BE-ST and Carbon Futures have announced a new strategic partnership aimed at combining their expertise to help accelerate decarbonisation across the built environment.
The initial two-year partnership will be delivered through BE-ST’s subsidiary, BE-ST Innovation Enterprise Solutions Ltd, known as BESTIES, which was launched at BE-ST Fest 2024 to support deeper collaboration with businesses, universities, colleges and other organisations.
Under the partnership, the two organisations will work together on a joint offering that includes shared communications, events, thought leadership and business development activity. The aim is to create greater value for clients and partners involved in delivering high-performing, low-carbon buildings across both domestic and non-domestic sectors.
Together, they plan to broaden the range of public and private sector organisations they support, become involved earlier in project development, and encourage more ambitious large-scale approaches to low-carbon delivery.
Last week, BE-ST hosted a networking reception at Scotland House in London, bringing together industry representatives, policymakers and delivery partners to discuss key challenges facing the built environment, including housing delivery, retrofit and low-carbon construction. The event also explored potential solutions Scotland could offer to help address those issues.
During the event, Carbon Futures announced the opening of a new London office. The company said the move would allow it to work more closely with organisations across the capital and the wider UK, marking the next stage of its growth plans.
The partnership reflects the type of collaboration BESTIES was created to support, combining BE-ST’s expertise in innovation, strategic engagement and sector transformation with Carbon Futures’ technical knowledge in energy, carbon and building performance.
The two organisations said the collaboration will also strengthen their shared commitment to accelerating decarbonisation throughout the built environment. By combining strategic guidance, technical verification and real-world project delivery, they aim to help clients adopt innovations such as circular construction, bio-based materials, MMC and offsite systems, as well as scalable retrofit solutions, with greater confidence.
Alongside project delivery, BE-ST and Carbon Futures will also focus on workforce development across the sector. Through training, knowledge-sharing and practical learning opportunities, they hope to help colleges, universities and supply chains develop the skills needed to adopt new low-carbon construction approaches and technologies.
By bringing together their expertise and networks through BESTIES, the organisations said they aim to offer a more integrated service that helps clients move more quickly from low-carbon ambitions to practical delivery.
Stephen Good, chief executive of BE-ST, said: “BESTIES was established to drive radical collaborations that deliver transformative innovation at scale and pace. This strategic partnership with Carbon Futures is a strong example of that in action.
“By delivering BE-ST’s innovation and strategic capability through BESTIES, together with Carbon Futures’ technical depth, we can better support clients to turn low carbon ambition into practical, deliverable projects. At the same time, the partnership will help strengthen the sector’s ability to upskill and adopt new approaches and technologies, while advancing BESTIES’ social purpose to drive forward our decarbonisation mission.”
Andrew Money, director at Carbon Futures, added: “As we continue to progress our ambitious growth plans across the UK, this partnership represents a significant milestone for Carbon Futures.
“By combining our technical expertise in sustainability and building performance with BE-ST’s innovation leadership we can accelerate the delivery of low-carbon buildings nationwide. This collaboration strengthens our shared commitment to support organisations in creating transformative, sustainable communities throughout the UK.”
