Future Leap's story
Based in Bristol, Future Leap offers a hub and support network for businesses looking to progress their sustainability journey. The sustainability hub opened in 2019 and is the first carbon-neutral co-working space of its kind in the UK. Future Leap's aim is "to act as somewhere for people to experience environmental technologies and sustainability products and practices in action, in turn inspiring them to move in the same direction". As well as being a carbon-neutral building, the hub itself has an ethical café, exhibition space and an eco-lifestyle shop.
The hub also acts as a centre for Future Leap's Sustainable Business Network (FLSBN), which was established in 2005. Since then, the FLSBN has become one of the largest green business networks in the UK, with over 300 organisations.
Future Leap also organises an annual 'Festival of Sustainable Business', which holds three different events: a conference, an exhibition and an awards ceremony with dozens of speakers and over 2000 attendees. Read on for Future Leap's story.
Using the space as an exemplar, they have made a commitment to remove their gas boilers and put in air-source heat pumps and a mechanical ventilation heat recovery system so they can be as low-carbon as possible. The flooring is made out of ghost fishing nets, the chairs are 3D-printed out of crisp wrappers; they are really trying to show innovative, sustainable design within this space!
Useful learnings from Future Leap
"Naturally, the advice I would give is to join the Future Leap Network. We put on weekly events on different sustainability-related topics, so if you are not sure about something, we will have it covered at some point in our weekly events programme. Come and experience the Future Leap (award-winning!) sustainable business hub, too.
The major benefit of doing this is preserving the planet – as Mark Carney says, those who do not adapt will go bankrupt without question. Sustainability is a fun way of doing business, as you bring everybody along with you and move in the same direction."
Future Leap's metrics
Amount of carbon savings.
