The drive towards greener property visits
According to a BBC report, road vehicles account for nearly three quarters of the greenhouse gas emissions that come from transport. Despite this, most estate agents, lettings professionals and property managers jump in their cars when it comes to travelling from A to B.
By its very nature, working in property is a roving role. Viewings, inspections, condition reports, safety checks, welfare visits, opening up for trades, locking up after – none of these can be done from the desk. Instead, professionals are frequently in the field, travelling from dwelling to office on a repeat cycle.
Cars = carbon
It’s a fair assumption that travelling by car is the preferred method of transport for property professionals but work-hour journeys are significantly contributing to the UK’s carbon emissions. In fact, Government statistics released in 2023 revealed domestic transport was responsible for emitting 109 MtCO2e (million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent) in the UK. This is a 10% increase from 2020.
Air quality has also made recent headlines for all the wrong reasons. In September 2024, Asthma + Lung UK released data that showed that of the 43,000 playgrounds in Britain, reportedly 99% exceeded World Health Organization (WHO) recommended limits on air pollution.
It’s a damning statistic that is really put into perspective when you consider a previous report by the Royal College of Physicians. It found an estimated 40,000 premature deaths and 20,200 hospital admissions could be attributed to air pollution every year in the UK.
Short but not sweet
According to the National Travel Survey: 2018, around 60% of 1-2 mile journeys are made by car and it is these short trips – typically the type taken by property professionals – that add to pollution levels. The issue is most acute in urban areas such as inner London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool, where a third of car trips are less than two miles.
The problem is believed to lie with how little time the engine has to get into its eco stride when used for short journeys. Past analysis of EQUA Index data revealed that brief distances are not sufficiently long enough for a vehicle’s pollution control system to warm up and function successfully. As a result, modern non-EV vehicles can emit twice as much pollution in the first five minutes of running, bellowing out something known as a ‘pollution burst’.
It’s worth including a note on electric vehicles (EVs) and credit is due to agents, including Foxtons, Verity Frearson, Ashtons and Chestertons, who have fleets of EVs. Electric adoption is not across the board, however, with DVLA records showing only 2.7% of all road-using vehicles at the end of March 2024 were zero emissions fully electric vehicles. As such, many agents are still making short journeys in petrol and diesel cars.
Pedestrian power for property visits
Although EVs discharge far fewer emissions than their traditional fuel counterparts, they are not carbon net zero. Travelling on foot is by far the greenest way to move about and it’s a mode of transport we champion here at Viewber. Our business model ensures we have a local Viewber close to every single property in the UK. More often than not, the Viewber will be so close – probably more local than an agent, auctioneer or property manager – they can walk to and from the appointment, which is something we actively advocate.
Working with Viewber is a low effort way to reduce an organisation’s carbon emissions, help achieve B Corp status, and feed into any KPIs relating emissions and net zero.
Save emissions, time & money
Don’t forget, when you book a Viewber to undertake a property visit, you save time as well as emissions. Instead of wasting hours travelling or getting stuck in traffic, property professionals can send a Viewber on their behalf, allowing them to focus on more pressing office-based matters. And did we mention money saving too? A Viewber who walks to a property will not have a fuel bill, will not have to pay for parking and will not pick up a bus lane ticket or parking fine!
Property professionals who think being eco conscious is a superficial gesture might like to know that Labour has been consulting on introducing a new Clean Air Act. It is likely that, if passed as law in the future, there would be legally binding targets on improving air quality. How, when and what we drive will definitely be called into question.
Planning for the future
The rumour mill has already been in overdrive. In the summer of 2024, there was talk of Labour introducing a nation-wide ULEZ scheme (ultra-low emissions zone). This may require drivers of non-compliant, polluting vehicles to pay daily rates to use the roads. It remains to be seen if such a scheme is rolled out but is not implausible.
If you’d like a greener approach to property visits, talk to us. Many of our members travel on foot, by bicycle, or use public transport. Most importantly, our members are local, typically within 5 miles of the property. With Viewber, you can arrange a visit to any property in the UK through our easy online booking system, all without leaving your desk or using your car.
