A move by the Government to promote sustainable housing
looks to have got off to a better start than it might
have hoped.
The
first houses designed to demonstrate compliance to
the new Code for Sustainable Homes for
the assessment
of new housing in England are to be on display at the
BRE’s June OFFSITE2007 event. Based on he Building
Research Establishment’s Ecohomes, the code was
launched in April 2007 as a way of promoting ‘a
step change in sustainable building practice for new
homes’.
‘We are delighted that our industry partners are
taking the lead responding to the Government challenge
for low carbon and sustainable homes and building their
demonstration houses on our Innovation Park’, said
BRE director Jaya Skandamoorthy.
Companies
such as Kingspan and Stewart Milne are to demonstrate
how they would conform to
the two top levels
of the code by making them as ‘zero carbon' as
possible.
Stewart
Milne Group will be aiming to show that sustainability
is commercially viable in
mass produced housing. ‘The
single biggest impact on our business will be climate
change and we felt we should take an industry lead by
building a commercially viable house that reflected the
Government's objective to achieve zero carbon houses
within a decade’, said managing director Glenn
Allison.
Meanwhile almost half the 459 construction industry
managers and directors questioned by the Chartered Institute
of Building said they would develop 'green' technology
and techniques.
‘What we have seen through this research is that
sustainability is clearly at the top of the agenda for
the construction industry’, said CIOB deputy chief
executive Michael Brown. ‘Almost 50 per cent of
respondents voiced innovative “green” ideas
that ranged from carbon neutral construction materials,
renewable energy systems, energy efficient heating systems
through to solar powered equipment and better waste management
products. With 60 per cent of respondents stating that “green” issues
currently require the most research and development,
it is clear from this survey that there is a deep concern
for environmental issues from within the construction
industry’.
• An ‘energy efficiency measurement and benchmarking
tool’ for commercial landlords has been launched
by the British Property Federation. To apply to existing
buildings, the Landlord’s Energy Statement (LES),
is designed to help landlords understand the energy used
heating, air conditioning, lifts, lighting in common
areas and other common services in the office buildings
they own.
‘If we are to win our fight to reduce carbon dioxide emissions,
then existing buildings are the key battle ground’,
said BPF chief executive Liz Peace. ‘The landlord’s
energy statement is the first step toward victory as
it will enable landlords to measure, report and then
reduce the emissions from the communal services they
provide in office buildings. It clearly demonstrates
the property industry is committed to playing its part
in helping the UK meet its CO2 emissions targets'.
