“What makes UK pubs so great is they come in all different shapes and sizes, it’s part of their charm that none are the same. But, when looking at making sustainability improvements to the infrastructure of a pub, that means there typically isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ checklist. Initiatives can range from small, simple changes such as reducing CO2 or heat wastage by installing draft excluders to longer-term initiatives like recycled energy, solar power installations and waste diversion.
“Recommendation from experts such as Zero Carbon Forum is not to look at any changes in isolation. For example, an ambition to reduce the carbon footprint of your food menu can start with sourcing local and seasonal produce. Leftover ingredients can be collected by companies like Food Made Good, turning the pulp into renewable energy.
"The next step could be to optimise your outdoor space with a vertical garden (hydroponics) to grow your own ingredients or support local wildlife - particularly great if your outside area is limited or you need to maximise space for outdoor seating. On top of energy savings in the kitchen, as previously discussed, this single objective of reducing the environmental impact of your menu has generated multiple eco-friendly initiatives to reduce wastage, lower your carbon footprint and support local.”
Longer term structural investments can include, loft and cavity wall insulation, or installing solar panels. An EPC audit can help identify initiatives that can offer the best return for your business.
Future Net Zero’s, Ellis Hall, shares his advice on those larger changes: “You do want to get ahead of the curve. The best thing you can do, I would say is get an assessor in, someone that is a registered EPC assessor and work with them. It’s important to talk with them about what can be done, understand the different things that they would also recommend specific to your building and they might then recommend investing in some on-site generation through renewable technology.
"EPCs are generally quite cheap, even for a commercial property it’s a couple of hundred pounds. It’s not too much of an investment, especially when we know we’re going to need to be there legally in a couple of years."
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