What We Learn From The Wombles
Michael Pemberton – CEO Britain’s Energy Coast (BEC)
#OurHeroIsZero
For World Green Building Week 2017, the World Green Building Council set out to champion Zero Carbon building and all those who contribute to this sector.
In the run up to the big week (25th September – 1st October 2017) the Britain’s Energy Coast team started pondering who our heroes were.
As an organisation, we put sustainability at our heart. Through the ownership of our property estate, and the development of our portfolio we have a mission to bring forward schemes and projects that showcase the best of sustainable construction and building management.
When I instigated the strategic review of BEC in 2016 that set it on its path to commercial security, I knew that sustainability and low carbon dreams had to be at the very heart of what we did. We started with a golden thread and let the business mission evolve around it.
We’ve now got a clear path and are dedicated to being low carbon pioneers as we make changes to our existing commercial property assets and bring new building developments to reality. This is the first World Green Building Week that we’ve taken part in and I’ve really enjoyed pondering on who my hero is under the #OurHeroIsZero theme.
So, without further ado, in honour of WGBW2017… the sustainable heroes who inspire me to live in a zero-carbon building world are… THE WOMBLES.
Culture: Think about it. Who better represents keeping sustainability at the core of your culture that those fuzzy residents of Wimbledon Common. They make the most of everything, cleaning up and recycling is an embedded way of life.
Creativity: On their mission to "Make Good Use of Bad Rubbish”, the Wombles have to be very creative. They never know what materials they’ll be working with, keeping an open mind every episode.
Coaching: If only The Wombles did apprentice schemes! I loved watching Tobermory coaching Wellington in his inventing adventures. The Wombles knew that if we give young people/ industry newbies the right foundations (in the Womblegarten) together with the right freedom to experiment, they’ll be well equipped to solve whatever challenges come tomorrow.
To me, everyone working in the sustainable building sector is a Womble – so let’s get cleaning up and recycle our way to a zero-carbon building future.