The arrival of specialist analysts, Oliver Cooney and Ryan Menezies, is part of CALA’s path to building homes that are operationally net zero carbon from 2030, and reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Scottish Government’s 2045 target and ahead of UK Government’s 2050 target.

The analysts will work closely with teams across the homebuilder’s business to drive forward innovations and efficiencies, which will help reduce CALA’s environmental impact in the future.

With a wide-ranging remit, the pair will produce detailed reports and model various scenario home builds, with an initial focus on improving air quality and water consumption within CALA homes. Further priorities over the coming months will include reviewing potential innovative and pioneering technologies that will allow the homebuilder to achieve its target of being operationally net zero by 2030.

Ryan Menezies, one of CALA’s new sustainability analysts, said: “I’m proud to be here at CALA and I’m looking forward to working closely with the various teams to explore sustainable innovations, implement pioneering trials, and measure results to help the business reach its green objectives.

“With new regulations coming to the fore across the construction industry and with sustainability becoming something that touches every part of CALA’s business, it is an exciting time to join and help the company make informed decisions to ensure that it does all that it can in the fight against climate change.”

Brian Johnson, development director at CALA Group, said: “At CALA we realise we have to act now if we want to negate our environmental impact in the future. Sustainability is one of the core pillars of our business and the appointment of Ryan and Oliver is a statement of our intent to make meaningful strides towards the decarbonisation of our operations.

“Their knowledge and skillset will be invaluable in drawing on expertise from across the business to drive down our carbon footprint across our sites, office environments, procurement and transportation. We already have a detailed roadmap of targets, measures and areas of interest to pursue as priorities and having a dedicated team to help in the implementation of our strategy will be invaluable for CALA.”

Alongside its new sustainability appointments, the homebuilder has also partnered with the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre, to work with three MSc students as part of the Built Environment Innovation Masters Fund.

The students will be working on briefs created by CALA until the Autumn, focusing on topics such as modern methods of construction in a mass market and reducing embodied carbon in design as part of their dissertation work.

It is hoped that the data and learnings from the student partnership will help the business to deliver on its objectives of reducing embodied carbon in both the construction and operation of the homes it builds, whilst providing the students with mentoring and support from the industry-leading company.

Kaye Keenan, programme manager at Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC), said: “It is great to have CALA as an industry partner on the CSIC Built Environment Innovation Masters Fund. The projects they are supporting have the potential to make impact in several important areas to improve sustainability in the construction sector. 

“CALA has provided invaluable support to each of the students during their research, which will give them a sound basis for their dissertation topic. Providing these students with real life industry work challenges will give them the experience they need when they leave academia and move into the industry where they will have the opportunity to make a real difference.”