Built environment clauses and resources

We have over 30 climate clauses spanning the built environment lifecycle. The tools on this page help you navigate and use them in your contracts.

If you are new to The Chancery Lane Project and looking for the best place to begin, start with our Introducing Climate Clauses video.

Built environment climate contracts tool

Use the interactive tool below to find relevant, climate-aligned clauses for your built environment contracts. To view the tool in full screen, click here.​

If you have feedback on this tool, please contact us.

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Built environment clauses one-pager

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Our built environment focus

In 2022, TCLP launched its built environment project with the support of Laudes Foundation. Working with high impact real estate and construction stakeholders, the project will:

  • Identify key intervention points for climate clauses in targeted sector contracts;
  • Enable sector actors to operationalise their net zero targets through contracts; and
  • Extend use our climate clauses in built environment sector contracts, with a particular focus on the UK, European Union, Switzerland and Norway.

Why? According to the UNEP, the built environment generates almost 40% of global energy-related C02 emissions. Using climate clauses in the sector’s relatively small pool of precedent contracts has huge potential to reduce its carbon footprint.

Updates: Follow the project on LinkedIn, our updates page or sign up for our newsletter. Read about our built environment project work so far, here:

Get involved: We advertise opportunities to take part in the built environment project on our pro bono opportunities page. If you would like to support this project but do not see a suitable opportunity advertised, please get in touch with your experience, expertise and what you can bring to the project.

Built environment podcasts

In the first series of our Contracts for the Climate podcast, we were joined by sector experts to discuss key built environment clauses. Each episode explores how one clause works in practice, the climate benefits it delivers and opportunities to add it to your contracts.

Listen to all episodes on our Contracts for the Climate web page, or on Apple, Spotify and Anchor.

  • S1E1 covers Aatmayʼs Clause, which tackles greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the production of new materials by encouraging landlords and tenants to re-use goods and materials during repairs, alterations and yielding up.
  • S1E2 covers Tristanʼs Clause, which manages GHG emissions caused by procurement of unsustainable materials by setting a carbon budget for construction projects.
  • S1E3 covers Roseʼs Clause, which encourages project finance companies or borrowers to develop and adopt a whole life decarbonisation management plan.
  • S1E4 covers Ayshe’s Clause, which tackles emissions and human rights abuses in renewable energy supply chains.
  • S1E5 covers Izzyʼs Clause, which helps clients to compare a contractor’s carbon footprint against the market.

External resources

Climate change:

Business case for decarbonising the built environment:

Wider sector and stakeholders:

Construction: Public works projects and programmes:

Real estate: Additional green leasing clauses and guidance:

A just transition in the built environment:

Circular economy principles:

Energy efficiency:

Legal & industry press featuring TCLP

Construction & development

Real estate

Transpose clauses for your jurisdiction

If you could help adapt our built environment clauses for use in your jurisdiction, please contact us. We are particularly keen to transpose clauses for use in the European Union, Switzerland or Norway.

What are transpositions? 

‘Transposition’ means adapting a climate clause relevant in England and Wales to be relevant in another jurisdiction. 

TCLP believes transpositions are the key to accelerating and scaling our impact across sectors globally. The collaborative efforts of our community will help us to realise a world where every contract enables solutions to climate change.

Transpositions case study: Irish green lease clauses

For inspiration, follow the example of the Irish Property Working Group and the Law Society of Ireland’s Landlord and Tenant Taskforce adapting TCLP’s green lease clauses for use in Ireland.

Read more on the Law Society of Ireland website and in TCLP’s announcement.