Sustainability

Squire & Partners acknowledges the vast impact of the built environment on the natural environment and its impact on current and future generations. We are committed to actively curtailing climate change through both our business operations and the buildings we design. We routinely review our policy and approach to ensure our environmental measures are relevant to prevailing research and data.

 

UK Green Building Council Members

As UKGBC members we commit to a minimum carbon reduction of 2.5% a year; measure our performance; look for ways to improve our performance; and promote all aspects of sustainability to our clients and colleagues.

 

Design Strategy

Sustainability and wellbeing are key design drivers for us; we work closely with clients and like-minded consultants to ensure that all aspects of sustainability are integrated into a project from inception to completion, and beyond. Whilst each project and client will have their own aspirations and targets, we believe that designing and building responsibly need not compromise profitability but can add value and make for a better long-term investment.

Our involvement with large-scale projects has intensified our commitment to taking full account of the social and environmental issues relevant to urban design. We develop projects in dialogue with clients, to meet or exceed their expectations through early confirmation and analysis of the brief, a review of strategic options for design direction, confirmation of budgets and benchmarks, manage schemes through audits, and finally ensure actual performance meets design expectation.

 

Sustainability Working Group

Our Sustainability Working Group has at least one representative from each design team and keeps up to date with the latest thinking and best practice in the industry. The group hosts training, CPDs, sustainability reviews of projects and coordinates the office project register to monitor the office's performance.

 

Social Value in Our Community

When we decided to move our practice to Brixton in 2015, we committed to creating meaningful connections in our local area. As one of Brixton’s largest employers, we wanted to be a positive and engaged neighbour to both the business and residential community. In 2020, we were awarded a Gold Charter Mark by Lambeth Council, presented to companies who make an outstanding contribution to their local community.

In 2015 and 2016, we created public street galleries on the hoarding of The Department Store during its refurbishment which showcased local artists' work, forming connections with the creative community before our arrival. 

Since moving to the building in 2017, we have initiated an annual 'Winter Windows' lights installation in the windows of The Department Store - a collaboration with local school children which won an international design award in 2020.

Our dedicated events space is designed to be used by the practice as well as the local creative and business community. We regularly host publicly accessible events and tap into local annual events and design festivals to create platforms for community
collaborations.

 

Social Value in Our Projects 

Squire & Partners has seen first-hand in our own developments that involving residents and organisations in the design process from the beginning of a project builds a rich local network and opens the profession to a wider audience. 

In 2021 we launched our own flexible workspace development, The Department Store Studios, where we established an annual Residency programme which offers young local entrepreneurs access to free workspace, mentoring and amenities for a year.

We regularly lend our design skills to benefit our local community and charitable organisations across the globe. From realising Brixton Windmill Education & Community Centre and Noah's Ark Children's Hospice in London, to an Agriculture Technology Centre in Cambodia and Zubabox - solar mobile learning units across the world which provide internet connectivity to remote communities.

 

Social Value in Our Industry

As a practice, we consider what impact we can have on young people on our doorstep – what skills, space or opportunities we can provide which will be useful to them now and in later life. 

We have built a network of relationships with local primary schools and youth centres through regular creative collaborations, education workshops and studio tours. Our 40+ work experience placements each year offer 50% of opportunities to local secondary students, and we regularly host a stand at their school careers fairs.

To create opportunities for young people in higher education or entering work, we have set live design briefs on our projects, created social media challenges, and offered student mentoring. We work with numerous partners to support marginalised or disadvantaged young people, including Livity, Built by Us, We Rise, and Blueprint for All (formerly Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust) - for which we are mentors and ambassadors.

News  

Architecture Today Eco Tech: 5 Hanover Square

News  

The Architects’ Journal: Sustainability Study