WR-APping UP GREEN MARK LEVEL 1

WR-AP are excited to share the news that we have achieved Level 1 certification with Green Mark with near 100% submission success. The qualification process was led by Project Lead, Dan Rooke, who provides his insight into the structure below and explains why WR-AP wanted to participate in the scheme and the key measures that had to be undertaken to attain this important certification.

Green Mark provides an internationally recognised environmental certification for companies that want to assure their clients and employees that they are conducting business to recognised environmental standards. The Green Mark Level 1 journey, delivered through the London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames Council’s ‘Making Business Greener Scheme’ via the Richmond Business Hub, has been a valuable and grounding process for WR-AP. We would like to extend a warm thank-you to the Council for awarding the fees to enable us to partake in this process.

By participating in the process, we have been provided a clear framework to better understand, manage, and improve the environmental performance of our studio. This has focused on impacts generated through day-to-day operations: namely Scope 1 emissions (direct, on-site sources such as gas use) and Scope 2 emissions (indirect emissions from purchased energy, including electricity). The process also establishes a basis for addressing Scope 3 emissions at subsequent stages, encompassing wider indirect impacts such as supply chains, procurement, and business travel.

At its core, Level 1 has enabled us to take a step back and assess how the practice operates. For an architectural studio, where environmental ambition is often embedded in design outputs, this process has been equally important in aligning WR-AP’s internal operations with those same principles. On a personal level, I have greatly appreciated the opportunity to really assess and analyse the practice against an established framework to help navigate the team towards improving our environmental footprint.

The Green Mark Dashboard

Through the online portal we submitted information about the business, answered questions and provided supporting evidence. Our answers were then reviewed by one of Green Mark’s Auditors, and we’re pleased to announce that WR-AP has now been awarded the Green Mark Level 1 certification. Through the process Green Mark helped us create a framework to make sure we have the correct tools to monitor and reduce our emissions going forward, as well as communicating internally and externally how we are doing this.

Governance

A key outcome has been the strengthening of environmental governance within the practice. Together with Directors Sean Weston and Max Rengifo, we reviewed and updated our Environmental Policy to reflect current legislation alongside our broader sustainability objectives, and developed a coordinated Action Plan for the year ahead, with defined responsibilities distributed across the WR-AP team. Environmental accountability is now more clearly embedded within both project delivery and internal management structures, creating a more transparent and consistent approach to how environmental responsibility is managed across the practice.

Operations

I found the operational audit to be particularly instructive, providing measurable insight into how the studio performs on a month-by-month basis. This process included the introduction of utility benchmarking to monitor energy and water consumption, implementation of waste tracking procedures aligned with legislative requirements and best practice, and undertaking a lighting audit to identify opportunities for reducing energy demand through more efficient systems. In parallel, I spent time reviewing relevant environmental legislation to ensure compliance while identifying areas for further improvement. Together, these steps have allowed us to establish quantifiable targets for reducing energy use and associated emissions, forming a practical basis for ongoing performance improvement.

Impact Beyond the Studio

While Level 1 focuses on direct operational impacts, the process has also helped us consolidate and articulate our wider contribution as a practice. This includes recognition of awards and achievements linked to sustainability and responsible design, continued engagement in volunteering initiatives and community schemes that reinforce social value alongside environmental performance, and greater alignment between our internal practices and the environmental aspirations we promote through our architectural work.

Accreditation and Process

Achieving Green Mark Level 1 accreditation represents an established standard for WR-AP, confirming that we have identified and assessed our direct environmental impacts and have implemented monitoring and reduction measures. It is further reinforced by evidence that the practice has embedded environmental considerations within governance and operations.

Although the process is typically delivered over 6–8 weeks, supported by close guidance from Green Mark Advisors (including an in-person office visit to help shape the action plan), our experience extended to approximately 4–5 months due to the demands of live project work. Throughout this period, access to expert advice remained consistent, allowing the process to develop in a thorough and considered way.

We are particularly grateful for the support and guidance provided by Carbon Architecture:

·       Robyn Johnson, Environmental Advisor

·       Lara Nunn, Junior Environmental Advisor

·       Purva Shah, Associate Environmental Advisor

Their input has been instrumental in translating overarching sustainability criteria into meaningful, practice-specific actions.

After becoming accredited Green Mark sent us a certificate, window stickers and some digital materials to share the news of our accreditation which we now proudly share and display throughout our business and to our clients. For any other organisations considering environmental accreditation, these are some reasons why we would recommend it:

· Sustainable practices such as saving energy, reducing water use, using less materials and creating less waste can save more money than you think.

· It is possible to run a profitable business without compromising on social and environmental responsibilities.

· Business can be a force for good in the world when maximising profit is not the only goal.

To find out more about Green Mark head to greenmark.co.uk!

Making Business Greener Scheme - Richmond upon Thames Council

Looking Ahead: Level 2

With a robust baseline now established, here at WR-AP we are looking ahead to working towards Green Mark Level 2 over the coming year. This next stage will broaden the scope to include indirect (Scope 3) emissions which will address impacts associated with procurement, supply chains, consultant teams, and project-related travel. It represents an important step in embedding environmental considerations more deeply within our design processes and project delivery.

Wider Context

Recent updates from Richmond Council highlight a continued focus on accelerating climate action through community-led initiatives. These efforts centre on supporting local businesses and strengthening collaborative networks, all while providing resources to drive measurable carbon reduction. This wider context reinforces the relevance of the Green Mark framework and its alignment with borough-wide environmental priorities.

Overall, the Level 1 process has provided WR-AP with a clear and practical foundation by strengthening our internal processes and improving environmental performance, whilst ensuring that the way we operate as a studio is consistent with the principles we advocate through our work.

This blog was written by Dan Rooke, a Project Lead at WR-AP.