Building Performance Consultancy (up to 50 employees)
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This award recognises the consultancy that has demonstrated an outstanding contribution to the delivery of buildings with high levels of measured building performance and user satisfaction throughout their operating life.
Winner: XCO2
Net zero can be a difficult goal for consultancies to work towards but, in the past two years, XCO2 has risen to the challenge and put its core values of relationship-building, equality, creativity and teamwork into practice.
Judges said ‘XCO2 kept the low carbon ambition at the heart of everything… a model for repeat success.’
The team has done an admirable job of reaching its goals during the pandemic – viewing it as an opportunity rather than an obstacle – and has made considerable strides in its ongoing zero carbon schemes, including the Eden North project in Morecambe.
The Consultancy of the Year Award takes into account performance in the areas of collaboration, innovation, knowledge transfer, client feedback and staff investment. Thanks to its already strong focus on teamwork and relationship building, XCO2 has delivered in all of these areas – despite the problems posed by the pandemic – adapting its robust methods of employee and client communication to an online environment without losing sight of its core values.
The company’s external knowledge-sharing efforts have also been commendable, especially its engagement with universities, careers fairs and global industry talks.
In the past two years, XCO2 has made a considerable effort to ensure commissioning, handover and evaluation processes are as efficient as possible. It has achieved this primarily through enthusiastic use of post-occupancy evaluations, which has helped it establish an airtight system of communication and knowledge-sharing for turning its net zero ambition into reality.
The judges were particularly impressed by XCO2’s level of commitment to net zero and how it has kept eliminating carbon output at the heart of everything it does, rather than just using it to attract ‘green credentials’.
Every new project or idea is underpinned by the zero carbon ambition – from its efficient and low-waste refurbishment of the Forest School primary department, which now benefits from enhanced shading and hybrid ventilation, to its innovative approach to end-of-life strategies.
XCO2 has proven itself to be a truly forward-thinking company with an exemplary approach to the net zero goal. With more than 100 active projects on the go, its post-pandemic future looks exceptionally bright.