Birmingham City Council (BCC) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Zero Emission Cities (ZEC) team have identified the Smithfield development as the focus for a ZEC engagement. The Smithfield visioning document outlines the requirement for the development to ‘meet high standards of sustainable design and construction that will be essential in creating an adaptable environment that will stand the test of time’. This vision is matched by WBCSD in seeking to deliver the future urban environments we need.

This document sets out the proposed Sustainability Framework that will support Smithfield meet this vision. The Framework draws together a range of sustainability standards and examples of Best and Aspirational Practice that, if embedded, will deliver the sustainability aspirations of Smithfield. This is very much a ‘blueprint’ for the WBCSD ZEC vision of the delivery of a highly sustainable development and is drawn from the WBCSD and its member companies.

The framework also draws on insight and engagement from BCC staff. This input has been received through a series of workshops held with representatives of BCC to identify the suitable level of aspiration for Smithfield. Where possible we have identified local planning policy against targets but understand there is an emerging city plan that will shape the future sustainability policy of Birmingham.