration. Brian elaborates: “The Salvation Army aims to heavily invest in these properties over the coming years, with the help of cyclical 3-year carbon management strategies to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040. The Green Buildings Tool is extremely valuable, providing the necessary high-level insights you need. Next, it is incredibly important for me that I can extract the data from the tool to share with the portfolio manager and incorporate it into my own plans, aligning with other programs.”

Challenges and strategies for the future

To achieve their sustainability targets in the coming years, The Salvation Army acknowledges the need for significant investments, dedicated resources, and strategic partnerships. Brian states, “We need to ramp up our own resources and build up a supply chain. We require our own experts and consultants to retrofit buildings. Additionally, we have a substantial amount of design work ahead. This year, I will collaborate with consultants to finalise designs and prepare them for market launch, ensuring their successful implementation.”

As The Salvation Army continues its journey towards a sustainable future, the Green Buildings Tool stands as a valuable ally, providing essential insights and support in their mission to create environmentally responsible buildings. Brian concludes: “I will always be using the Green Buildings Tool to adjust the 3-year carbon management plans. Additionally, we utilise it for property transactions and leasing management. Our corporate real estate team approaches me to conduct quick scans on potential new properties, determining the measures required to achieve a specific EPC rating. I input the building into the GBT, which takes 10 minutes, and the insights greatly aid the team’s decision-making process regarding property acquisitions.”