Co Down construction firm is first in Northern Ireland to achieve global carbon management standard

A Co-Down construction firm has achieved PAS 2080 verification, the globally recognised standard for managing carbon in buildings and infrastructure.

Graham is the first company in Northern Ireland to be awarded the prestigious accolade.

This achievement reinforces the Hillsborough headquartered commitment to integrating carbon considerations into every aspect of its operations, from project inception to completion.

PAS 2080, developed by the British Standards Institution (BSI), is a comprehensive framework for the management of carbon across the lifecycle of built environment projects. Going beyond traditional carbon reduction strategies, it looks at the whole value chain and aims to reduce carbon and cost through smarter design, construction, and use. It serves as a key reference document in the UK government’s Construction Playbook and has become the leading specification for carbon management in the built environment.

Lianne Taylor, head of environmental sustainability at Graham, said: “Our in-house expertise and procedures have enabled us to accurately collect and analyse the data needed to define whole life carbon and identify lower carbon alternatives. This achievement has led us to achieving PAS 2080 verification. As we continue to integrate new processes and apply our knowledge and experience, our system will evolve and mature in a continuous cycle of improvement."

Matthew Pygott, associate carbon consultant and lead verifier, Hydrock, added: “For Graham, securing validation and verification to the global standard of PAS2080:2023 is a real statement achievement. They’ve worked hard to engage their people and supply chains in their commitment to a carbon management system. It was evident that the purpose of this initiative was understood and driven from their leadership team, which is so important to the success of the process.

“The principles behind an effective carbon management system represent change management in the industry, and Graham is showing real leadership to drive more responsible decision-making around carbon impacts.”