Emma Fitzgerald, UK and Ireland defence director at AECOM, explains how making sustainable changes to the defence sector estate can help it boost resilience and re-invest in capacity on the road to net zero.
‘Adapt to win’ is a mantra adopted by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) across its operations. As the pressure to decarbonise intensifies, it’s important that the MOD now applies the same mentality to its real estate.
Alongside geopolitical conflict, climate change represents one of the world’s greatest threats and, like all sectors, defence must play its part in helping the UK meet its net zero target.
The new government has made its approach to reducing carbon emissions clear, with a target to cut emissions by 81% ahead of 20351, and it won’t be long until decarbonising the defence estate returns to the agenda – after all, the sector makes up half of central government’s carbon emissions, and one per cent of the UK’s total emissions2.
While investing in reducing emissions has typically been a secondary priority behind success in the field, there is an opportunity to make sustainability an important ally. Decarbonisation through to waste and materials recycling can unlock competitive advantages including reduced costs, better resilience and long-term energy security.
The MOD’s estate represents an ideal target for boosting sustainability, with the majority of high-emitting activities taking place here rather than out in the field – for example, energy consumption in buildings, transport and waste management. And the same is true for defence contractors and manufacturers, a number of organisations pursuing operational net zero by 2030. Fortunately, there are tried-and-tested strategies setting a successful mould.
AECOM recently co-authored a collaborative report with RUSI, highlighting the need to target issues like resilience, energy security and operational effectiveness. By focusing on these areas, defence organisations can showcase how sustainability can offer a competitive advantage in capability development. This approach strengthens core objectives, reducing emissions and environmental impact as a byproduct rather than treating decarbonisation as the primary goal – delivering sustainability results alongside traditional priorities.
Investing in sustainability creates competitive advantage
The Defence Estate Optimisation Portfolio was set up by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation to invest in better-structured, modern and more sustainable infrastructure that improves security and resilience. In 2023, it created a £5.1bn framework to accelerate the transition of defence to a low-carbon and sustainably driven rationalised estate.
Under this framework, my employer AECOM was appointed as a Regional Technical Service Provider for Scotland and the North of England, where our multi-disciplinary team provides technical oversight of design and build for a number of MOD sites.
Integrating renewable energy sources into military estates can help reduce costs and safeguard against volatile energy prices, as well as building long-term energy security and independence. RAF Marham in Norfolk is a great example of this in action, being one of the UK’s first military bases to run almost entirely on green electricity.
The base generates 95 per cent of its electricity from a biogas plant on site, through anaerobic digestion of locally grown crops. The green energy supply saves the MOD around £300,000 in electricity annually and reduces its carbon emissions by 14,000 tonnes every year3. We helped the MOD to design the regeneration of the RAF Marham airfield as part of the plan to bed down the F-35 Lightning Aircraft. This included achieving a BREEAM Outstanding rating by ensuring that 100 per cent of excavated materials didn’t go to landfill, along with the use of sustainable tinder and avoiding the use of virgin aggregates4.
Heat networks are also a viable option to decarbonise estates, delivering waste heat – such as from manufacturing facilities – via a network of underground pipes to barracks and other buildings across site. Similarly, installing solar panels, wind turbines and heat pumps can also improve energy efficiency and energy security, while reducing costs.
Looking beyond core operations
Investing in sustainability for core military infrastructure can effectively address evolving energy demands and regulatory requirements, ensuring that military operations remain robust and adaptable. However, we can look beyond these central sites to auxiliary operations, such as healthcare, to unearth decarbonisation opportunities across the entire estate.
One such example is a first-of-its-kind integrated care joint venture between the MOD and NHS, which AECOM is helping deliver. The Catterick Integrated Care Centre is a new 132,000 sq ft healthcare complex designed to offer support for the MOD’s Catterick Garrison, which includes 13,000-strong military personnel, dependents, their families and the local community. The campus is being built to an Excellent standard under the MOD’s DREAM assessment, and will feature solar panels, air-source heat pumps and energy-efficient LED lighting.
Exploring gains in every corner of the estate will deliver results for the wider defence sector. Decarbonising MOD bases and buildings through to defence manufacturers’ facilities and hospitals is a strategic move that supports the UK’s net zero targets, as well as enhancing operational efficiency. By integrating renewable energy sources and sustainable practices, the defence sector can reduce costs, improve resilience, and secure long-term energy independence.
This commitment to sustainability will position the MOD and its contractors as leaders in the fight against climate change, while the long-term savings climate solutions make over time will free up resource for other vital defence needs such as personnel, equipment and training. A non-zero-sum game, if you will – it’s a win-win.
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2ny8zndpxo
- https://www.gov.uk/guidance/climate/reduce-impact-of-defence-on-climate-change#:~:text=Defence’s%20emissions%20made%20up%2050,1%25%20of%20total%20emissions).
- https://insidedio.blog.gov.uk/2019/02/18/the-power-of-green-energy-enough-electricity-to-run-raf-marham/
- https://bregroup.com/case-studies/ceequal-excellent-airfield-works-raf-marham-norfolk
climate change Defence Estate sustainability
Post written by: Vicky Maggiani
Vicky has worked in media for over 20 years and has a wealth of experience in editing and creating copy for a variety of sectors.
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