The Institute for Sustainability (IfS) was established as a charity in 2009 to promote and support sustainable development. Its trustees placed it in administration, explaining that “changing grant funding arrangements and certain unanticipated issues have led to financial difficulties “.
Senior IfS staff are joining BRE with the remit of strengthening BRE’s sustainability programmes, particularly in relation to urban development.
IfS projects include: Low Carbon London, exploring how the capital could develop a smarter electricity network; Scaling Up Retrofit, seeking solutions for mass market home refurbishment; and Cradle to Cradle Bizz, which looked at business waste. The BRE said that all these initiatives fitted well with BRE activities.
BRE chief executive Peter Bonfield said: “BRE shares with IfS a commitment and track record in bringing low carbon expertise and innovation to bear on the planning, design and operation of buildings, communities and cities. Following the global agreement achieved at COP21, this expertise is needed now more than ever as we transition to a low carbon global economy. We are pleased to strengthen our team capabilities with IfS expertise.”
IfS director Cathy Crawley said: “We look forward to continuing to work with our key clients and partners and are very pleased that our current trustees have pledged their ongoing support in this new phase of our business. We plan to establish an IfS advisory board to capture the skills and commitment of stakeholders who want to support the transition of IfS into BRE and to further the legacy and objectives of IFS.”
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