20 June 2024
London Heritage Quarter embraces and echoes the support of its four Districts to share information and encourage members to do what they can on Clean Air Day, 20 June.
Poor air quality is mostly a result of human activity, specifically local combustion – mainly diesel vehicles and gas boilers. The issue is complex, but the sources are broadly transport (cars, taxis, buses and coaches), buildings (gas from boilers), and the supply chain (light and rigid heavy goods vehicles, and powered two wheelers).
London Heritage Quarter addresses some of the bigger picture issues such as greening the area, initiating concept ideas and designs for healthier streets, minimizing the impact of traffic and vehicles, and setting up air quality monitors, but we need your help to do more. Luckily there are some simple steps that your business can take, and that you can take personally, to improve air quality:
Raise the profile of air quality through policy implementation and campaign support:
- Embed air quality into your ESG policies.
- Launch campaigns internally to promote walking and cycling using air quality as a core driver for change.
- Have your business sign the Sustainable City Charter and integrate air quality into your Charter commitments.
Promote walking and cycling for a healthier workforce:
- Promote walking and cycling – safely and using low emission routes; try this planner or use this map from Footways London.
- Utilise the Cycle to Work Scheme
- Bring your bike to our bike marking and safety events. We’ll be at LSE, John Watkins Plaza from 12pm to 2pm on 13 June and at Tate Britain from 11:30am to 3:30pm on 25 June.
- Explore private hire vehicle contracts with hybrid and electric variants.
- Launch campaigns to support environmental initiatives that improve air quality.
Reduce the number of vehicles delivering to your site and demand a lower emission profile of the fleet:
- Look out for freight opportunities from London Heritage Quarter on our freight page.
- Incorporate air quality, alongside other environmental targets, into your supply chain and procurement policies.
- Reduce the number of vehicles delivering to your office.
- Share services with neighbours and organisations on different floors for business basics like stationery and toiletries.
- Demand a lower emission vehicle that delivers your goods and services.
- Ask drivers to refrain from idling their vehicle engines when visiting your site.
Reducing gas consumption and install low emission technologies:
- Reduce gas consumption and install ultra-low NOx boilers when fitting new or upgrading equipment.
- Assess the energy needs of the building or office or both to improve efficiency and reduce gas usage. This is one of the first, easy Sustainable City Charter
- Install ultra-low NOx boilers or at least a leaner burner.
- Minimise the use of your back-up generator if you have one and avoid testing it on days when air quality is poor.
- ‘Green’ your building – schemes of all sizes can help and some vegetation is known to trap pollutants.
“Air quality is about wellbeing and better and more sustainable business environments”, Ruth Duston OBE OC, Chief Executive, London Heritage Quarter
“Our message is that simple, small changes to business behaviours can improve local air quality and reduce health risks to people whilst making businesses more efficient”, David Beamont, Head of Sustainability and Infrastructure, London Heritage Quarter.
