Leading best practice on reducing air quality and greenhouse gas emissions from plant and equipment
There is increasing interest from clients in tailpipe emissions for their projects, as well as a growing number of low emissions zones across the country, as part of addressing the negative effect engines have on the air quality of our towns and cities.
As a result of these challenges, Partners are collaborating to identify and provide the supply chain with information and guidance on plant standards and management.
The Plant category group was established by School Partners and other key industry stakeholders to develop and facilitate a collaborative approach to reducing the tailpipe air quality and greenhouse gas emissions of plant, through its procurement, rental and use. This is to directly address the negative impacts on health and global warming that diesel and petrol plant contribute to. The definition of “plant” for this group is “plant used in the construction and/or maintenance of an asset and consumes some form of power/energy”. It ranges from hand tools up to large excavators.
2023/2024 Plant Group Update
To learn more about the group’s targets and objectives for 2023/2024, download the Business Plan below.
Download the Plan
Plant Charter
Download The Plant Charter
The School will lead the way for the UK’s built environment to drastically reduce onsite emissions to air that are harmful to human health and the planet.
The Charter is an outward declaration that organisations are serious about taking action to reduce air quality impacts and carbon emissions. It is based on the Minimum Standards that the Group has developed. They are interlinked documents that describe the actions the sector should be undertaking to address the emissions from plant they buy or rent.
The key topics for action are:
- Addressing and reducing tailpipe emissions;
- Engaging stakeholders such as clients, suppliers and trade associations on your actions to reduce emissions;
- Training your staff and associates on why and how you are reducing the emissions; and
- What innovative actions you are taking, whether it’s technological or measuring the embodied carbon of plant.



Group Outputs:
Partners have worked to produce several resources to provide landscape and potential solutions for the supply and demand of plant and plant operators, for use by clients, major contractors and the supply chain. We encourage anyone in the sector who buys, rents and / or uses plant to look at the Plant Commitment Charter and consider becoming a Signatory alongside the other organisations already demonstrating their commitment.







Plant Case Studies:
We’ve gathered examples of best practice that illustrate how the sector is actively reducing the air quality and greenhouse gas emissions of the plant equipment they hire or rent and then use on site. Have a look to learn about the variety of options available now to the sector.
Energy and Carbon
Flannery Plant Hire Introduces New D6XE Electric Drive Dozer
Video
Energy and Carbon
Case Study: Zero Emission Welfare Cabin
Case Study
Energy and Carbon
Case Study: Siemens And Automate
Case Study
Meet the Team:
James, Imogen and Sam are here to help Partners to get involved with the Plant Group.



Meeting Dates:
The dates for all Plant Group meetings have now been set for 2023/24. Please see below for further details and the notes from previous meetings.
Date/ Time | Location |
12th December 2023, 14:00pm – 16:00pm | Microsoft Teams |
13th February 2024, 10am – 12pm | Microsoft Teams |
28th May 2024, 10am – 12pm | Microsoft Teams |
10th September 2024, 10am – 12pm | Microsoft Teams |
10th December 2024, 10am – 12pm | Microsoft Teams |
Meeting Notes:
Download notes from any of the previous Plant Group meetings below.
2023
12 September 2023 | 21 March 2023
2022
6 December 2022 | 27 September 2022 | 12 July 2022 |10 May 2022 | 15 February 2022
2021
1 December 2021 | 29 September 2021 | 21 July 2021 | 14 April 2021 | 28 January 2021
2020
25 November 2020 | 22 September 2020 | 7 July 2020 | 24 April 2020 | 30 January 2020
2019
21 November 2019 | 11 September 2019 | 6 June 2019 | 12 March 2019
2018
26 September 2018 | 12 June 2018 | 28 January 2018
2017
6 November 2017