Wates is calling for sustainable innovations to help banks and building societies reduce their environmental impact.
Businesses will have the opportunity to pitch their product or service to a Dragons’ Den-style panel of experts from across Wates and a group of major UK banks and building societies.
Lloyds Banking Group, NatWest Group, Coventry Building Society, Leeds Building Society and Skipton Building Society are taking part in the project as part of their individual strategies to decarbonise their estates.
The call follows the success of the sustainable innovations competition led by Wates and Lloyds Banking Group in 2023, which identified some of the “next generation” sustainable services.
Innovation on a bigger scale
Eight sustainable innovations have been piloted to date, including an intelligent thermostat that improves the efficiency of air conditioning, friendly bacteria that can unblock urinals and reduce wastewater, and innovative air-powered showers that significantly reduce water usage.
The most interesting projects could also receive a spot on the Wates Innovation Network Portal – a free network that connects built environment customers to market-leading sustainable solutions.
Dr Zainab Dangana, head of sustainable technology services at Wates, said: “Following the success of the competition in 2023 when we had over 200 applications, we wanted to build on this momentum and bring back the call for more innovations on an even bigger scale.
“By expanding the collaboration to involve other UK banks and building societies, we can pool even more diverse resources and expertise into the judging panel.”
